Lenovo's top ThinkPads and Yogas go all-in on Panther Lake — business laptops come with Windows and Linux options
AMD and Snapdragon find their way down the stack.
Lenovo is updating its expansive productivity laptop lineup at CES 2026, including both its famed ThinkPad business notebooks and its consumer and creative-oriented Yogas. While Lenovo is aligning itself with all three big processor companies, Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, its top-end systems all have one thing in common: Intel's new Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" processors.
Those systems are what Lenovo calls "Aura Editions," which the company uses to showcase AI-focused tools, like "Smart Modes" that can detect what you're doing and change settings, or "Smart Share," which lets you share photos and videos with selected devices.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 11 Aura Edition | Lenovo ThinkPad X9 15p Aura Edition | Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition | Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Aura Edition | Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition |
CPU | Intel Core Ultra X7 Series 3 processors | Up to Intel Core Ultra X9 Series 3 processors | Intel Core Ultra X7 Series 3 processors | Up to Intel Core Ultra X9 processor | Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 386H | Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
GPU | Intel Arc 12Xe or Intel integrated | Intel Arc 12Xe or Intel integrated | Intel Arc 12Xe | Integrated | Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 | Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 |
RAM | Up to 64GB LPDDR5x-9600 | Up to 64GB LPDDR5x-9600 | Up to 64GB LPDDR5x-9600 | Up to 32GB LPDDR5x-9500 | Up to 64GB LPDDR5x-7467 | Up to 64GB LPDDR5x-7467 |
Storage | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 5 SSD | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 5 SSD | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 5 SSD | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD | Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD |
Display | Up to 2880 x 1800 OLED, touch optional | Up to 2880 x 1800 OLED, touch optional | 15.3-inch, 2880 x 1800, 120 Hz VRR, OLED, touch optional | 14-inch, up to 2880 x 1800 POLED, 120 Hz, touch | 15.3-inch, 2560 x 1600, OLED, 165 Hz VRR, touch optional | Up to 16-inch, 3200 x 2000, 120 Hz VRR, Tandem OLED, touch |
Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB Type-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm headphone jack | 3x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB Type-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm headphone jack | 3x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB Type-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, SD card reader, 3.5 mm headphone jack | 3x Thunderbolt 4 | 2x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, 2x USB Type-A 3.2, SD card reader (UHS-II), 3.5 mm headphone jack | 2x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, 2x USB Type-A 3.2, SD card reader (UHS-II), 3.5 mm headphone jack |
Networking | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, 5G optional | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, 5G optional | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 |
Battery | 58 WHr | 58 WHr | 88 WHr | 75 WHr | Up to 92.5 WHr | Up to 92.5 WHr |
OS Options | Windows 11, Linux | Windows 11, Linux | Windows 11 Pro or Home, Ubuntu | Windows 11 | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
Availability | March 2026 | March 2026 | March 2026 | Q2 2026 | Q2 2026 | Q2 2026 |
Starting Price | $1,999 | $2,149 | $1,999 | $1,499.99 | $1,799.99 | $1,899.99 |
ThinkPads and Business Laptops
The flagship ThinkPads are the X1 series. This year, the X1 Carbon and X1 2-in-1 are debuting new "Space Frame" chassis, which rearrange the interiors of systems so that components can be placed on either side of the motherboard. The company says this space efficiency also allows for higher sustained performance due to better cooling, as well as easier repairs with replaceable parts including the battery, USB ports, keyboard, fans, and speakers.
Lenovo says that these systems will have up to 20% increased heat dissipation due to updated thermal architecture. Both systems also come with a new 10MP camera with a 110-degree field of view.
Meanwhile, the ThinkPad X9 15p Aura Edition — a take on the laptop we called the prettiest business PC — is also jumping up to Panther Lake, including Intel Core X9 processors. The system features what Lenovo says is the largest ThinkPad haptic touchpad (135 x 85 mm), and will also get a 10MP camera.
These Aura PCs aren't cheap. They will all go on sale in March, with the X1 Carbon starting at $1,999, the X1 2-in-1 beginning at $2,149, and the ThinkPad X9 15p launching at $1,999. Interestingly, all of these laptops will come with both Windows 11 and Linux as configuration options.
In addition, Lenovo is bringing its motorized hinge-toting "Auto Twist" concept, which debuted as a concept at IFA in 2024, to a real laptop in its small business line, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 7 Auto Twist, which will go on sale starting at $1,649.
Yogas and Consumer Laptops
On Lenovo's consumer side, there are two dramatically different categories of device. The Yoga Pro 7i and 9i Aura Edition are both focused on creatives, with up to Intel's Core Ultra 9 386H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070. The Yoga Pro 9i has an option for a Tandem OLED display, a six-speaker sound system, and uses a power adapter going up to 245W (the 7i provides up to 140W over a standard USB Type-C connection). These will launch in Q2 starting at $1,799.99 for the 7i and $1,899.99 for the 9i.
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The other extreme is the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition, a 14-inch white system coming in at less than 2.2 pounds. You'll still get up to an Intel Core ultra X9 with up to 12 Xe graphics cores and 9600 MHz RAM, as well as a new matte texture that Lenovo says will reduce fingerprints. This system will start at $1,499.99 in Q2.
Lenovo also has Yogas with AMD and Qualcomm processors. The latest AMD Ryzen AI 400 chips will power the Yoga Slim 7a, while the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus will come to the Yoga Slim 7x. These are both 14-inch devices with 2880 x 1800 touch screens, designed for mobility and power efficiency. The Slim 7x will start at $949.99 in Q2, while the 7a is only being sold in select markets.
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Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Threads @FreedmanAE and BlueSky @andrewfreedman.net. You can send him tips on Signal: andrewfreedman.01
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bit_user I toyed with the idea of getting a Thinkpad with Snapdragon X, a couple months ago. However, Linux support still seems too rough. So, I decided I didn't want to risk losing that much money on some hardware I couldn't use how I wanted. Instead, I went for a $300 bargain bin special and it's working okay, so far (but not great).Reply
If I did spend any real money on a laptop, that I wanted to actually use like a laptop, then I'd really want to go for the proper Thinkpad version of the pointing device, with physical buttons! -
timecop1818 Hmm too bad, not a single model with 4K screen anymore. I bought the yoga aura edition last year with 3840x2400 and it got discontinued a week later lol.Reply
screw all these stupid 16:9 1800p oled junks. 4K or bust -
bit_user Reply
Eh, I'm fine with 1920 in my laptops. About 20 years ago, I got a machine with a 15.4" screen and 1920x1200 resolution. Possibly one of the first machines with such a screen! That was perfect. All the DPI that I really need.timecop1818 said:Hmm too bad, not a single model with 4K screen anymore.
Except, these days I prefer my laptops to be in the 13" to 14" range. The 15" models are generally bigger and heavier than I like to lug around. -
timecop1818 Reply
I've been on 4k screens since mid 2000s starting with T221 and every one of my 12-14" laptops since then has been 4K. I'm not going to downgrade. the EDA software i use can absolutely make use of higher resolution/DPI so it's not an issue.bit_user said:Eh, I'm fine with 1920 in my laptops. About 20 years ago, I got a machine with a 15.4" screen and 1920x1200 resolution. Possibly one of the first machines with such a screen! That was perfect. All the DPI that I really need.
Except, these days I prefer my laptops to be in the 13" to 14" range. The 15" models are generally bigger and heavier than I like to lug around. -
bit_user Reply
Perhaps you have better visual acuity than most of us? I have a 4k monitor that's 32" and my initial reaction was that it's not quite big enough for so many pixels! I will say that I use 100% scaling, as I refuse to waste pixels. I use higher resolution to fit more stuff on the screen, not for slightly better-looking glyphs.timecop1818 said:I've been on 4k screens since mid 2000s starting with T221 and every one of my 12-14" laptops since then has been 4K. I'm not going to downgrade. the EDA software i use can absolutely make use of higher resolution/DPI so it's not an issue.