Free the nipple: Lenovo ThinkPad X9 first with no TrackPoint
At CES 2025, Lenovo has announced one of the most radical ThinkPad redesigns we've ever seen
💻 Lenovo just announced a redesigned ThinkPad at CES 2025
🤏 It’s called the ThinkPad X9 and it’s razor-thin
👾 It features upgraded specs, a gorgeous screen, and a modern design
🔴 It’s the first ThinkPad to drop the TrackPoint in… forever
Lenovo has a slew of CES 2025 news to share, and one of the most intriguing highlights is the ThinkPad X9. The device, which is Lenovo’s boldest take on a ThinkPad yet, aims to serve up a more modern design that’s geared toward a more consumer-friendly audience, all while including the signature attributes of a ThinkPad (well, except for one).
The ThinkPad X9 comes in 14-inch and 15.3-inch sizes, both of which get OLED screens with 2.8K resolutions and a 120Hz refresh rate. In my hands-on with the ThinkPad X9, the screens looked beautiful.
I also found the design to be gorgeous; Lenovo built all the components for the laptop into a thick bar on the bottom of the machine, allowing the company to trim down the thickness of the rest of the design, resulting in an ultra-thin profile that feels close to holding a few sheets of paper in your hand. Called the “engine hub,” the bar houses all the computer’s components and makes it easier to repair if you need to replace an SSD or RAM. It’s also made of more metal than other ThinkPads, which gives it more of a MacBook vibe than ever before.
Open the ThinkPad X9 and you’ll find Lenovo’s comfy, satisfying ThinkPad keyboard on the lower deck, but with a few changes. The trackpad is now a single piece instead of being paired with dedicated left and right mouse buttons, and there’s no longer a red dot in the middle of the keyboard itself. Infamously referred to as the ThinkPad Nipple, Lenovo’s TrackPoint has been left off the X9 in hopes of giving this laptop a freshened, more modern appearance to appeal to new customers.
I don’t know how effective it’ll be at keeping the design fresh, but let’s be honest here: who was using the TrackPoint anyway? Now that it’s gone, you have to use the enlarged trackpad to move the cursor around, and I don’t think many folks will mind that.
Under the hood, Lenovo packs in Intel’s Core Ultra (Series 2) processors with up to 32GB of RAM, 2TB of storage, and 65W charging with the GaN Nano adapter in the box. There are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on both models, while the 15.3-inch model gets a bonus HDMI 2.1 port. There’s also Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
In tech’s current climate, it’s impossible to avoid AI, and the ThinkPad X9 plays into that completely. Lenovo says the X9 is Copilot+ ready and ships with the company’s own AI Now chat bot built on Meta’s Llama 3.0. One of its primary functions is making it easier to search for files and information inside your files, on top of helping write your emails and generate images.
Lenovo is also using its Aura Edition branding on the ThinkPad X9, which means you get access to some smart features like easier file sharing with your phone, posture correction reminders, and easier access to support lines. I reviewed the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition and was left slightly underwhelmed, but those who enjoy the features a bit more than me will appreciate their inclusion here.
Lenovo says the ThinkPad X9 will start at $1,399 and go on sale next month. I’ve already given the company a heads up that I want to review it, so be sure to subscribe to The Shortcut so you know when it drops.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop.
I hope that the Track Point will still be available on other models (like the X1 Carbon). I definitely have a few users who will be hard pressed to migrate away from them.
Retard. I'm using a TrackPoint right now.