x300
Latest
Lenovo ThinkPad X300 series to be phased out, replaced by T400 this year
We're not sure what tea they're being served in the Far East these days, but the peeps at Lenovo have somehow convinced themselves to let go of the legendary 13-inch ThinkPad X301 and replace it with the 14-inch T410s by the end of the year. Ouch. While you mop up the tears pooling around your boots, here's Marketing Director Wang Lipin's reasoning: with the T400 series capable of offering more powerful CPU and GPU at a similar portability but much lower price (we're talking about a $980 difference between the T410s and X301 base models, at the time of writing), the X300 series has since lost its special place in the ultraportable category. It's tough to argue with figures like that, and hey, at least that's one less temptation for the sake of your piggy bank. Or so we're left to tell ourselves.
LG X300's slack-jawed hands-on
You know, we see a lot of ultraportable laptops these days, it's not like it's virgin territory for us, but we'd say the last time we were this blown away by a form factor was the VAIO X, or maybe the Adamo XPS in all its weird-hinge glory. LG's X300 is simply thin. Cramming 11.6-inches of screen and premium netbook parts (2GHz Atom Z550, HDMI out, up to 2GB of RAM and 128GB SSD, even some 3G and Bluetooth for good measure) into a 0.68-inch thick form factor is impressive, but we're even more struck by how insanely light this thing is -- it feels more like holding an e-book reader in hand than a laptop. The plastic build feels very solid, and the textured pattern on the back falls into the realm of "premium," not "gaudy." The keyboard isn't the best action-wise, but there's zero flex because there's nowhere to go. Our biggest concern is the trackpad: it's nice and big, but there's a "virtual" click mechanism where you tap to click the button portion and get a haptic response -- it might be the evolution of the "click pad" concept, or it might be a pain in the ass. Even the screen was bright and quality, though too glossy for our taste. We're told the laptop is headed to the US, but we're not sure when -- hopefully soon, since it's starting to ship internationally this month. Check out a video walkthrough after the break. %Gallery-88916%
LG's ultraslim X300 launching in Asia, Middle East and South America this month (updated)
An 11.6-inch display fit within a thickness of 17.5mm. Sure, we're mixing up our measurement systems, but whichever way you slice it, the X300 is one extremely thin device. LG has now announced that availability in the Asian, Middle Eastern and South American markets will be forthcoming this month, though all we know on the topic of price is that it'll "vary country-by-country." With up to 2GB of RAM, integrated 3G, and a 128GB SSD option on tap, we'll even forgive the inclusion of a 2GHz Menlow CPU (Atom Z550) that places the X300 closer to Sony's VAIO X than the Core 2 Duo-driven MacBook Air that it aspires to be associated with. Check out our hands-on pics over here while we wait, hope and pray for a release on more familiar shores. Update: We've now come across LG's Korean pricing, which is set at 1,590,000 Won ($1,424). [Thanks, Sascha and juanvaldez]%Gallery-87662%
LG's X300 ad strikes an amazingly familar tone
LG's X300 laptop may have largely avoided comparisons to a certain other thin-and-light when it was announced at CES earlier this month, but it looks like LG is intent on driving that point home regardless. As you can see for yourself in the promo video after the break, not only has LG carried on the oft-imitated manila envelope motif, but it tops things off with a just slightly off "la la la" refrain for good measure. All of which might have earned LG a few points for boldness if this were a parody ad released a few years ago but, sadly, this is 2010, and this ad is all too real. [Thanks, Muller]
LG X300 hands-on: thin, light, and handsome
Impressively thin and light, and that's really all you need to know about LG's X300. The touchpad and chiclet keyboards are comfortable, but what's really gonna seal the deal is the as-of-yet unknown price tag. Direct your eyeballs this way, why don't ya? %Gallery-82130%
LG serves up 11.6-inch X300 ultraportable
LG pushed out the bulk of its releases yesterday during its CES press event, but today a straggler has popped up in the ultraportable realm. The X300 (not to be confused with Lenovo's lappie with the same name) is an 11.6-incher that measures just 17.6mm thin and features a reflective keyboard, borderless touchpad (complete with tactile feedback), a 2GHz Intel CPU, 1.3 megapixel webcam and an SSD. It even ships with a spare 2-cell battery for up to seven total hours of operation, and while we know it'll be rolled out worldwide starting next month, there's nary a mention of a price.
Paradigm preps PCS subwoofers to put some boom in the CES walls
In light of Paradigm's recent 15-inch Signature SUB 25 subwoofer, you might glance right past the PCS-80R (round) and PCS-80SQ (square) 8-inch models planned for CES release. Since they're in-wall subs, that's kind of the point, but also bear in mind that these new boomers are meant to be used in pairs; so even for the target entry-level applications, these should have decent output. Mounting speakers flush with walls has always been a problem, especially for low frequencies, but Paradigm assures us that the chassis and mounting of the PCS subs in the walls will ensure that nasty wall resonances will be tamed and these should plumb the depths quite nicely, especially when paired with a Paradigm X-300 subwoofer amplifier (with its own EQ). No prices yet, but we're sure details will come forth at the CES unveiling.
Lenovo slips out the new ThinkPad X301: new CPUs, 128GB SSD, still thin as hell
In a weirdly casual move, Lenovo has let details slip on the next iteration of its MacBook Air-challenging laptop -- the ThinkPad X300 -- unsurprisingly dubbed the X301. The new device ups the processor ante by adding the as-yet-unreleased Intel Core 2 Duo ULV (ultra low voltage) U9300 (1.2GHz) and U9400 (1.4GHz), both with a 6MB L2 cache and 1066MHz FSB. Additionally, the X301 will support up to 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and Lenovo will offer SSDs of the 80GB or 128GB variety, as opposed to the last generation's 64GB option. A new DisplayPort jack is included, along with boosted mobile broadband quality, GPS, and plans for a WiMAX version later this year. The laptops start at $2,599 and will be available August 26th, though the 128GB option doesn't show up until September. Full PR after the break.
Lenovo's X300 sees price cut, you'll see it ship eventually
Good News: Lenovo trimmed at least $160 off its 13.3-inch X300 ultra-portable configurations.Bad News: "Ships in more than 4 weeks."[Thanks, Nomi]Read -- Old pricing via Google CacheRead -- New Pricing
X300 vs Envy 133 vs MacBook Air... Fight!
Suddenly the 13.3-inch ultra-portable market is looking a might bit crowded. At the same time, it's never looked better now that we have the choice of Lenovo's X300, Apple's MacBook Air, and Voodoo's just announced Envy 133. Decisions, decisions. #vistachart { border: 2px solid #333; border-collapse: collapse; } #vistachart td { padding: 3px; border: 1px solid #ccc; vertical-align: top; margin: 0; line-height: 1.3em; } #vistachart th { font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 4px; background: #eee; } #vistachart th.mainth { border-bottom: 1px solid #333; font-size: 1.2em; } #vistachart td.red { background-color: #f08c85; } #vistachart td.green { background-color: #b3e2c4; ThinkPad X300 Envy 133 MacBook Air 0.73 to 0.92-inches 0.70-inches 0.16 to 0.76-inches 2.9 to 3.1-pounds* 3.37-pounds 3 pounds 13.3-inch LED 13.3-inch LED 13.3-inch LED 1,440 x 900 1,280 x 800 1,280 x 800 Removable Battery Removable Battery Not Removable Ethernet External via USB adapter 3x USB 1x USB, 1x USB/eSATA 1x USB DVD External External 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo GMA X3100 GMA X3100 GMA X3100 SSD only HDD or SSD HDD or SSD Vista Vista Vista or OS X $2,700 to $3,000* $2,099 starting $1,800 to $3,100* Business minded Instant on Voodoo IOS Cuts cake *Depending upon configuration
How would you change Lenovo's X300?
There's no denying it: Lenovo's ultrathin X300 grabbed its fair share of attention earlier this year, due in large part to its estranged rivalry with the MacBook Air. Now that a few months have passed since the first wave of adopters welcomed the 13.3-inch ultraportable into their homes, we figured the time was right to ask you all how things have been coming along. Do you still feel like a proud papa when checking out those three USB ports? Is there really enough horsepower in there to churn through your pivot tables in a timely manner? Or are you longing for one of the many netbooks that have since demanded the limelight? We already know how the experts feel about it, but this one's for you -- how would you mold the X300 into the machine it should've been from the start?
HP's Voodoo team prepping something "beautiful" for June 10
Our stubborn pocket books and loved ones continue to chime in with a resounding "no" every time we start considering one of those fancy HP Blackbird 002 units, but that doesn't mean HP isn't on to something when it comes to fancy aesthetics and even fancier tech specs -- all courtesy of that VoodooPC buy a while back. Now it appears HP has a big unveil set for June 10 that "could begin to establish the company as a provider of beautiful technology gear" according to a Fortune article on HP. Voodoo founder Rahul Sood likens Voodoo's role as akin to Lamborghini within Audi, and has promised a "huge announcement" on his own blog. He even hinted at a laptop in a birthday post depicting him cutting his cake with a MacBook Air (pictured): "Ahh well, I wouldn't be needing this notebook for long anyways... :) Stay tuned for more..." The subnotebook fanboy within us hopes that means HP has a X300 / MacBook Air killer in the works, but whatever it is we certainly hope it warrants the modicum of buzz HP and Rahul are building for it.[Thanks, William M.]Read - HP reaches for the cool factorRead - Rahul on Audi and LamboRead - Rahul and the Cake Knife
Lenovo has some funny-ha-ha times at MacBook Air's expense
Funny concept, Lenovo -- manila envelope stuffing was just ripe for a demonstration of what all you typical MacBook Air user is going to need on hand -- but we've gotta dock a few points for the shortage of Yael Naïm in this X300 mockumercial. Let it be known that we take our fake commercials based on real commercials based on sexy product war very, very seriously around these parts. Video is after the break. [Thanks, Lee M]
Found Footage: Thinkpad MacBook Air parody
There are two hot ultraportable computers on the scene now-a-days: the MacBook Air and the ThinkPad X300. Some clever Lenovo lover created this MacBook Air ad parody which points out the key differences between the Air and the X300: number of ports and an internal DVD drive (only available on some models).Judging by pure aesthetics alone the Air wins, but ThinkPads are time tested workhorses so I wouldn't count out the X300. Either way, this parody is one of the better ones I've seen.[via Fake Steve]
Lenovo X300 review roundup
Just in case you feared that Walt Mossberg was out on some sort of limb when he proclaimed that the X300 would satisfy road warriors everywhere, we've sourced some other reviews from across the intarwebz to ease your mind. Lenovo's über-stealthy ultraportable, which officially went on sale today, managed to impress one critic after another, with the biggest complaints coming from the high starting price tag, omission of a DVI port and somewhat sluggish performance -- which are pretty much expected given the form factor. Outside of that, everyone was practically in love, with praises addressing the delightful keyboard, integrated WWAN and overall usability of such a minuscule machine. But hey, don't take our word for it -- check out the reviews below in full before you cough up your $2,500 (or more), cool?Read - PCPro (5 out of 6 shiny stars)Read - CNET (8.5 out of 10 golden trinkets)Read - Notebook Review ("big thumbs up")
Lenovo's X300 ultraportable gets official, is available now
Granted, you knew full well today would be the day that Lenovo unleashed its MacBook Air opponent on the world, but just in case you feared some sort of catastrophic eleventh-hour delay, we're here to inform you that all is well. The 2.9 to 3.1-pound, LED-backlit X300 (that's the one on the left, you know) is indeed available today for those who've been drooling for weeks through "Lenovo's business partners," but of course, it'll take at least $2,799 $2,548 (on the firm's official webstore) to gain admission to this slim 'n trim party.
Lenovo X300 gets benchmarked, shown off on video
We've already heard Walt's take on the Lenovo's slim new X300, and even seen it splayed wide open, but if you still haven't made up your mind you can now check out some benchmarks and plenty of video courtesy of NoteBook review. As you might expect, there's not a lot of surprises on that former front, with the X300 trailing both the MacBook Air and Sony Vaio TZ in processor tests, but edging them both out quite handily in overall system performance (thanks in no small part to the X300's SSD drive, which the Air in question wasn't equipped with). Likely of more interest is the ample supply of videos, which show off the X300 from every angle and compare it to the Thinkpad T61 and X61. Hit up the read link below to check out those.
Mossberg: "I can recommend the X300 for road warriors without hesitation"
Walt's full review of the Lenovo Thinkpad X300 is now available. As usual for the man, you also get the bonus (or burden) of a detailed comparison with Apple's competing product which in this case is the MacBook Air. For those of you who remember Walt's MacBook Air review, that quote -- "I can recommend the X300 for road warriors without hesitation" -- stands in stark contrast to Mr. Mossberg's take on Apple's beautiful but compromised ultra-portable. As Walt points out, the biggest differences between the two are the selection of ports, built-in DVD or second battery, and a removable main battery afforded by the X300's relatively thick chassis. Of course, the choice of OS is also a consideration since the X300 can't run OS X while the MBA can run Vista. Walt does lament the fact that the X300 is only offered with an SSD. As such, it's limited to a maximum of 64GB of storage and contributes to the X300's relatively high price tag. It starts at $2,500 with a stripped-down, half-sized battery and no DVD -- $3,000 gets you the more popular full-sized battery and DVD config. Walt's aggressive, full-size battery tests resulted in "weaker battery life" at 3 hours and 5 minutes compared to the MBA's 3 hours and 29 minutes. That said, the Lenovo easily trumps the MBA with 5 hours and 15 minutes of juice when configured with both a full-sized and half-sized battery. The choice seems pretty clear at this point: form or function, which will it be sir? [Thanks, Jacob L.]
Lenovo's X300 gets splayed in detail
Sure, you probably caught a brief glimpse of the X300's innards earlier this morning, but the photos waiting for you in the read link below are what we nerds really crave. Some lucky cat in Los Angeles managed to wrap his paws around Lenovo's forthcoming machine, and rather than booting it up and keeping it a secret, he whipped out the pliers and went to work. You know the drill -- tap that link below for all the guts 'n bolts you can handle.[Thanks, Loran M.]
Lenovo X300 vs. Apple MacBook Air... Fight!
As long as Lenovo is drawing a direct comparison between their own X300 and the MacBook Air, we thought we'd go ahead and put them side-by-side for you. So dear reader, how do you define perfection?
