As the Dell Venue 11 Pro Convertible, the ThinkPad Helix 2-in-1 works on the same principle which means passive cooling, producing absolutely zero noise when operating, which is quite an achievement. We have studied the throttling phenomenon and it seems to work quite different now, meaning that the temperature which limits the frequency of the CPU is no longer 90 degrees but around 67 degrees Celsius.

IDLE

Maximum Power Consumption before Throttling

Throttling Temperature + TDP drop

Throttling CPU Speed

In consequence, the tablet will heat up considerably less than the Dell when operating, but we may reach throttling much faster, which will lower the maximum Turbo multiplier.

As with the Dell, we can find the Helix 2nd Gen in multiple configuration types, meaning more RAM and bigger SSDs; while the standard version is shipped with the Ultrabook keyboard dock, we have the option to purchase the Ultrabook Pro keyboard instead, which offers an additional USB 3.0, mini Display port, full TrackPoint and TouchPad navigation, backlit keys, speakers and a second battery for up to 12 hours of productivity. The standard dock is easy to work with but the angle of the tablet cannot be adjusted unfortunately.

While we have checked out most of the included Lenovo preloaded applications, the one we are really appreciating is the System Update module, which downloads all new software, drivers, BIOS and updates them without the need of user input.

In our battery tests, we have seen that the ThinkPad Helix 2-in-1 lasted less than the Dell, but in the same time we would like to say that the default brightness was also higher, which could have influenced the overall results.

The tested Helix model is available online for about $999.99, with the option to purchase the Ultrabook Pro keyboard along with it, or we can also go with the better equipped model, which is Mobile Broadband enabled and also gets shipped along with the Ultrabook Pro keyboard for about $1429.99.

 Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2nd Gen Convertible is Recommended for:

We would like to thank again to Lenovo and Intel for making this review possible!