Based on our leaks in December 2025, there was no question about Lenovo’s prowess when it came to innovation. Official announcements at CES proved that all our leaks were spot on and that Lenovo had more under its sleeves. Now, we are back with yet another EXCLUSIVE from the house of Lenovo, and this time, it’s the ThinkPad X13 Detachable Gen 1, coming back to the limelight after 2 years; it’s thinner, and seems to be everything for businesses that want to look different on the Surface!
This is your first look at the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Detachable in Eclipse Black colorway.
According to details obtained by Windows Latest, the thinner ThinkPad will likely be announced at MWC in Barcelona this year, between March 2 and 5.
If you haven’t guessed it already, the keyboard is detachable, just like the Surface Pro, and in a similar fashion, the newer Lenovo Digital Pen sits snug in a recess that also appears to have shed some weight compared to the one that shipped with the ThinkPad X12 Gen 2 Detachable.
Speaking of shedding, the new ThinkPad X13 has trimmed its bezels a bit, likely to accommodate a larger display, and hence the name change from X12 to X13. Note that the former had a 12.3” display.
Of course, there are other tablets with even thinner bezels, but this being a ThinkPad, is supposed to be more rugged. The same ethos continues with the side profile as well.
Again, there are slimmer tablets, even Windows ones, but a toned-down ThinkPad would have to compromise on performance, and that’s not something that the typical ThinkPad user would be willing to give up.
When it came to performance, the 2024 model X12 Gen 2 Detachable was powered by up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 164U Processor with vPro. We don’t have info about what processor would power the X13 Detachable, but it’s safe to predict that it would come with Intel Panther Lake chips, which could potentially improve the battery life, considering that the older model had only a 42Whr capacity.
The original ThinkPad X12 Detachable was officially unveiled at CES in 2021, and also had the Surface Pro-style kickstand. It was praised for being incredibly sturdy, and many even said that it felt slightly more rigid than the Surface Pro 7’s hinge.
One main complaint that kickstands, be it from the Surface Pro or the original and Gen 2 Detachable ThinkPad, always faced was “lapability. Because the kickstand is a thin edge of metal, it digs into your legs if you wear shorts, and it isn’t stable on uneven surfaces (like your lap). It wobbles if you type vigorously while it’s balanced on your knees.
I say this here because, in case you haven’t noticed it earlier, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Detachable’s magnetically attaching keyboard looks weirder than the one on the Surface Pro, even the newer ones.
If you’re confused seeing the X13’s detachable keyboard, then you’re not alone, and I speculate that this might be Lenovo’s attempt at reducing the lapability issue that I mentioned. This way, the keyboard is tilted at an angle, but unlike the Surface Pro 13 on the right, the X13’s base is still flat and may possibly avoid wobbles.
While we are on the subject of keyboards, the Surface Pro 13, which is the higher-end one, has its detachable keyboard with Bluetooth built in, so you can type even when the keyboard is detached. We are not sure if Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Detachable’s keyboard has Bluetooth, but it does attach magnetically to the tablet’s pogo pins.
The image also shows 4 screws at the bottom, which indicate that this might be easier to repair, as ThinkPads should be. A closer look shows a cooling fan at the top, suggesting that the heat vent would be at the top. Although we are not sure if it has more than one cooling fan.
With practicality in mind, Lenovo has placed a UBC-C port on both sides of the tablet, so you’ll be able to charge from either the left or right. Judging by the lighting symbol, it’s safe to assume that the ports will be at least Thunderbolt 4 ports.
The left side of the laptop also has the audio jack and the volume buttons. The right side has the power button, another Type-C port, and a Kensington Security Slot. The grills on both sides could be for the speakers.
As for security, there is a mechanical privacy shutter for the front camera. Yes, I should say front camera, because the X13 Detachable is still a tablet, and it does have a rear camera too. We’re not sure about the specifications of either of these, but the predecessor had a 5MP camera with an IR sensor for Windows Hello.
In a previous leak by Windows Latest, we reported that all ThinkPad laptops at CES were launching with 10MP web cameras, so maybe we’ll see a similar treatment to the X13 Detachable.
However, there is also a round fingerprint sensor near the trackpad that can also utilize Windows Hello. We are not sure if the trackpad is of the mechanical variety or if it has a haptic touchpad. The Trackpoint buttons and the Trackpoint are still part of the X13 Detachable, despite the keyboard being thin and removable.
That’s about it for the upcoming Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Detachable. It’s essentially a Surface Pro for ThinkPad users. Arguably, the Surface looks more premium and delicate, which the ThinkPad isn’t.
ThinkPad’s have always had the reputation of being the ultimate workhorses and can last for years. While it may not have the finesse of the Surface Pro, we do not expect the X13 Detachable to have a price tag that doesn’t match Microsoft’s offering. The older X12 Gen 2 Detachable is still selling for a starting price of around $2000 USD. We expect to hear more about this from Lenovo at MWC.
