Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Because of its price tag, performance and portability, the Lenovo ThinkPad X250 shouldn't be compared to business-class mobile workstations. It just doesn't make sense to pit two laptops against one another when one is several thousand dollars, several pounds, and several exponents more powerful. However, the X250 should be thought of as a heavyweight fighter who loses 50 pounds to fight against the world's best middleweight.
We liked
The X250 is almost as portable and far more connection-friendly than rival Ultrabooks. You'll love being able to toss this device into your backpack knowing that you're ready for almost any situation.
Additionally, having the ability to hot-swap your battery means you'll get more than a day and a half of video playback without having to find a wall outlet. X250 owners will also enjoy the customization options available, which should help budget conscious buyers keep costs down.
We disliked
The most important thing you'll need to know about this device is that its business class advertising doesn't match up with its consumer class performance. You're just as capable in the office using top-of-the-line consumer Ultrabooks as you are using the X250.
This device is military-specification-approved, which means it can operate in cold and warm climates, and it won't cough and choke if too much dust swirls around it. But those features are secondary in importance to how fast and how capable the machine is.
Lenovo's ThinkPad lineup could use a makeover. I've seen this design a million times and it does nothing to entice new customers. If you look at the X250, then at the XPS 13 and the Zenbook, you'll never look back. This is not to say that this laptop is offensive-looking (it isn't), but it's awfully boring. How can the company behind the gorgeous Yoga 3 Pro still crank out cookie-cutter laptops reminiscent of Soviet-era housing complexes?
Final verdict
The Lenovo ThinkPad X250 is almost as capable as top-of-the-line Ultrabooks, like the Dell XPS 13 and the Asus Zenbook UX305. However, it underperforms slightly, costs the same amount of money and doesn't look nearly as good.
Thanks to its hot-swappable battery and it's plethora of ports, this device is ideal for on-the-go business users who want to be prepared for any situation. Just know that it's not as powerful as a workstation, and it's not as attractive as consumer Ultrabooks.
Conversely, it's not as heavy as a workstation, and it's more versatile than consumer Ultrabooks. So, it's up to you: if ports and a hot-swappable battery are more important than workstation-class performance or cutting-edge consumer laptop design, then the Lenovo ThinkPad X250 is right for you. But that's sure a lot of "ifs."