Lenovo outs five new ThinkPads, including a 15-inch business Ultrabook
It was just last spring at Engadget Expand that Lenovo teased the ThinkPad T431s business Ultrabook, and now it's already coming out with a follow-on product. The company today announced the refreshed T440s, along with the T440, the X240 (shown above) and two mid-range Ultrabooks, the S440 and the S540. In fact, though the S540 isn't the highest-end machine on offer here, even that's worth mention, as it's the company's first 15-inch Ultrabook aimed at businesses. (Guess that bigger-screen trend is going strong, eh?)
Diving right in, the 14-inch T440s represents a fairly modest upgrade, as the T431s already ushered in some fairly big design changes (buttonless trackpad, latchless lid, 180-degree hinge, et cetera). The T440s has all that too, except it makes the natural shift to Intel's fourth-generation Haswell processors, along with an optional NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M GPU (which won't be offered here in North America). The T440 is closely related, as you'd expect, with similar configuration options (optional touchscreens, up to 12GB of RAM and up to either a 1TB HDD or a 512GB SSD). The main difference is that the resolution on the T440 is also capped at 1,600 x 900, whereas the T440s goes up to 1080p. Also, the T440s is a good lighter than the T440 (read: half a pound less).
The X240, meanwhile, is the replacement to last year's X230, but since the X230 used Lenovo's old-school design language, this is understandably a little more than just a CPU refresh. Here, too, there's now a big buttonless trackpad and a latchless lid, along with a drop hinge (yep, this also folds back 180 degrees, which the last-gen model could do as well). Like the T440s, it's offered in touch and non-touch options, with resolution as high as 1,920 x 1,080.
Whether you get the T440s or X240, though, you'll be treated to both a sealed, internal battery, as well as a second one that you can swap in and out. And, because your computer will always default to the internal power source, you can remove the spare without having to power down the system. That's good news for people who work in healthcare or any other industry where restarting the computer means going through numerous security protocols all over again. What's more, the same swappable battery will work with different Lenovo machines, whether they have 12- or 14-inch screens, which means IT departments can issue them indiscriminately. All told, depending on the battery capacity, the X240 is rated for over 10 hours of battery life, whereas the T440s could in theory go all the way up to 17. Wowza.
Rounding out the list, the S440 and S540 sport smooth mag-alloy lids and chamfered edges -- a departure from the ThinkPad's usual boxy shape and rubbery finish. Like the others, these use Haswell processors, with touch and non-touch screens offered on both. They also support Lenovo's recently released OneLink dock, which allows you to draw power as well as access USB, HDMI and Ethernet ports over a single cable. For the most part, then, the designs are the same, except the 15-inch version adds a numpad. Be prepared for some spec differences, though. The S440 tops out at 1,600 x 900 resolution, whereas the S540 goes up to 1080p. The S440 supports up to 8GB of RAM, 500GB of HDD storage and is rated for six hours of battery life; the S540 steps up to 16GB of RAM, 1TB of space and a nine-hour battery. Whichever you choose, however, you can upgrade to a 256GB SSD and an AMD Radeon HD 8670M GPU.
The T440s will go from $1,149, the T440 will start at $899 and the X240 will be priced from $1,099. All will be available in October. No word yet on when the S-series models will arrive or how much they'll cost, but we'll keep you posted. However, if European prices are any indication, the S440 will cost 699 euros, while the S540 will go for 649. Those will be available in Germany and other Euro countries later this month.
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Lenovo Extends Battery Life with Thinner ThinkPad T, X and S Series Ultrabooks
New Full HD displays and "hot swap" battery technology delivers up to 17 hours
New ThinkPad S Series offers performance and style for small business
BERLIN, GERMANY. – September 3rd, 2013: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced new thinner and lighter additions to the ThinkPad portfolio. The ThinkPad T440s, T440 and X240 Ultrabook laptops demonstrate a deliberate and purposeful look and feel. The new modern design of the ThinkPad laptops delivers the performance users expect in business while eliciting the excitement and appeal of a consumer designed laptop. This includes 20 percent thinner form factors, a variety of panel options and up to 45 percent larger trackpads with improved click functionality supporting Windows 8 gestures. These new laptops deliver all day battery life with the ThinkPad brand's innovative new Power Bridge technology and continue to deliver the quality and reliability that upholds its legendary status as the leading commercial laptop.
"Constant improvements and a strong ambition to always build a better laptop has resulted in thinner, lighter and longer lasting ThinkPad laptops with a simpler and cleaner design and up to an incredible 17 hours of battery life," said Dilip Bhatia, vice president, Marketing, Think Business Group, Lenovo. "After extensive research with hundreds of computer users around the world, Lenovo has reset the standard for business class Ultrabooks. The result of thousands of hours spent with consumers and business users have contributed to innovations and enhancements optimized for business and personal use. The new ThinkPad design meets the changing needs of IT managers and end-users."
Making Technology Simple
Driving lower power usage and taking full advantage of the latest 4th generation Intel Core processors, the new ThinkPad Ultrabooks can achieve up to 17 hours battery life. New Power Bridge technology allows users to swap external batteries without powering down their PC. This new "hot swap" feature, available with the ThinkPad 68(23.5Wh), 68+ (72Wh), and 48Wh batteries, provides flexibility and maximum battery life in nearly any situation and extends productivity beyond all day. These external ThinkPad batteries are common among the new ThinkPad Ultrabooks allowing for maximum return on investment.
Unrelenting commitment to ThinkPad quality and reliability, the new Ultrabooks include numerous sensors that monitor the system. G-sensor to detect shock, thermal sensors to detect and manage heat, voltage sensors to control current and critical voltage sensors to protect key components.
Protecting hardware and data have long been a key element in ThinkPad design. Hardware based biometric fingerprint security and tamper detection are linked to the Trusted Platform Module that keeps data protected. Lightweight carbon fiber materials increase physical protection and contribute to a lighter and thinner Ultrabook.
Along with common batteries, the ThinkPad line-up offers new common docking solutions. With simpler and sleeker designs, the new smaller and slimmer ThinkPad Basic Dock, Pro Dock and Ultra Dock offer a wide range of connections and enhancements.
ThinkPad T440s and T440: The Perfect Choice for the Business Professional
ThinkPad T Series is the mainstay of Lenovo's business portfolio and continues the legacy as Lenovo's most popular laptop with the new ThinkPad T440s and T440. Sharing many of the same features, the two models offer up to one terabyte of local storage or high speed solid state drives (SSD) and the latest generation WiFi and optional 4G WWAN technology. At just 21mm thin, both laptops are designed to provide maximum road warrior efficiency with exceptional battery life capability.
Full HD touch enabled display is available with the ThinkPad T440s while the T440 includes an HD+ 14 inch screen with optional touch for an improved Windows 8 experience. The ThinkPad T440 can also include an optional integrated smart card reader for enhanced security.
ThinkPad X240: The Road Warrior's Dream
The ThinkPad X240 is the ideal business ready ultraportable. Designed for serious business and extreme mobility, the X240 weighs less than three pounds and is only 20.3mm thin. Featuring up to 4th generation Intel Core i7 processors, up to one terabyte of storage, a 12.5 inch Full HD display option with touch, ThinkPad Precision backlit keyboard and the ability to go "dongle free" with a complete set of ports for full connectivity, the X240 is the definitive thin and light Ultrabook.
ThinkPad S Series: Designed for Small Business On the Go
Whether for business or pleasure, the new ThinkPad S440 and S540 offer a premium look and feel with bevelled edges to give the impression of a floating PC and an ultra-thin bezel to accommodate a larger screen in a smaller form factor. Featuring the latest 4th generation Intel Core processors, up to Full HD anti-glare touch displays and discrete graphics, the S440 and S540 deliver the right match for business productivity and personal computing.
Lenovo's unique OneLink connector allows for single cable connection to the OneLink Dock for superfast USB 3.0, native video, Gigabit Ethernet and powering the ThinkPad.
Enhance the experience with ThinkVision
For the first time, Lenovo introduces a 21:9 panoramic display in its new ThinkVision monitor. Featuring a 29 inch AH-IPS LED backlit panel offering 33 per cent more viewing area than a traditional 16:9 screen, the new ThinkVision LT2934z delivers a true cinematic experience.
Office applications show substantially more information and movies or games look extraordinary on the 2560x1080 display. Even better, the LT2934z includes a Full HD webcam, dual array microphone and speakers for exceptional video calls and Picture-in-Picture capability enables a continuous multi- tasking workflow.
Lenovo Services offers Integrated Solutions
Lenovo's comprehensive portfolio of Services provides relevant and integral value to businesses. With a committed focus on customer, quality and responsiveness, Lenovo Services offers innovative and integrated solutions to ensure maximum productivity. Warranty Extensions, Upgrades, Accidental Damage Protection, Keep Your Drive, Priority Technical Support and a complete set of factory and automated deployment services help organizations effectively bridge the gap between consumer and business.
Pricing and Availability
ThinkPad T440s available starting end of October priced from $1149. ThinkPad T440 available starting end of October priced from $899. ThinkPad X240 available starting end of October priced from $1099.
The following products will be available initially in selected markets: ThinkPad S440 available in September priced from €699. ThinkPad S540 available starting October priced from €649. ThinkVision LT2934z available starting October priced from $799.
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