Review of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 16: sets the bar for foldables with a large 4:3 display and seamless centerfold, but the trackpad is prone to missed inputs
Joanna Nelius / The Verge : Mastodon: @vicmsong@mastodon.social . X: @vicmsong . Forums: r/hardware Mastodon: Victoria Song / @vicmsong@mastodon.social : Our new laptop reviewer Joanna Nelius' first review is up ~~ She's not here on Mastodon so I'm giving it a little boosty boost b/c laptop reviews are back baby... and I don't have to do them! Praise be. https://www.theverge.com/... X: Victoria Song / @vicmsong : Our new laptop reviewer Joanna Nelius' first review is up ~~ She nuked her X account a while back so I'm giving it a little boosty boost b/c laptop reviews are back baby... and I don't have to do them! Praise be. https://www.theverge.com/... Forums: r/hardware : Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 16 review: setting the bar for foldables
Context & Ripple Effects
Lenovo has pursued the ThinkPad X1 Fold since its 2019 prototype with a folding 4:3 display, followed by a 2020 model positioned as a premium Windows PC. This review suggests the larger X1 Fold 16 has materially advanced the display and hinge experience while leaving a core interaction problem unresolved.
The product sits in a small but active large-screen foldable category that includes Asus's 17.3-inch Zenbook Fold OLED. That makes the contrast between a polished fold and unreliable pointer input consequential: the overall form factor can improve without every laptop-control element reaching the same maturity.
First-order effects
- Lenovo gains a strong product-quality reference point for the X1 Fold 16’s screen format and center crease, but missed trackpad inputs directly limit confidence in everyday laptop use.
- Potential buyers must weigh the benefits of a large folding 4:3 display against an input flaw in a primary control surface, narrowing the device’s appeal for workflows that depend on precise pointing.
Second-order effects
- Other foldable-PC vendors are pressured to compete on more than display size and crease visibility; keyboard, trackpad, and software interaction quality become clearer points of differentiation.
- Lenovo’s product teams face a sharper incentive to prioritize input reliability in follow-on hardware or software updates, because a weak control surface can outweigh advances in the foldable panel and hinge.
Third-order effects
- If foldable PCs continue improving their screens and mechanical designs faster than their input systems, the category may be judged less by the novelty of flexible displays and more by whether it delivers uncompromised laptop ergonomics.
- The category’s path to broader adoption likely depends on folding designs meeting conventional laptop reliability expectations across all daily-touch components, not solely demonstrating successful display engineering.
The trend: Large-screen foldable PCs are moving from proof-of-concept display hardware toward a broader test of whether the entire laptop interaction stack is mature enough for regular use.