

HP’s 2018 Spectre Folio, for example, was one of the first laptops to debut with a leather folio, but the use of real leather raised some eyebrows among vegans and those who are concerned with the environmental impact of the beef industry. Lenovo isn’t the first company to use leather or vegan leather in its design, nor is it the first to focus on sustainability, but its efforts seem more authentic than many of its rivals. Everything seems thought through, from the vegan leather to the camera bar at the top. Equally stylish as it is functional, the new design still embraces Lenovo’s design philosophy of very minimal flourishes. Unless you’re a fan of tradition, Lenovo’s modern take on the classic ThinkPad is very refined and polished – it feels like a laptop that’s made for the 2020s rather than the 1980s.

That’s not to say that the new design is flashy – it retains elements of a traditional ThinkPad with straight edges, subtly curved corners, mostly black finish, and the iconic red light on the light that’s built into the dot on the “i” of the ThinkPad logo. Still, by embracing personality, the Z13 gives up the ThinkPad’s heritage of stoic minimalism. Our vegan leatherette lid feels more unique and stands out against Lenovo’s sea of black ThinkPads. Those who want a more understated finish can opt instead for the Arctic Gray aluminum lid instead. Though this modern laptop retains the boxy aesthetic and straight edges, it trades in the smooth black finishes and unassuming design in favor of a fashion-forward vegan leather trim with contrasting copper-hued tones. The ThinkPad Z13 is perhaps Lenovo’s starkest departure from the ThinkPad heritage.
