HP Dragonfly G4 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
The Verdict
HP's Dragonfly G4 delivers a premium ultrabook experience with its exceptional 3:2 OLED display and feather-light 0.99kg magnesium chassis, ideal for mobile professionals prioritizing portability. Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 counters with superior specifications across multiple fronts: larger 14-inch OLED screen with higher 2880x1800 resolution and 500 nits brightness, more USB-A ports for legacy connectivity, longer battery life up to 15 hours with IPS option, and significantly better value at $350 less. Processing power is comparable with both featuring Intel Core i7-1365U, though ThinkPad offers optional i7-1370P with additional cores. ThinkPad's 3:2 aspect ratio display is slightly taller than standard 16:9, matching Dragonfly's preference for productivity. While Dragonfly excels in portability and build quality, ThinkPad's larger display, superior brightness, enhanced I/O, longer battery endurance, and lower price make it the more compelling choice for business users seeking overall value and performance.
Who Should Buy
Buy the HP Dragonfly G4 if…
- →Featherlight at just 0.99 kg — ideal for frequent travellers
- →Tall 3:2 OLED display boosts productivity in portrait orientation
- →HP Wolf Security for business-grade protection
Buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 if…
- →Incredibly light at 1.12 kg — ideal for travel
- →Optional 2.8K OLED display is stunning for media and creative work
- →Best-in-class ThinkPad keyboard with excellent key travel
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
HP Dragonfly G4
Pros
- Featherlight at just 0.99 kg — ideal for frequent travellers
- Tall 3:2 OLED display boosts productivity in portrait orientation
- HP Wolf Security for business-grade protection
- 5G optional for always-connected mobility
- Windows 11 Pro pre-installed
Cons
- Very expensive for a 13-inch ultrabook
- U-series CPU throttles quickly under sustained workloads
- Small 54 Wh battery limits unplugged endurance
- Limited port selection — no SD card reader
- OLED touch display attracts smudges
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
Pros
- Incredibly light at 1.12 kg — ideal for travel
- Optional 2.8K OLED display is stunning for media and creative work
- Best-in-class ThinkPad keyboard with excellent key travel
- MIL-STD 810H tested for ruggedness and durability
- Good port selection includes USB-A, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 4
Cons
- OLED option significantly reduces battery life to around 10 hours
- 60Hz IPS panel feels behind the times
- Starting price of $1449 is expensive for the base config
- Soldered RAM limits upgradeability
- Integrated graphics only — not suitable for GPU-heavy workloads
Full Specifications
| Spec | HP Dragonfly G4 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 0.99 kg | 1.12 kg |
| Material | Magnesium alloy | Carbon fiber and magnesium alloy |
| Dimensions | 298.6 x 220.3 x 17.5 mm | 315.6 x 222.5 x 15.36 mm |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | 1 |
| USB-A ports | 1 | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | 2 |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 13 hours mixed use | Up to 15 hours (IPS) / 10 hours (OLED) |
| Capacity | 54 Wh | 57 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 13.5 inches | 14 inches |
| Type | 3:2 OLED touch anti-reflection | OLED (IPS optional) |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1280 | 2880 x 1800 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz (90Hz OLED) |
| Brightness (nits) | 400 | 500 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB NVMe | 512 GB / 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Touch Bar | — | |
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR5 | 16 GB / 32 GB LPDDR5x |
| Cores | 10-core (2P+8E) | 10-core (2P + 8E) / 14-core (6P + 8E) |
| Chipset | Intel Core i7-1365U | 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1365U / i7-1370P |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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