Does Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Extreme have a memory card slot?
What's so special about a UHS-II card reader?
Compared to a UHS-I SD card reader, UHS-II offers better performance when it comes to transfer rates. This is especially important when working with large video or image files, which certainly could be the case considering the X1 Extreme's powerful internal hardware options.
With a UHS-I card reader, you can expect read speeds up to about 100 MB/s, while a UHS-II card reader tops out at about 300 MB/s. That's three times the speed, meaning you'll wait around a lot less for files to finish transferring.
This also opens up a broader market of SD cards; UHS-I cards will work with a UHS-II card reader, though you won't be able to benefit from the advanced transfer speeds. If you want excellent performance for your removable memory, we recommend checking out something like Lexar's Professional 2000x SD card, which has read speeds up to 300 MB/s. It's available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB sizes, with prices starting at about $45.
What other ports does the ThinkPad X1 Extreme have?
On top of an SD card reader capable of handling UHS-II SD cards, the right side of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme includes two USB-A 3.1 (Gen 1) ports, a Kensington lock slot, and an optional Smart Card reader. The left side of the laptop houses the proprietary Lenovo charging port, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, HDMI 2.0, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an input for Lenovo's RJ45 Ethernet extension cable.
With these ports, you should easily be able to connect your external accessories, and there is support for up to four external monitors. Thanks to the SD card reader and 4K display option, the X1 Extreme makes it easy to accomplish specialized work, like editing video and photos.
UHS-II SD card reader included
All ThinkPad X1 Extreme models come complete with a UHS-II full-size SD card reader, making it easy to use portable media. This is especially important if you plan on working with photo or video, which the X1 Extreme is capable of handling thanks to relatively powerful internal hardware.
UHS-II SD card in three capacities
If you're looking for an SD card to use with your ThinkPad X1 Extreme, Lexar's Professional 2000x makes a great choice. It hits the UHS-II standard for speedy read and write speeds, and you can grab it in 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB sizes.
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Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.