You know the drill by now: Intel releases a new generation of processors and a few weeks afterwards all the computer manufacturers have new products on the shelves. This cycle brings along with it deals on last generation’s gear, including products that are otherwise never discounted, as well as shortages of products that are always widely available. For 2012 Intel’s Ivy Bridge has been released, and the company’s second generation Core architecture, Sandy Bridge, will fade away, quietly shuffling to the department stores and discount bins that are home to 12+ month old processors.
Lenovo is getting an early jump on the Ivy Bridge update with a refresh of their entire ThinkPad lineup. This update includes a new model, albeit one with an old-sounding name, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon.
The ThinkPad X1 has been Lenovo’s flagship ultraportable for about a year now, though it failed to capture our hearts and minds the way that the X300 did in 2008. The X1 Carbon is an 14-inch ultrabook that weighs 3 pounds and uses a roll cage made of carbon fiber, as opposed to the ThinkPad’s standard magnesium. It will be the lightest 14-inch ultrabook on the market when released and is slated to have a number of useful features, including the ThinkPad’s top-notch keyboard, rapid charging (up to 80% in 30 minutes), Dolby audio, integrated 3G with Lenovo’s contract-free mobile access, a backlit keyboard, and a 1600×900 display. On those of those it will have all the business features that IT managers want to see, like vPro.
Lenovo isn’t just releasing one computer though, they have new T (workstation), L (value), X (ultraportable), and W (performance workstation) series systems too. In this 2012 ThinkPad Cheat Sheet you can review the updates. For each model you can assume it’s getting Ivy Bridge, which means a better CPU and improved graphics.
- X230 – starting at $1179 – up to 24 hours of battery life. It’s getting 4G radio for the first time. Also mini DisplayPort, USB 3.0, backlit keyboard option
- X230T – $1479 – 12-inch convertible tablet with also mini DisplayPort, USB 3.0, and the backlit keyboard option
- T430 – $879 – 14-inch workhorse, will be lighter then the previous generation
- T530 – 15-inch, with the option for an full HD display with 95% color gamut
- T430s – $1379 – light version of the T430 gets Thunderbolt with Core i7 processor option
- W530 – not listed – Gets the newest Nvidia graphics, a smaller color calibrator (it’s in the palm rest), and DisplayPort 1.2
- L430 and L530 – $879 – Gets a 180-degree metal hinge, switchable discrete graphics option, EPEAT Gold
In addition to the new processors, the ThinkPads for 2012 will be getting USB 3.0, optional 4G, Dolby sound, and the “Precision keyboard. That’s right, the ThinkPad line (even the T series) is moving to an island-style keyboard, as we saw happen with the Edge line not so long ago. Welcome to a brave new world of typing ThinkPad users!
While this looks to be just another release cycle for Lenovo, there were some bigger-than-normal changes. Lenovo clearly wants the headline to be the X1 Carbon ultrabook — it’s the type of computer Intel thought of when they funded the ultrabook initiative and it looks to be a solid flagship for Lenovo, unlike the disappointing X1. Like the X300 before it, many of its cool feature should trickle down to the rest of the lineup. The big news for ThinkPad diehards will be the shift over to the “Precision” keyboard, which mark san inflection point for the ThinkPad almost as significant as the death of the 4:3 display. Lenovo has complete faith in their new keyboard design and most of us acknowledge them as being very good, but it’s still a step away from something people know and love. The vast majority of people will be won over.
The new X, T, L, and W ThinkPads will be available in early June. The X1 Carbon ultrabook will be available “this summer”. No pricing information has been released yet for it.
Check out the full gallery below…
