ThinkPads are synonymous with their sleek black design. This was a conscious design choice by Richard Sapper, who famously wanted the ThinkPad to stand out from the ‘hideous beige’ computers of its era, envisioning it like a sleek, black ‘cigar box’ that revealed its complexity only when opened.
Back in the beginning, there were, in fact, white or beige ThinkPad laptops for specific markets. For example, the ThinkPad 700C has beige or white variants for the German market. So while some media outlets are calling this announcement the “first white ThinkPad”, this is not accurate.
If you want to learn more about this, I have a comprehensive article covering the subject of the originals.
Fast forward to today, and Lenovo China has announced what is called “White Moonlight,” which is a limited edition run of the ThinkPad X9 in what they call “moonlight white.”
The buzz began early this July, as ThinkPad’s official account on Weibo teased ‘White Moonlight’ with intriguing images of a watch and a violin, Other images were added later, leading up to the announcement.
“The resonance of soul and art is the original color of white and the pure excellence of 7.11🤍The white moonlight appears for the first time. Thousands of refinements are made, and the ultimate presentation is unique and ingenious, and it is inherited from the same source”
“The romance of time and space begins with the precision of this second and is loyal to the next second. 7.11 is coming as promised🤍The white moonlight appears for the first time, carving time to the extreme, showing the exact difference of precision “
Earlier this month, the website videocardz.com believed this was the launch of new white ThinkPad models. They included a mockup of an image that appears to combine elements of the two images above with what appears to be white ThinkPad X9 units. Turns out they were correct.
This will be a limited edition run called the Yuanqi Edition (Yuanqi is a term used in Traditional Chinese Medicine), which is the first of the limited moonlight white machines being potentially planned. With black keys on the keyboard and a stark white and clean finish, it prompts an interesting question: Is Lenovo China positioning this model to aesthetically challenge Apple’s MacBook in the domestic market?
Machiine translated promotional image.
Original Promotional Image. Lenovo China.
For those concerned that this marks a permanent shift away from the ThinkPad’s core design philosophy, don’t worry. Lenovo China has a well-established history of releasing unique, regionally-focused machines that don’t always see an international launch. This strategy allows them to experiment with new features, designs, or market segments tailored specifically to Chinese consumer preferences, without necessarily impacting their global product lines. That isn’t new. The ThinkPad Neo 14 is a great example.
While the ‘White Moonlight’ ThinkPad X9 is undeniably sleek and fascinating, it raises an interesting debate about tradition versus innovation in design. Personally, while I appreciate the novelty and elegance of the ‘moonlight white’ finish, I still find myself gravitating towards the classic, professional, and timeless black ThinkPad. Its understated power and iconic design remain, for me, the true essence of what a ThinkPad represents.