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-------------------------------------------------------------- This story was printed from CNET Asia. --------------------------------------------------------------
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Lenovo expands laptop offerings
By Darius Chang
03/09/2008 URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/notebooks/0,39050495,62045750,00.htm
SINGAPORE--Lenovo is not taking any chances. From the office to the home, the Chinese PC maker has increased its product line so extensively that it has covered almost all market segments. At an event in the Marriott hotel to launch its first Netbooks, Lenovo took the opportunity to showcase its entire range of ThinkPads and IdeaPads.
Budget (IdeaPad S; Lenovo 3000 G)For those on a limited budget, the 12.1-inch Lenovo 3000 G230 and 14.1-inch G430 can be configured with low-end components to keep prices low. However, the real stars in this category are the Chinese maker's first entrants into the Netbook arena.The IdeaPad S9 and S10 are 8.9-inch and 10.2-inch subnotebooks, respectively. Singapore will get the black, white and red versions, though additional shades such as pink and blue are also available in other regions. Besides the usual suspects such as two USB, Webcam, memory card reader, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, the IdeaPad S series may also be the first Netbook to come equipped with an ExpressCard/34 slot (the HP Mini-Note also has this port, though it's priced significantly above most Netbooks). The machine can be decked out with a harddisk or solid state drive, while the keyboard is quite comfortable and comparable with Acer Aspire One. With a starting price of Entertainment consumers (IdeaPad U; IdeaPad Y)To make a clear delineation between corporate and consumer laptops, the latter range was recently badged with the IdeaPad moniker (Though the G series still keeps the Lenovo 3000 prefix). Unlike its business brothers, the IdeaPad Y models are geared towards entertainment needs while the U range goes for the stylish crowd in need of an ultraportable. Though these models are not equipped with the comprehensive ThinkVantage application, a subset called the One-Key Rescue System allows the machine to recover its data with a touch of a button.Facial-recognition (VeriFace) Webcams appeared in previous Lenovo consumer portables, we're glad that this tradition continued in the new lineup. By taking measurements between the key points on a face, the system will recognize an authorized user and log into the appropriate account. Using a photo won't fool the VeriFace technology, as it looks for small eye movements which cannot be replicated in an image. Depending on the security setting, it can even demand that you be in the same position (seated or standing) as you were during the initial setup phase. If a stranger tries to hack into the machine by guessing the password, the Webcam will take a video of the culprit. The system can also be used to leave a video message for the owner as well. The U330 joins the existing U110 and offers a larger 13.3-inch display. Unlike the latter, this model comes with an integrated optical drive and switchable graphics. Its power-saving LED display allows for up to 5 hours of battery life and the Active Protection System detects acceleration during a fall to protect the harddisk from damage. The 14.1-inch IdeaPad Y430 and 15.4-inch Y530 are entertainment laptops with optional Blu-ray drives. Though relatively inexpensive, the latter is decked out with a built-in subwoofer for better audio quality. New consumer IdeaPads
SMB users (ThinkPad SL)Unlike large enterprises, the small and medium business (SMB) user is more likely to want a laptop that can be used for the office and home. So though the 13.1-inch ThinkPad SL300, 14.1-inch SL400 and 15.4-inch SL500 all sport the same black box design as its enterprise siblings, they are differentiated by a glossy top cover. Other consumer features such as transflective screens, Webcams, HDMI and Blu-ray drive options are available to the SL models (only selected ThinkPads have integrated Webcams). However, they still contain the same ThinkVantage technology which helps keep the notebooks in tip-top shape.Since SMBs are unlikely to have a dedicated IT department, Lenovo feels that the initial machine setup is likely to be handled by the end-user. In order to simplify this process, the consumer can choose which programs to install or omit during the first startup. This allows the machine to be free from shareware if so desired. New SMB ThinkPads
Enterprise users (ThinkPad X; ThinkPad T; ThinkPad W)The ThinkPad series has always been synonymous with reliability and toughness. For the business traveler, the X series offers portability and long battery life while the T models provide larger screen sizes and greater performance. The R range is an affordable option for users who do not need the roll-cage protection present in the T chassis and the W lineup caters to the the workstation clients. A common feature in ThinkPads is the ThinkVantage technology, which backs up the machine as well as handles the maintenance and security of the portable.Joining the existing ThinkPad X300 laptop is the new X200 notebook, which replaces the older X61. Besides bumping up the chipset to the newer Centrino 2 platform with vPro, the most obvious difference is that the X200 now sports a 16:10 widescreen instead of the 4:3 aspect ratio of its predecessor. This might be upsetting to some business users who prefer the latter as it is easier to read long documents on a taller display, though fortunately the new model still maintains a matte coating on the display which makes it more readable in bright environments than its transflective equivalent. According to Matthew Kohut, Lenovo's worldwide competitive analyst, this change was driven by the fact that widescreens are cheaper to manufacture and hence its penetration rate will only increase in the future. However, one of the advantages is that, thanks to its wider dimensions, Lenovo was able to fit a full-sized keyboard similar to the one in the larger T series in the new X200. It is also thinner and lighter than the X61, though there is still no integrated optical drive under the hood. Unlike the older T61 models which might have confused users since it came in both 14.1-inch and 15.4-inch variants, the new T range clearly differentiates between the two. The T400 has a 14.1-inch display while the T500 goes with a larger 15.4-inch screen. Thanks to the new Centrino 2 chipset, these laptops can be equipped with switchable graphics (available in some configurations) which allow the machine to use the integrated video card when battery life is paramount. But when performance is key, the discrete graphics card can be activated instead. One aspect which we did not like about the new T series was the fact that it did not have a HDMI port to supplement its VGA output. Though there are adapters to convert the available DisplayPort into other digital standards, this adds another item which a user might lose. Moreover, each adapter adds about US$50 to the buying price. According to Kohut, the reason why a HDMI port was not integrated was because there is a royalty fee attached to the standard. This would have increased the initial capital outlay for a feature which caters more to consumers than enterprise users. The 14.1-inch R400 and 15.4-inch R500 are cheaper, thicker and heavier versions of the T equivalents. The extra weight and size are due to the fact that they do not incorporate an internal "roll-cage" to protect the mainboard and LCD. As such, more material had to be used to ensure that the exterior can hold up to the same torture tests as the T series. In addition, as there is no HSDPA antenna built into the R models so this capability is not an option. The ThinkPad W500 (15.4-inch screen) and W700 (17-inch screen) are workstations for professional designers. Instead of the gaming-standard ATI Mobility Radeon or Nvidia GeForce video cards, the W series are equipped with FireGL or Quadro chips from the respective manufacturers. These video cards work better for OpenGL rendering applications and is Independent Software vendors (ISV) certified for popular design programs such as AutoCAD and Adobe Premiere. So with such an extensive offering, just which market is Lenovo missing out? We'll give you a hint: Try finding a Lenovo system which can run faster than the Toshiba Qosmio X300 or Dell XPS M1730 for Crysis. New enterprise ThinkPads
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