Lenovo ThinkPad X1 The Carbon is a laptop series that needs no introduction—it dates back to 2012—but even those most loyal to Ultrabooks won’t be surprised when they see the 13th and “Aura Edition” versions of this laptop. It may also come as a surprise to specify.

When I first unpacked my new laptop, I double-checked that I had received the correct computer. This is mainly due to the new Carbon's ultra-light weight: at only 2.2 pounds, it is the lightest ThinkPad X1 Carbon ever, which is quite lightweight. (The Gen 12, launching in early 2024, weighs 2.4 pounds.) This is the lightest 14-inch laptop I've ever tested. Made from different recycled aluminium, magnesium, carbon fiber and plastic, the machine feels like a toy and despite being 20mm thick, it at least has something to grip onto when you pick it up.

The effects of the semaglutide diet aren't the only part of the story. The latest X1 Carbon also upgrades to an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (Series 2) CPU, which now makes the laptop eligible for Copilot+ PC. More notably, it's also called the Aura Edition PC, which features the addition of a "Smart Mode" that lets users activate preconfigured settings to optimize eye health, enhance privacy, limit distractions, and more. These can be accessed by hitting the F8 key, which does double duty as a mode button.

But the big question is, how did Lenovo reduce the weight of this laptop by nearly 10%? While there's a cheap 512 GB SSD on the device, the rest of the specs are solid, including 32 GB of RAM (not upgradable) and plenty of ports - two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A 3.2 ports, and full-size HDMI port. There is also a nano-SIM card slot. So far, there's no obvious sign of cutting corners.

For the most part, the design is top-notch. The famous ThinkPad keyboard quality still holds true; I don't think you'll find a better typing experience on a laptop today, especially one this small. Lenovo continues to offer a compact trackpad with three separate buttons as well as a pointing stick nub as options. The separate buttons really make things easier. I never realized how much I enjoyed having them until I used a laptop that included them. While the arrow keys are very small and unevenly sized, they are easier to use than some keyboards that use half-height versions of these buttons.

The Carbon doesn't have a touchscreen, but the 2,880-by-1,800-pixel display is clear and bright, and the webcam (a poor 1,080p model) is set in a small notch above. There's a physical switch next to it - the switch is convenient, but a little difficult to operate. This little notch provides one of the few highlights of the chassis—a raised strip on the lid gives you something to grab onto when opening the laptop with one hand. And, as usual, the dot on the "i" on the ThinkPad lid also lights up red.