ThinkPad
Aside from one new model, this is a very incremental year for the ThinkPads. The focus will be on the small, affordable X100e.
X100e - starts at – $449 – This is the fabled ThinkPad netbook, though it’s actually aimed to bridge the gap between the netbook and a full notebook (think HP dv2) thanks to an 11.6-inch display. It will run an AMD processor (Turion Neo dual-core and Athlon Neo single-core or dual-core), have a full-sized keyboard, and both a trackpad and trackpoint for navigation. It will use the new keyboard design. It will have a Gobi mobile broadband option and a multigesture touchpad. The computer will start at under 3 pounds (with a 3-cell battery it will be 3.3 pounds with a 6-cell). The battery life is expect to be up to 5.1 hours so it’s clear that this isn’t an X200 replacement.
T410s – starts at $1399 – This will feature switchable Nvidia graphics with up to 512MB of VRAM. Processor options will be the Intel Core i5-520M or i5-540M. Graphics will be handle by Intel integrated and Nvidia NVS3100M graphics. Just like last year, this will be a thinner version of the T410.
T410 – $999 – This is the T400 with new Intel processor options. Expect to see the Core i5-520M, Core i5-540M, and Core i7-620M. It will pack up to 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, and Intel integrated and Nvidia NVS3100M graphics. Storage options will be 80 or 120GB SSDs or up to a 500GB (7200RPM) HDD.
T510 – $999 – Same as the T410 but with a 1920×1080 display option.
W510 – $1599 – Will now support up to 16GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM (it has four memory slots) and quad-core Intel Core i7 processors (options are Core i7-720QM, i7-820QM, and i7-920X). It will be the first ThinkPad to ship with a USB 3.0 connection. This model gets the optional on-board color calibrator found on the W700. Graphics will be handled by the Nvidia Quadro FX 880M.
All the models will feature the larger Escape and Delete keys originally seen on the T400s. The T410, T510 and W510 will have an option for a 9-cell battery that will allow them to last up to a reported 22 hours. All W and T models will support Intel Turbo Boost technology.
The T410, T410s, T510, and W510 will be available for purchase January 7th.
Sal’s Thoughts
ThinkPad fanatics are surely firing up their hate mail at the prospect of both a new line and a new keyboard, but regardless, 2010 is going to be a big year for Lenovo. The company is going to do its best to make this an inflection point, where the ThinkPad is made available to the masses and IdeaPad becomes a brand that US consumers know about (what until tomorrow for that announcement).
The T410, T410s, T510, and W510 saw incremental upgrades and small changes (like dual ThinkLights and the W510’s color calibrator option). The big change will be the new Core i5 and I7 processors though, and these are something that we’ve been expecting since seeing Intel’s roadmaps months ago. Past the processors and switchable graphics, it’s business as usual for the standard ThinkPads… with two exceptions.
We don’t see an upgrade to the W700, though leaked roadmaps put a W710 arriving somewhere around February (no word on if this happens or not). More interesting is that we don’t see updates to the R series or SL series. These are, of course, the model’s most closely related to the new Edge line, so we’ll have to see what the future holds for these models.
Of course the most talked about model will be the X100e. This is gives us an addition the X series–a big move for Lenovo–and an odd new suffix in that “e”. If you thought that there would never be a ThinkPad netbook it turns out that you’re still right, but this is pretty close thanks to the use of the AMD Athlon Neo processor. It still gets a full-sized keyboard though, which is a requirement for a ThinkPad still, and a non-Atom processor. The battery life won’t be that good and it won’t have a ton of power, but this will be a sub-$500 CULV option for businesses.
The X100e will not have the battery life or as large a display as the X200. It also won’t have the same ThinkPad rollcage chassis as the X200 or Ultrabase docking, which means that the X200 still have a place in the enterprise, but everywhere else (SMB, SOHO, consumer, etc.) the X100e is going to eat the X200’s lunch. Big picture: Lenovo is truly taking control of the ThinkPad and some people at the company are ready to make for major changes to the iconic brand.
As for Edge… wow. AMD processors, a new keyboard, and the first ThinkPad available in a color. I can’t wait to get my hands on the new keyboard, and while I’m a bit hesitant, Engadget’s review has nothing but good things to say about the update. There isn’t much about the Edge line that says “ThinkPad” to me and this could very well have been a Lenovo line, but the company clearly wanted to capitalize on the brand. That noted the Edge should maintain most of what we expect from a ThinkPad and do it starting at just $549.
At this point people that want to hold the ThinkPad line up on a pedestal and hope that it never change should realize that they are fighting a losing battle. We are seeing changes in today’s release that are going to lead to even bigger changes in the future. It’s looking like the T series is going to be the last refuge for ThinkPad purists, and even that saw a major change in 2009 with release the T400s, which lacks an optical drive.Read more: http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/lenovo-ces-2010-the-new-thinkpad-lineup-2010013/#ixzz0rOnMvfIR
No comments:
Post a Comment