First look at the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad 8

Lenovo has expanded its ThinkPad portfolio in the country with the introduction of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook and ThinkPad 8 tablet. The 8.3-inch ThinkPad 8 tablet and the 14-inch ThinkPad Carbon Ultrabook are designed to provide business users with capable, mobile machines.

 ThinkPad 8

Staying true to the design idea behind the ThinkPad line, the ThinkPad 8 would appeal to those who need a non-descript, functional tablet. Design-wise, it’s not particularly awe-inspiring and some might say it looks boring but the matte back does give off an elegant look to it. It has a bit of heft to it but it still manages to feel light and sturdy. It is made with machine-cut aluminum after all.

This tablet boosts productivity further with its compatibility with ThinkPad Dock solutions like the USB 3.0 dock station. This means you can connect the tablet to a second monitor, mouse, and keyboard to have a bigger workspace. It comes with full Microsoft Windows 8.1 operating system with Microsoft Office so you will be able to run the programs you need to get work done.

We found the 8.3-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) IPS display to be quite crisp and clear with excellent viewing angles. It does seem to have a darker panel though that may make use under direct sunlight a bit of a challenge. But we can only confirm this with a proper review.

The ThinkPad 8 can support up to 128GB of storage—although locally, we will get the 64GB storage option first. Lenovo doesn’t say when the 128GB version will be available. Actual battery capacity wasn’t given but they promise up to eight hours of use.

Lenovo is offering the ThinkPad 8 Wi-Fi version for P25,490 now and there will eventually be a 3G version that will be priced at around P30,000 and a 4G version. But there are no specific timelines for the 3G and 4G models.

Specs:

Processor: Intel Atom Z3770 2.4GHz quad-core

Graphics: Intel HD Graphics Gen7

Memory: 2GB SDRAM

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1 or 8.1 Pro

Display: 8.3-inch IPS LCD (1920×1200 resolution)

Storage: 64GB storage (expandable via microSD)

Camera: 8-megapixel 1080p rear camera with AF, flash; 2-megapixel 1080p front camera

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, 3G (optional), LTE (optional), WiDi

I/O Ports: USB 3.0, micro-HDMI, microSD, micro-SIM

Battery: Up to 8 hours

Dimensions & Weight: 132mm x 224.3mm x 8.8mm; 0.95 lbs. (Wi-Fi) – 0.97 lbs. (3G)

ThinkPad X1 Carbon

We know you are getting tired of the Apple MacBook Air comparisons but that is the easiest thing to compare the ThinkPad X1 Carbon with. At least, it is its darker, matte brother. At 2.8 pounds, it is considered the “lightest 14-inch Ultrabook in the world.”

The new keyboard layout might confuse touch typists. They took out the physical Function buttons on top of the keyboard and replaced it with what they call an Adaptive Keyboard. The capacitive keys change according to what program you have open. It can be user defined as well if you still want to lock it into the traditional F1 to F12 keys. Aside from that, Lenovo took out the Caps Lock button on the left side and replaced it with a combined Home and End button. (You can use caps by double tapping Shift button.) And the Backspace and Delete buttons have been squeezed beside each other at the upper right hand corner.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is touted to have a nine-hour battery life and supports RapidCharge technology, meaning you can get up to 80 percent charge in less than an hour. Price for the base model starts at P105,000. It’s obviously not the cheapest machine out there but it is meant for the enterprise market.

Specs:

Processor: Intel Core i5-4200U to Intel Core i7-4550U

Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4400, 4GB; Intel HD Graphics 5000, 8GB

Memory: 4GB DDR3L SDRAM; 8GB DDR3L SDRAM

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8.1

Display: 14-inch HD+ IPS touchscreen (1600×900 resolution); 14-inch WQHD IPS touchscreen (2560×1440 resolution)

Storage: Up to 512GB SSD

Camera: 1.3-megapixel 720p web camera with mute function

Audio: Dolby Home Theater v4 with Digital Dual Array microphone certified for Microsoft Lync

Connectivity: Intel Centrino 7260 or Intel 7250BN (WLAN), Bluetooth 4.0, NFC (i7 version)

I/O Ports: 2 x USB 3.0, audio/mic combo, OneLink Dock, HDMI, MiniDP, Native RJ45 using Ethernet Connector or USB emulation

Battery: Up to 8.6 hours

Dimensions & Weight: 17.72mm thin; 2.8 lbs.

Both units are available at Lenovo Think Exclusive Store at SM North EDSA or through Lenovo Corporate Resellers.