Analyst(s): Olivier Blanchard
Publication Date: January 20, 2025
Excerpt: Olivier Blanchard, Research Director at The Futurum Group, shares his insights on how Lenovo’s new Aura Edition ThinkPad X9 prosumer PCs help the company maximize Intel’s new Core Ultra processors to deliver a richer and more differentiated AI feature set on premium tier Copilot+ PCs to hybrid workers.
What is Covered in this Article:
- How Lenovo is leveraging its new Intel Core Ultra-powered ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition Copilot+ PCs to position itself as a prosumer and commercial AI PC leader in the premium tier.
- Why Aura Edition Copilot+ PCs give Lenovo an edge over comparatively priced devices from competitors.
- How Lenovo is leaning into agentic AI and other AI-enabled features to deliver AI-powered user experiences ahead of competition.
The News: Lenovo kicked off 2025 by unveiling a cohesive lineup of AI-powered business solutions at CES 2025, including the redesigned Lenovo ThinkPad X9 Aura Editions, the intriguing new ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 with rollable display, commercial AI-enabled desktops (such as the high-performance ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 and the ThinkCentre neo 50q QC powered by Snapdragon), and a series of handy accessories. All of these releases together speak to Lenovo’s gambit to redefine the modern workplace in the age of hybrid AI.
Look for our additional coverage of some of these other releases, but for now, let’s zoom in on Lenovo’s ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition announcements.
ThinkPad X9 Series: Lenovo Wants More PC Users to Start Enjoying AI-enabled Features Now, Not Later
Analyst Take: You may recall our coverage of Lenovo’s first Aura Edition AI PC launched back in September of 2024 at IFA in Berlin. At the time, Aura Edition laptops seemed like an interesting (and promising) but limited collaboration between Intel and Lenovo. The premise as I saw it was simple: Both Lenovo and Intel were looking for ways to identify and differentiate themselves in the AI PC market, and create unique, differentiated value at a time when Copilot+ class PCs were trying to articulate their value.
You will also recall that Intel was late to the Copilot+ class PC game, having been beaten to the line by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X PC platform, and caught by AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 series platform. All eyes were on Intel to at least enter the market with an equivalent part before year-end, but many hoped that Intel’s Lunar Laker generation of Core Ultra processors would leapfrog over Snapdragon X and Ryzen AI 300 and give them something to chase again.
Meanwhile, Lenovo was still on a mission to position itself as the best commercial PC vendor, and the incoming AI-driven AI PC refresh cycle seemed, and rightly so, as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset Lenovo’s brand, reputation, and value proposition for the age of hybrid AI. (By “reset” I mean build on its momentum and pivot towards AI.)
Somewhere at the intersection of Intel’s needs and Lenovo’s ambitions, the Lenovo Aura Edition PC concept was born, with its unique set of features highlighting the unique AI-forward performance characteristics of Intel’s Lunar Lake Core Ultra platform and Lenovo’s forward-thinking purpose-built product innovation.
Lenovo could have opted to just release a stack of Intel-powered Copilot+ Windows 11 PCs to sell alongside its AMD and Qualcomm-powered versions, and called it a day. But instead, Lenovo gave the market a little extra taste of on-device AI functionality. Positioning these laptops at the very top of their product line also helped identify them to buyers, while providing a tangible value-add that would help articulate the value of AI PCs beyond impressive AI-ready performance specs. This was especially important in September 2024, as AI PCs were still woefully lacking in concrete AI features and experiences – a weakness that continues to plague the category as we enter Q1 2025.
Lenovo’s decision not to wait for Microsoft (Copilot) and ISVs to bring AI features to its own AI PC/Copilot+ ecosystem, and instead develop its own proprietary layer of AI-enabled experiences, was a notable bit of initiative that made me sit forward and pay attention to what else they were doing with AI across their solutions ecosystem. Unsurprisingly, I was quickly able to confirm that Lenovo’s hybrid (device-to-cloud) approach to AI was already fairly well formed, with Aura Edition PCs acting as one of several beacons of interest as AI transitioned from “soon” to “now.”
As a reminder, Lenovo Aura Edition PCs offer a suite of intuitive, AI-enabled tools designed to further enhance other aspects of the user experience, which can be broken down into several easily classifiable buckets:
- Smart Modes: With five tailored settings—Shield, Collaboration, Attention, Power, and Wellness—Smart Modes allow users to easily switch between optimized device configurations. These modes help enhance security, manage power efficiency, support virtual meetings, and even encourage healthy digital habits.
- Smart Share: Developed in collaboration with Intel®, Smart Share facilitates rapid photo transfers between AndroidTM or iOS devices and the ThinkPad X9, creating a seamless, integrated experience across devices.
- Smart Care: This feature provides access to real-time diagnostics and Lenovo’s enhanced support services. Smart Care provides 24/7 live agent support via multiple channels for personalized support any time and access to all support documentation online for self-service and troubleshooting, ensuring uninterrupted productivity and device health.
Fast-forward to CES 2025. Seeing how prominently featured the Aura Edition branding was during Lenovo’s ThinkPad X9 announcements, we can safely infer that the category is earning positive feedback from the trenches. After only a few months, what Lenovo’s CES posture suggests to us is that Aura Edition features will continue to proliferate across Lenovo’s premium AI PC ecosystem, and for good reason: These features highlight the type of specialized feature sets that silicon diversity and new competitive paradigms can bring to the PC segment through on-device AI.
For Lenovo, this is a clever differentiation play, and a vehicle with which to establish leadership in the otherwise mostly empty AI features wedge of the AI PC value wheel. For Intel, this is a clear way to prove to the market that its x86 processors aren’t just the default part for enterprise and commercial PCs but the best Copilot+ platform, with concrete competitive advantages against its competition. It’s a tough sell but a critical objective for Intel as the PC segment resets for AI, particularly as AMD gains ground, and Windows on Arm entrants such as Qualcomm (and soon NVIDIA) begin to chip at Intel’s x86 dominance.
Aura Edition looks to be, at least so far, an effective double-play at a time when PC buyers and IT decision-makers (ITDMs) are working to not only understand what features and silicon to prioritize in their next rounds of PC refresh cycles, but how to simplify that matrix across different price and performance tiers: With Aura Edition PCs, Lenovo provides ITDMs with a bit of a north star for pIntel-powered x86 Copilot+ PCs in that premium price tier.
At the very least, the Aura Edition reads like a simple, memorable highlight in a market otherwise still weighed down by spec and nomenclature confusion. Providing the market with a clear, memorable value proposition is always the hallmark of good marketing, but especially in this particular moment and in this market segment. If Lenovo’s plan works, it could set a unique standard for premium x86-powered AI PCs, help Lenovo expand its market share in that price/performance tier, and help Intel maintain market share against competitors AMD and Qualcomm.
On the ThinkPad X9 Series’ Positioning
With its new ThinkPad X9 14 and X9 15 Aura Edition premium business laptops, Lenovo is targeting a broad swath of prosumer users in the small, medium, and enterprise commercial PC segments. The persona that keeps coming up in discussions about these Copilot+ PCs is “a creative thinker” looking for a combination of “personalized AI-enabled experiences” and the predictable performance (read predictable compatibility) of Intel/x86 on Windows 11. This makes the ThinkPad X9 series a natural fit for Lenovo’s Intel-powered Aura Edition ecosystem.
For context, note that while the Intel Core Ultra platform is a great option for all Copilot+ PC users, PC vendors are most likely to emphasize it in the commercial segment (particularly for the enterprise users) because of the enduring ITDM preference for Intel-powered systems. We recently confirmed that as many as ⅓ of Enterprise PC buyers continue to signal that they will only purchase Intel-powered PCs, regardless of key performance advantages of AMD and Qualcomm’s Copilot+ PC platforms (price-to-value, multithread performance, and battery life being the most common advantages to come up).
How Lenovo Articulates New User Experience Through AI Now and Aura Edition Devices
When it comes to accelerating the deployment of AI experiences, Lenovo isn’t stopping at Aura Edition. Lenovo AI Now – also featured on the ThinkPad X9 – is an advanced on-device AI assistant that brings powerful, real-time intelligence to its users.
Built on a local Large Language Model (LLM) using Meta’s Llama 3.0, Lenovo AI Now integrates fully personalized AI-powered tools and enhances privacy by storing and processing all user data locally, safeguarding user information. This intelligent assistant (already available for download on some devices) automates and simplifies tasks, such as document organization and device management, enabling users to interact naturally with their personal knowledge base for quick searches, text summaries, and more.
Nothing particularly groundbreaking in terms of agentic AI functionality, but Lenovo’s efforts to develop its own agentic layer ahead of other ISVs is a nice touch for two reasons:
- Lenovo understands that AI PCs haven’t exactly delivered on their AI promise just yet, and the company has seized on the opportunity to not only fill a market need early but establish credibility and leadership in that market.
- Lenovo’s focus on productivity and business applications, with a bend toward enhanced security, creates an interesting agentic AI on-ramp for commercial customers, both in the SMB space and the enterprise.
Whether or not adoption and subscriptions generate significant revenues for Lenovo remains to be seen, but the effort more importantly helps position Lenovo as an aggressive, agile, and innovative contender in the commercial client market against rivals such as Dell and HP, especially as AI-enabled PCs redefine the value proposition of the commercial PC and redraw the PC segment’s market share map.
To that point, Lenovo AI Now continues to add and improve features that enhance the everyday work experience with upcoming new features such as:
- Cross-Device Knowledge Retrieval: Users will be able to search for information across their AI PC and supported tablet simultaneously, ensuring fast and efficient access to critical documents and files, no matter the device.
- Smarter Document Searches and Summaries: AI Now will enable users to quickly locate and retrieve relevant information from selected portions of images or documents, helping professionals gather insights with ease.
- Multilingual Support: AI Now will soon offer multilingual functionality, supporting German, Spanish, and French. This new feature extends from the user interface to the underlying AI models, enhancing accessibility for a broader global audience.
Additional Design Notes: Style, Function, Sustainability, and Serviceability
Like all ThinkPad laptops, the X9’s have been tested for MIL-SPEC 810H standards, and engineered to withstand the demands of everyday professional use. The covers are crafted from 50% recycled aluminum, with the X9 14 and X9 15 models sporting sleek, ultra-slim profile with a stylish metal-grooved bottom cover.
The ThinkPad X9’s communication bar integrates an 8MP high-definition MIPI camera with smartphone quality sensor (for low-light situations), plus dual noise-cancelling microphones in a clean unified frame with narrow bezels. This optimizes top-tier video call quality while showcasing a crisp OLED display. Additionally, the reimagined keyboard combines ThinkPad’s signature typing comfort with a large haptic touchpad. Altogether, the result is a device that not only performs reliably but also stands out in any professional or personal setting as a premium, purpose-built PC designed for professionals who blend high-performance needs with personal interests.
The ThinkPad X9 also features a unique “engine hub” – a streamlined housing for critical components and connections, as well as Thunderbolt ports on both sides to facilitate connecting to docks, monitors, and other USB-C accessories. The hub enhances serviceability, with quick and easy access through the cover for repair of the battery or SSD.
Note: Enhanced serviceability is a design trend we are seeing across several device OEMs, so keep an eye out for more mentions of this sort of feature in other device overviews.
Combining sustainability, performance, and cost-efficiency, the 100% recycled cobalt cell battery in a customer-replaceable design helps extend device longevity. Lenovo also made a point to highlight resource-conscious designs that emphasize material efficiency and functionality. Key initiatives include carton boxes and paper-based handles made from FSC-certified materials (Lenovo’s plastic-free primary packaging incorporates paper-based cushions and anti-counterfeit kraft paper carton seals), as well as its use of lightweight bamboo and sugarcane fiber boxes.
A Premium Accessory Ecosystem for Enhanced Productivity and Mobility
The ThinkPad X9 Series is also complemented by a handy accessory ecosystem, with each component engineered to enhance productivity and mobility.
- Lenovo 65W GaN Nano Adapter: This ultra-portable adapter utilizes GaN (Gallium Nitride) technology, providing efficient, cool charging in a compact form. With a USB-C output port and a 1.8m cable, it delivers ample reach and fast 65W output power for ThinkPad X9 devices, making it an essential companion for business travellers. The adapter’s case is crafted from 90% post-consumer content (PCC) materials.
- Lenovo X9 Charging GaN Dock: A versatile hub, the Dock includes a 65W power output, HDMI 2.1 port for 4K display at 60Hz, a microSD card reader, and both USB-A and USB-C ports, allowing users to connect multiple devices while charging simultaneously. This all-in-one solution is ideal for those needing reliable connectivity and power options in a compact, travel-ready format, with GaN power supply technology for added efficiency.
- Lenovo Multi-Device Wireless Mouse (X9 Edition): Designed for multitaskers, this mouse supports connection to up to three devices via Bluetooth® 5.0 or USB-C dongle, with a quick-switch button to toggle between them. The AI Now trigger button can be customized for quick Lenovo AI actions on selected text, and a long press opens a Quick Chat window. With silent buttons, an ambidextrous design, and a fast-charging USB-C port, this mouse is a flexible tool for professionals working across multiple devices.
- Lenovo TWS Earbuds (X9 Edition): Designed for seamless integration with the ThinkPad X9, these earbuds offer auto-answering, seamless device switching, and clear call quality with Bluetooth 5.3, hybrid active noise cancellation (up to -40dB), and voiceprint noise-cancelling technology for clear call quality. They’re ideal for professionals seeking uninterrupted, high-quality audio throughout the day.
- Lenovo Origami 14” and 15.3” X9 Sleeve: Available in 14” and 15” sizes, the Origami Sleeve offers sleek protection with a minimalist design and dual functionality. Its unique foldable construction allows it to double as a workstation stand, adding convenience and comfort in a workspace.
The ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition PCs, with their prosumer-inspired AI-enabled features and accessory ecosystem, help articulate Lenovo’s unique value proposition to hybrid workers and creators in the premium price tier. The expansion of Lenovo’s Aura Edition features to the ThinkPad X9 series, as well as the addition of Lenovo AI Now to these PCs’ AI-enabled capabilities, highlights Lenovo’s aggressive approach to leveraging hardware specs to not only deliver differentiated on-device AI experiences and features, but do so ahead of its primary competitors. While there is a bigger discussion to be had about how this fits into Lenovo’s broader hybrid AI strategy for the enterprise, I am impressed with how Lenovo manages to articulate a standalone differentiated value proposition for these PCs themselves, just as it has with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Yoga 9i 2-in-one, Lenovo Slim 7i, and Yoga Slim 7i.
Judging from the expansion of Aura Edition laptops and the addition of new AI features across its line of AI PCs, Lenovo is seeing traction in the market for tangible on-device AI capabilities, at a time when the AI in AI PCs remains dangerously light on value. This is particularly interesting for Lenovo in the commercial segment, where its partnership with Intel and its unique, clear, simple branding could help it capture more mindshare and recall with IT buyers in search of a simple, low-risk, high-reward ROI PC refresh strategy, at least in the premium tier.
Disclosure: The Futurum Group is a research and advisory firm that engages or has engaged in research, analysis, and advisory services with many technology companies, including those mentioned in this article. The author does not hold any equity positions with any company mentioned in this article.
Analysis and opinions expressed herein are specific to the analyst individually and data and other information that might have been provided for validation, not those of The Futurum Group as a whole.
Other insights from The Futurum Group:
Lenovo Picks Up Copilot+ Momentum with New Consumer PC Releases
New Professional Copilot+ PCs Launch at Lenovo Innovation World 2024
Lenovo Q2 FY24/25 Earnings: Growth in AI Segments and Strategic Investments
Lenovo Tech World 2024: Lenovo Unleashes Hybrid AI Advantage with NVIDIA
Image Credit: Lenovo
Author Information
Olivier Blanchard has extensive experience managing product innovation, technology adoption, digital integration, and change management for industry leaders in the B2B, B2C, B2G sectors, and the IT channel. His passion is helping decision-makers and their organizations understand the many risks and opportunities of technology-driven disruption, and leverage innovation to build stronger, better, more competitive companies.