ThinkPad X9-15 Aura “Moonlight White” Limited Edition Review

[u/Creative-Expert8086]

(translated & adapted from 笔吧评测室 / Laptop Commentary Studio) https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/YUx7QFDf1Rfs0qwNUVE_Og

Quick Specs:

• Intel Ultra 9 288V (Lunar Lake)
• 32GB LPDDR5x 8533 MT/s (soldered)
• 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD (1×2242 slot)
• 15.3" 2880×1800 OLED touch, 120Hz, 100% P3
• 80Wh battery, 1.46kg chassis, 13–15.9mm thick
• Ports: 2× Thunderbolt 4 (100W PD, DP2.1), HDMI 2.0, USB-A 10Gbps, 3.5mm combo jack
• White 149g GaN adapter included
• Price in China: ¥16,999 ($2,300), after subsidy ¥14,999 ($2,050)
• Also available: Ultra 7 258V + 1TB version at ¥12,999 / ¥10,999 subsidized

Highlights:

• Massive 80Wh battery → 14h30m battery life in simulated workload
• Slim, premium chassis with limited-edition AED “Moonlight White” anodization (global run of 1000 units)
• Excellent OLED panel with high accuracy (ΔE ~0.3 avg, ~511 nits SDR, ~1090 nits HDR peak)
• Still keeps HDMI + USB-A despite slimness

Drawbacks:

• Port selection is lean for a 15"
• Performance tuning is conservative (~25W sustained, 80°C under load)
• Touch OLED shows grid effect that slightly affects visuals

Performance & thermals:

• Dual-fan, dual-heatpipe design.
• Stress FPU: CPU ~80°C, 25W sustained, P-cores ~3.0GHz, E-cores ~3.5GHz.
• Noise: ~45dB at full load.
• Keyboard warm spot ~44°C (“F8” key).

Battery life: 14h30m in workload sim, which is MacBook-tier for Windows.

My Verdict

This is an all-round ultrabook beast at 15". The only real drawback is its weight: at 1.46kg it’s significantly heavier than the LG Gram 16 (1.2kg). But in exchange, you get an 80Wh battery, sturdier ThinkPad build, and MacBook-level endurance thanks to Lunar Lake efficiency.

⚠️ Important note: do not confuse this with the ThinkPad X9-14. The 14" model is mediocre at best; the 15" X9-15 is in a totally different league — easily one of the best Windows ultrabooks available.

Trade-offs:

• Reduced key travel vs classic ThinkPads
• No TrackPoint (“red dot”) for the first time in decades of ThinkPad history

But when you factor the price (¥10,999 subsidized for the Ultra 7 + 32GB/1TB model), it’s killer value. You’re getting double the RAM (32GB vs 16GB) and larger SSD compared to a MacBook Air, at a lower effective price. Unless you have an unlimited budget, the Ultra 7 version is the sweet spot — the Ultra 9 model offers no meaningful benefit for typical Lunar Lake ultrabook workloads.

Verdict: Among large-screen ultrabooks, the X9-15 is a GOAT contender: long battery, sleek design, ThinkPad pedigree. If you want a serious Windows alternative to the MacBook Air/Pro in the 15–16" segment, this should be at the very top of your list.

[u/Specific_Frame8537]

A white Thinkpad? is that legal?

[u/Creative-Expert8086 → u/Specific_Frame8537]

No dot as well.

[u/Specific_Frame8537 → u/Creative-Expert8086]

Jesus fucking christ