Lenovo ThinkPad X9 15 Aura Edition 2025, Core Ultra 7 268V, 32GB, 1TB SSD, Thunder Grey

The ThinkPad X9 15 Aura Edition pairs a best-in-class OLED display with a featherlight build, making it a joy for productivity. Performance is solid for work but laughably bad for gaming. If you find it under $1500, it's a killer deal for a premium ultrabook.

The Intel 268V and integrated Arc Graphics handle spreadsheets, dozens of browser tabs, and 4K video streaming without breaking a sweat. This thing scores in the high 70s for business and entertainment, which is exactly where it should be. But don't let the "Arc Graphics" name fool you, gaming performance is a rough 23 out of 100. It'll run Minesweeper at 120Hz like a champ, but modern AAA titles are a slideshow. The 32GB of RAM is a standout, sitting in the 93rd percentile, so multitasking is buttery smooth even with memory-hungry apps.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max, the X9 gets absolutely demolished in raw power but fights back with a lighter body and a touchscreen. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 will run circles around it in games, while the HP OMEN Transcend 14 offers a similar OLED experience with a dedicated GPU for not much more weight. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition is its closest spiritual rival, another ARM-based thin-and-light, but the ThinkPad's port selection and 120Hz refresh rate give it a practical edge for desk warriors.

Pricing on this thing is all over the map, with a spread of nearly $1200 across vendors. If you can snag it at the lower end around $1279, it's a fantastic deal for that screen and build quality. At the $2469 mark, you're stepping into MacBook Pro territory where you'd get a much faster CPU and GPU. The sweet spot is definitely hunting for a refurb or sale unit, especially since Newegg seems to have the refurbished models listed with the same specs.

Lenovo's ThinkPad X9 15 Aura Edition is a business laptop that decided it wanted to be a MacBook Air competitor, and honestly, it mostly pulls it off. You get a stunning 15.3-inch OLED touchscreen, a shockingly light 1.4kg body, and Intel's new Core Ultra 7 268V chip with enough AI buzzwords to make a marketing team blush. It's built for the "I want a big screen but not a heavy bag" crowd, and the 80Wh battery promises all-day endurance without needing a charger at 2pm.

If you need any kind of GPU horsepower for gaming, 3D modeling, or heavy video editing, look elsewhere. The integrated graphics are a dealbreaker for those tasks, and you'd be much happier with a Zephyrus G14 or a MacBook Pro. Also, if you're on a tight budget, the price volatility here means you could easily overpay if you don't hunt for a deal.

This is for the professional who lives in Excel and Chrome, wants a gorgeous screen that won't destroy their eyes, and refuses to carry a charger everywhere. It's a travel-friendly workhorse that looks premium and feels modern. Just don't expect it to replace a desktop or a gaming rig, and definitely shop around before you buy.