Lenovo unveils slew of tablets with keyboards, laptops with touchscreens
New convertible Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets to launch alongside Windows 8.
Andrew Cunningham - Oct 9, 2012 11:00 pm UTC
Lenovo intros the IdeaPad Yoga in Ars Technica, er, Clementine Orange.
Casey Johnston
Lenovo is the latest of the PC manufacturers to announce details about its upcoming Windows 8 machines. Like manufacturers we've seen at CES, Computex, and IFA this year, Lenovo is betting big on hybrid systems to drive its Windows 8 sales. The IdeaPad Yoga 11 and 13 both have flexible screens that allow their bases to be used as monitor stands, the IdeaTab Lynx is another Intel Atom tablet with a keyboard dock, and the ThinkPad Twist is Lenovo's take on the laptop that turns into a tablet.
IdeaPad Yoga 11 and 13
The two IdeaPad Yoga tablets are identical in concept: the display hinge allows the computers' displays to be flipped 360 degrees, converting them into tablets and serving as adjustable stands. Both come in two colors: the rather staid Silver Gray and the distinctive Clementine Orange.
Enlarge / The ARM-based IdeaPad Yoga 11 is .61 inches (15.6mm) thick and weighs 2.8 pounds (1.27kg).
On the inside, though, the tablet-esque laptops are very different. The 11.6" Yoga 11, which starts at $799, is a Windows RT device with the following specs:
NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor
1366×768 five-point touchscreen
"Up to" 64GB of storage
802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0
720p webcam,Two USB 2.0 ports
HDMI port
The Yoga 11 is particularly interesting because it's the first non-tablet Windows RT device that we've seen so far. All of the others have included some sort of keyboard dock to enable operation as a standard laptop, but this is the only one that is more laptop than tablet despite its touchscreen. Lenovo says it should get up to 13 hours on one charge.
Enlarge / The IdeaPad Yoga 13 is .67 inches (17mm) thick and weighs 3.4 pounds (1.54kg).
The Yoga 13 is a more traditional laptop, at least for a device with a screen that folds all the way back. Here's the rundown on the specs of 13.3" Windows 8 laptop:
1600×900 ten-point touchscreen
Intel Core i5 and i7 processors with Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics
Up to 8GB of RAM
Up to 256GB of solid-state storage
720p webcam
One USB 2.0 port and one USB 3.0 port
Pricing starts at $1,099, which isn't too far off from other premium 13" Ultrabooks. At about seven hours, the battery life estimate for this laptop is also in line with other Ultrabooks of this size.
IdeaTab Lynx
Enlarge / The IdeaTab Lynx is .37 inches (9.45mm) thick and weighs 1.41 pounds (640 grams). With the keyboard dock, it is .74 inches (18.7mm) thick and weighs 2.86 pounds (1.3kg).
The IdeaTab Lynx looks more like other Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets we've seen—a standalone tablet with an optional keyboard dock accessory.
Internally, the tablet has much in common with Acer's Iconia W510, but in a slightly larger 11.6" form factor. The Lynx comes with:
A 1366×768 five-point IPS touchscreen
Clover Trail-based Intel Atom Z2760
2GB of low-power DDR2
Either 32GB or 64GB of storage
2 megapixel front-facing camera
Micro USB 2.0 port, a Micro HDMI port, and a microSD card slot.
The tablet by itself, which starts at $599, is rated at about eight hours of battery life, but the $149 keyboard dock's extra battery boosts this to about 16 hours. The dock also adds two full-size USB 2.0 ports to the tablet. Unlike Acer's W510, the Lynx's keyboard dock appears to use the same keyboard as other Lenovo laptops, which should make it a bit more comfortable for long typing sessions.
ThinkPad Twist
Enlarge / The ThinkPad Twist is .79 inches (20mm) thick and weighs 3.48 pounds (1.58kg).
Lastly, we have the ThinkPad Twist, a business-class offering that is more in line with some other convertible laptops we've seen. The screen flips down and swivels around to cover the keyboard, converting it from an Ultrabook-like laptop into a husky tablet.
The convertible has:
A 12.5" 1366×768 touchscreen coated with Gorilla Glass
Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors with Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics
Two USB 3.0 ports
Gigabit Ethernet, a Mini DisplayPort, and a Mini HDMI port.
Cellular connectivity is available as an option.
The laptop starts at $849, but that price is in part due to the its use of old-school hard drives: a 128GB SSD is an option, but the cheaper models will use 320GB and 500GB HDDs.
Lenovo's press releases didn't mention specific availability for any of these devices, but we expect them all to make the Windows 8 launch window—the company is hosting an event this evening, and we'll be reporting back with any additional information and with our in-person impressions of the new hardware.
Andrew Cunningham Andrew is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica with over a decade of experience in consumer tech, covering everything from PCs to Macs to smartphones to game consoles. His work has appeared in the New York Times' Wirecutter and AnandTech. He also records a weekly book podcast called Overdue.
Email andrew.cunningham@arstechnica.com // Twitter @AndrewWrites