Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra
The Verdict
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 delivers exceptional portability at 1.12 kg with class-leading battery life up to 15 hours on the IPS variant, making it ideal for business travelers. Samsung's Galaxy Book3 Ultra counters with a larger 16-inch AMOLED display featuring 120Hz refresh rate and more powerful Intel Core i9-13900H processor, plus superior 32GB RAM standard configuration. Display quality favors Samsung's brighter AMOLED panel, though battery endurance strongly favors Lenovo at 8 hours versus 15 hours. Build quality matches both machines, featuring premium materials and robust port selection. Price difference is substantial: Lenovo costs $950 less. For professionals prioritizing mobility, all-day battery, and value, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is the stronger choice. Samsung suits those needing maximum performance and screen real estate for demanding creative work, despite shorter battery life and premium pricing.
Who Should Buy
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
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra if…
- →Gorgeous 16-inch 2.8K AMOLED 120Hz display with vivid colors
- →NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop GPU handles creative and gaming workloads
- →Under 4 lbs — lightweight for a 16-inch laptop with discrete GPU
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
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
Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra
Pros
- Gorgeous 16-inch 2.8K AMOLED 120Hz display with vivid colors
- NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop GPU handles creative and gaming workloads
- Under 4 lbs — lightweight for a 16-inch laptop with discrete GPU
- Seamless Samsung ecosystem integration with Galaxy phones and tablets
- Excellent keyboard with 1.5 mm key travel and good feedback
Cons
- $2,399 is steep and competes directly with MacBook Pro 16
- 76 Wh battery drains faster on AMOLED — expect 6-7 hours in practice
- Soldered RAM and SSD limit upgradeability
- Samsung software bloatware is annoying to clean up
- No OLED brightness matching Apple's XDR 1600-nit HDR peak
Full Specifications
| Spec | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 | Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Home |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 1.12 kg | 3.95 lbs (1.79 kg) |
| Material | Carbon fiber and magnesium alloy | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 315.6 x 222.5 x 15.36 mm | 13.99 x 9.86 x 0.65 inches |
| Ports | ||
| HDMI | 1 | |
| USB-A ports | 2 | 1 |
| Thunderbolt ports | 2 | 2 |
| Headphone Jack | — | |
| USB-C ports | — | 2 |
| SD card | — | |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life | Up to 15 hours (IPS) / 10 hours (OLED) | Up to 8 hours |
| Capacity | 57 Wh | 76 Wh |
| Display | ||
| Size | 14 inches | 16 inches |
| Type | OLED (IPS optional) | AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 2880 x 1800 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz (90Hz OLED) | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 500 | 400 |
| Storage | ||
| SSD | 512 GB / 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe | 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe |
| Expandable storage | ||
| Keyboard | ||
| Backlit | ||
| Processor | ||
| RAM | 16 GB / 32 GB LPDDR5x | 32 GB LPDDR5 |
| Cores | 10-core (2P + 8E) / 14-core (6P + 8E) | 14 cores (6P + 8E) |
| Chipset | 13th Gen Intel Core i7-1365U / i7-1370P | Intel Core i9-13900H (13th Gen) |
Related Comparisons
- Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra vs LG gram 14 (2024)
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 360
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs Samsung Galaxy Book4 360
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.
Explore more in laptops, see all Lenovo products or all Samsung products. View full details for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 or the Samsung Galaxy Book3 Ultra.