Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB)

Our Rating: 85 %

In depth comparison and review of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) and Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5). Compare sizes, performance, storage capacities, batteries and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right laptop for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the laptop that will best fit your needs.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

ultra-lightweight design

impressive battery life

robust security features

high-resolution display

powerful processor performance

higher price point

limited port variety

no dedicated GPU

average speaker quality

Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

affordable price

compact design

decent battery life

solid build quality

quiet operation

limited storage capacity

average display quality

slower processor

minimal connectivity options

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) and Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
85 % - Design
83 % - Display
85 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
85 % - Battery
69 % - Design
66 % - Display
45 % - Performance
65 % - Connectivity
65 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Product Type Notebook - 180-degree hinge design Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 31.56 cm x 22.25 cm x 1.536 cm 33.4 cm x 23.5 cm x 1.86 cm
Weight 1.12 kg 1.44 kg
Case Material Aluminium (bottom), carbon fibre (top) Polycarbonate ABS
Colour Deep black weave Denim blue
DISPLAY Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Screen Size (Type) 14" OLED 14"
LCD Backlight Technology - LED backlight
Screen Resolution 2880 x 1800 (2.8K) 1366 x 768 (HD)
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 16:10 16:9
Image Brightness 400 cd/m² 220 cd/m²
Colour Gamut 100% DCI-P3 -
Features Anti-glare, anti-reflective, anti-smudge, 170° viewing angle, Eyesafe technology, HDR 500 True Black Anti-glare
PROCESSOR Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
CPU Intel Core i5 (12th Gen) 1235U / 1.3 GHz Intel Pentium N4200 / 1.1 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 4.4 GHz 2.5 GHz
Number of Cores 10-core Quad-Core
Cache 12 MB 2 MB
64-bit Computing - Yes
Platform Technology Intel Evo -
Features Integrated memory controller Integrated memory controller
MEMORY Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
RAM 16 GB (provided memory is soldered) 4 GB (provided memory is soldered)
RAM Type LPDDR5 SDRAM LPDDR4 SDRAM
Speed 5200 MHz 2400 MHz
Rated Speed 5200 MHz 2400 MHz
STORAGE Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 512 GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 - TCG Opal Encryption 2, NVM Express (NVMe), Performance 64 GB eMMC
AUDIO & VIDEO Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Graphics Processor (GPU) Intel Iris Xe Graphics Intel HD Graphics 505
Max Monitors Supported 3 external monitor(s) -
Camera Yes - 1080p Yes
Resolution - 0.3 Megapixel
Camera Features Privacy shutter, IR camera, fixed focus, MIPI, Computer Vision -
Sound Two tweeters, two woofers, quad array microphone Stereo speakers, dual array microphone
Codec Realtek ALC3306 -
Compliant Standards High Definition Audio, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Voice High Definition Audio
COMMUNICATIONS Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Wireless NFC, Bluetooth 5.2, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6E) Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Wireless Controller Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX 211 -
Features Dual stream (2x2) Single stream (1x1)
WWAN
Generation 4G upgradable -
BATTERY Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Technology Lithium polymer 2-cell Lithium Ion
Battery Capacity (Size) 57 Wh 32 Wh
Battery Life Up to 24.9 hours Up to 8 hours
AC ADAPTER Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Input AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz) AC 120/230 V (50/60 Hz)
Output 65 Watt 45 Watt
INPUT Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Type Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav Keyboard, touchpad
Keyboard Backlight Yes -
Features Spill-resistant, multi-touch touchpad, Fn keys with Unified Communications controls, glass touchpad, air intake key design -
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Slots 1 x Nano-SIM card (1 free) -
Interfaces USB 3.2 Gen 1
USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Always On)
2 x USB4 (supports Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort 1.4a Alt Mode) (Power Delivery 3.0)
HDMI
Headphone/microphone combo jack
2 x USB 3.0
USB-C 3.1 Gen 1
HDMI
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Memory Card Reader - Yes (microSD)
SOFTWARE Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Operating System (OS) Windows 11 Pro - English Windows 10 in S mode - English
Software Included Glance by Mirametrix, Intel Connectivity Performance Suite Lenovo Settings, McAfee LiveSafe (30 days trial), Lenovo ID, Lenovo Companion 3.0
MISCELLANEOUS Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (21CB) Lenovo IdeaPad 120S-14IAP (81A5)
Included Accessories USB-C slim power adapter Power adapter
Security Discrete Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip, fingerprint reader Firmware Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip
Security Slot Type Kensington nano security slot -
Theft/Intrusion Protection Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately) -
Features Administrator password, power-on password, RapidCharge, MIL-STD-810H tested, NVMe password, USB FIDO (Fast Identity Online) device integration, Firmware Resiliency 3.0 Administrator password, hard drive password, power-on password
Compliant Standards RoHS, Energy-Related Products (ErP) Lot 3, TCG Certified RoHS
ENERGY STAR Certified Yes Yes
EPEAT Compliant EPEAT Gold -
Max Operating Temperature 35 °C -
Min Operating Temperature 5 °C -
Humidity Range Operating 8 - 95% -
Manufacturer Warranty Base warranty - 3 years - pick-up and return
Limited warranty - battery - 1 year
Extended warranty - 3 years - on-site
Limited warranty - 1 year - pick-up and return
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