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Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2
Editor’s choice
The second-gen ThinkPad X12 Detachable brings Intel’s powerful Ultra Core chips to Lenovo’s work-focused 2-in-1. It’s snappy, sturdy, versatile, and features classic ThinkPad details like the beloved TrackPoint. It also comes with the all-important keyboard and stylus, which are premium add-ons for the Surface Pro devices.
Pros
- Classic ThinkPad styling
- Great Intel Core Ultra performance
- Stylus and keyboard included
- Versatile productivity machine
Cons
- Basic 1080p display
- Only one Thunderbolt 4 port
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Surface Pro 10 for Business
Better choices available
The Surface Pro 10 for Business is an impressive 2-in-1, but it’s probably not what you want. The ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 has an inferior display but includes a keyboard and stylus pen, making it the better overall value. However, if you specifically want a Surface device, then the consumer-grade Surface Pro 10 (not the Business model) is the better choice for average users.
Pros
- Snappy hardware
- PixelSense touchscreen looks great
- Versatile design
Cons
- Surface Pro 10 OLED is superior
- Keyboard and stylus not included
The Microsoft Surface Pro line has set the standard for Windows-powered 2-in-1 tablets, but they’re not the only game in town following the release of the first Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable. Now, the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 is here, and it’s poised to give the Surface Pro 10 for Business a run for its money.
If you’re considering picking up one of these versatile Windows convertibles, we can help make that decision easier. Below, we’ll compare the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 and Surface Pro 10 for Business side-by-side to see which of these tablets is the ultimate 2-in-1 productivity machine.
Price, specs, & availability
Lenovo revealed the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 in April, whereas the Surface Pro 10 for Business landed in March ahead of the standard Surface Pro 10’s May release. Pricing for the Surface Pro 10 for Business starts at $1,199 for the tablet only – the Type Cover keyboard and Surface Pen stylus are sold separately.
In contrast, the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 has a starting sticker price of $1,399 but comes with the keyboard and stylus pen. Lenovo announced it in April, and it will be available in May. Both devices should be available for order through their official websites, and availability from third-party retailers such as Best Buy is expected to increase throughout 2024.
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Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2
- CPU
- Intel Core Ultra U-series
- GPU
- Intel Arc integrated
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 12.3 inches, 1920×1280
- RAM
- Up to 32GB LPDDR5x
- Storage
- Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD
- Battery
- 42Whr
- Ports
- 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C, 3.5mm audio combo jack, Nano SIM (optional)
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Pro
- Webcam
- 5MP front-facing camera with IR
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Dimensions
- 11.15 x 8.01 x 0.37 inches (283.3mmx203.5mmx14.5mm) with keyboard
- Speakers
- Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Audio
- Price
- Starts at $1,399
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Surface Pro 10 for Business
- CPU
- Intel Core Ultra 5 135U, Core Ultra 7 155U
- GPU
- Intel Graphics
- Display (Size, Resolution)
- 13 inches, 2880×1920, 120Hz
- RAM
- 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB LPDDR5x
- Storage
- 256GB, 512GB, 1TB Gen 4 SSD
- Battery
- 48WHr
- Ports
- 2 Thunderbolt 4, Surface Connect, Surface Keyboard
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Pro or Windows 10 Pro
- Webcam
- 1440p Surface Studio Camera
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3
- Dimensions
- 11.3×8.2×0.37 inches (287×208.6×9.3mm)
- Speakers
- 2W stereo with Dolby Atmos
- Price
- Starts at $1,199
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Design
Lenovo gives you everything right out of the box
The ThinkPad X12 and Surface Pro 10 are technically tablet devices and not laptops, but their convertible designs bridge the gap between tablets and 2-in-1s. Both are designed to be used with a detachable keyboard. This allows you to use these devices as either a laptop or a standalone tablet with the keyboard fully removed, offering more versatility than your standard 2-in-1. Both are also compatible with stylus pens that allow for precise use of the touchscreens.
As mentioned above, the ThinkPad X12 Detachable comes bundled with the keyboard and stylus pen, whereas these accessories are add-ons to the Surface Pro 10 for Business. Their basic form factors are similar, but each has a distinct aesthetic. The X12 Detachable is instantly recognizable as a ThinkPad with black and red detailing. The Pro 10 for Business doesn’t stray far from the traditional Surface design language with its sleek (although admittedly rather plain) looks.
The ThinkPad X12 Detachable seems sturdier thanks to its keyboard folio, which is more substantial than the Surface Pro 10’s Type Cover. The ThinkPad’s famous durability is also immediately apparent on the X12 Detachable. That said, the Surface Pro 10 for Business feels great in the hand, too, the somewhat flimsy-feeling Type Cover notwithstanding.
Neither device boasts a wide selection of ports, which is understandable given that these are sleek tablets and not full-sized laptops. Both at least offer two USB-C interfaces, although only one offers Thunderbolt 4 support on the ThinkPad X12 Detachable, while both Type-C ports on the Surface Pro 10 support it. On the other hand, the ThinkPad has a 3.5mm combination audio jack, which the Surface Pro 10 for Business lacks. Overall, we give the nod to Lenovo’s offering here.
Winner: ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2
Display
PixelSense displays continue to impress
The Surface Pro lineup has always impressed in the display department, although the glass touchscreens are very reflective. For this generation, Microsoft applied a proper anti-glare coating to the screen, making the PixelSense display of the Surface Pro 10 for Business almost perfect. It’s the perfect size at 13 inches and looks great with its 2880×1920 pixel resolution and buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
Unfortunately, the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 lags behind here. We had the same complaint with the first-gen X12 Detachable and are disappointed that Lenovo didn’t upgrade the display. Its 12.3-inch screen is smaller than that of Microsoft’s offering and has an inferior resolution of 1920×1280. It’s not bad; it’s just nothing special, and it’s outclassed by the Surface Pro display. Frankly, a 1080p screen on a device like this almost feels like an oversight in 2024.
Winner: Surface Pro 10 for Business
Performance
Intel Core Ultra is AI-ready
The highlight of these 2024 releases is the inclusion of Intel’s new Core Ultra chips, which offer boosted graphical horsepower and a new AI-ready neural processing unit (NPU). These mobile processors also feature a new, more energy-efficient architecture that reduces energy consumption and should dramatically improve battery life.
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Performance-wise, you can expect either of these devices to be pretty similar. Both are available with Core Ultra 5 or 7 U-series processors and LPDDR5x RAM; the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 offers up to 32GB of memory, but you can configure the Surface Pro 10 for Business with as much as 64GB. That’s not necessarily a big advantage, considering that such a configuration carries a sticker price of $2,800, which is a questionable value proposition.
The increased GPU power of the Core Ultra chips makes the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 and Surface Pro 10 for Business viable for creative work. The new NPU lends some much-needed muscle to generative AI tasks, which are becoming an increasingly important component of many productivity apps. Neither of these devices is likely to struggle with juggling apps or running demanding software.
Winner: Tie
Battery life
Both are good, but one is better
The Surface Pro 10 for Business runs on a 48 watt-hour internal battery, which provides more longevity than the 42 watt-hour battery inside the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2. As with the display, the battery is another area where Lenovo didn’t make any major upgrades from the previous generation, and we wish it would have. The first-gen ThinkPad X12 Detachable offered up to 10 hours of battery life, though, and the new energy-efficient Core Ultra processors should make that even better with the Gen 2.
All that’s to say that the ThinkPad X12 isn’t exactly short-lived. Microsoft’s offering delivers up to 16 hours on a single charge, making it the clear winner. Of course, these figures are for maximum battery life, and you can expect real-world longevity to be a fraction of this when juggling apps and running demanding productivity software.
Winner: Surface Pro 10 for Business
Which one should you buy?
The Surface Pro 10 for Business looks superior to the ThinkPad X12 Detachable on paper, but it’s not the one we recommend between these two. The most obvious reason is that the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 includes a keyboard and stylus right out of the box, which you’ll want to get the most out of either of these machines. Furthermore, the Surface Pro 10 for Business, which is marketed to companies, is not as good of a buy as the standard Surface Pro 10. If you want a Surface 2-in-1, the Surface Pro 10 is the one to buy (not the Business model). Between the ThinkPad X12 Detachable and the Surface Pro 10 for Business, Lenovo’s offering is the one we like more, simply due to its excellent design and classic ThinkPad detailing, making it a better overall productivity tablet.
Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2
Editor’s choice
It lags behind the Surface Pro series in terms of battery life and display quality, but the great design of the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 more than m akes up for those shortcomings. It’s sturdy, fast, and eminently versatile, and its modern 2-in-1 form factor retains all those details that keep people coming back to ThinkPads.
Conversely, if you’re outfitting a company with Windows tablets and have narrowed your choices to these two, the Surface Pro 10 for Business is still a good choice. Although we favor the ThinkPad design, the Surface Pro 10 for Business sports a better display. However, it doesn’t include a keyboard and stylus out of the box, negating its lower price and may make the ThinkPad more attractive. Regular users should stick to the standard Surface Pro 10, which packs the superb Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset and an OLED display.
Surface Pro 10 for Business
Good for businesses
The Surface Pro 10 for Business is a versatile productivity machine, but it’s not what most people should buy. However, it’s a good option for companies looking to outfit themselves with work-friendly Windows 2-in-1.