Lenovo’s ThinkPad X9 drops the TrackPoint

Lenovo has unveiled two new ThinkPads: the X9 14 and X9 15, both Aura Editions equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors and slim designs. But what they don’t offer might be the most interesting thing about them: namely, Lenovo’s signature red TrackPoint. Instead, they use a haptic trackpad without the ThinkPad’s usual discrete button for a distinctly MacBook vibe.

No doubt, it’s a ThinkPad, through and through. It’s tested to MIL-SPEC 810H durability standards. It offers a Thunderbolt 4 port on each side of the machine, making it easier to arrange docks and displays to your liking. And the design allows access to the SSD and battery to facilitate repairs and replacements.

Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto

Both the 14-inch and 15-inch versions come with OLED panels in touch and non-touch variations. All versions come with an HDMI 2.1 port and 3.5mm audio jack and can be configured with up to 32GB of DDR5x RAM and 2TB of storage. As Copilot Plus PCs, they’re ready for Microsoft’s AI as well as Lenovo’s “Aura Edition” features including focus mode-like Smart Modes to filter out distractions or optimize privacy.

Still, the missing TrackPoint is probably the ThinkPad X9’s most notable feature (or anti-feature?). In a time when hardware has shifted toward a kind of sameness, the TrackPoint stood out as a quirky carryover from a time when you could try to reinvent something — namely, the mouse. The trackpad won out long ago, but Lenovo kept the TrackPoint around for its loyal fans. Now, it might just be checkmate for the TrackPoint.

Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto

The ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition will start at $1,399 and the 15 Aura Edition will start at $1,549; both go on sale in February.