Corey’s weekend with the Lenovo ThinkPad X12

Hey, internet! I’m Corey, Senior Creative Strategist here at Mashable, and I’m forever trying to find the right balance between feeling productive and taking time to relax. I stay glued to my computer and my phone during work hours, but my screen time stays solid after work, too, as I write, stream, and read. In other words, I’m constantly shuffling between devices, while wishing I had one that multifunctional tech tool that could do it all.

That’s why I jumped at the chance to try Lenovo’s ThinkPad X12 Detachable (12", Intel) Tablet(opens in a new tab) for a weekend. Portable, powerful, and relatively affordable: could the ThinkPad X12 be the skeleton key I’ve been looking for, the device to free me from needing to juggle three or more pieces of tech at once? 

Lifestyle fit

During my workday on Friday, the Lenovo ThinkPad X12(opens in a new tab) easily kept up with my demands. I ran Zoom meetings, worked in Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, kept Slack and Spotify running all day, and browsed roughly 87 open browser tabs (don’t judge — this could be the day I finally finish reading that article about foraging mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest). The ThinkPad X12 never slowed down or kept me waiting while I cycled through programs or opened up a big .PPT file. The audio-visual quality of my telemeetings stayed crystal clear, even when I took a call in my backyard. On that video meeting, the Dolby® Premium app filtered out background noise from a construction site nearby, while the 5MP front-facing camera ensured my coworkers could see my (mostly) smiling face in full detail. (You’re welcome, coworkers!)

With the workweek finished, my needs change a bit, as I’m also writing a novel. I like to do my writing outside of the confines of home, so a sturdy battery and a real working keyboard are essentials for me, qualities I didn’t think I could find in a tablet.

On Saturday, the ThinkPad X12 shifted readily into weekend mode. I enjoyed reading my morning paper outside on the tablet’s vivid screen, after which I moved on to writing in the backyard. The kickstand on the back of the tablet provided enough stability to transform the ThinkPad X12 into a laptop, alongside the detachable keyboard, which functioned perfectly and didn’t have me missing my usual laptop. The battery stayed with me all day, even with the screen’s brightness punched all the way up in the bright sunshine — and had plenty left for Sunday’s writing session. 

Design

Sunday night, I cooked up some dinner with an assist from the ThinkPad X12(opens in a new tab); though it couldn’t extend a hand to help stir my curry, my recipe video sounded great on the tablet’s speakers, and with the keyboard detached, it was easy to prop the tablet up on the kitchen counter. Dinner finished, I took the tablet to the couch for a little streaming session, again impressed by the sound and picture quality packed into such a thin and lightweight piece of tech.

The versatility of the ThinkPad X12 never failed to impress me. It feels like a genuinely flexible device, with almost full edge-to-edge screen coverage, powerful speakers, and an easily detachable (and, it’s worth saying, easily attachable) keyboard for when you’d rather be working on a more traditional laptop setup. 

Unexpected benefit

The ThinkPad X12(opens in a new tab) comes with a Lenovo Precision Pen, and I found myself jazzed to use it to mark up a draft with notes and to try a little freehand sketching (those books on drawing I ordered at the beginning of quarantine finally paid off). Drawing, a habit I loved as a kid but have struggled to pick up again as an adult, felt accessible to me in a way I hadn’t experienced in years. Perhaps I’ll dedicate my first gallery show to Lenovo in a few years? 

Giftability

I’ve got younger, college-aged siblings, and the Lenovo ThinkPad X12(opens in a new tab) hits all the notes of a great graduation gift. The versatility of this device and its ability to seamlessly transition from work to play mode makes it perfect for grads on the go (or anyone who can’t wait to be on the go again after this last year).