Lenovo updates laptops for Windows 8
At IFA, Lenovo outlined more of its Windows 8 laptop plans.
- Author of the award-winning, NY Times-reviewed nonfiction book The Tetris Effect; Longtime consumer technology expert for CBS Mornings
In addition to the previously announced IdeaPad S series updates, Lenovo is now showing off several other new and updated laptop models at the tail end of the IFA show.
Clearly targeting prospective Windows 8 shoppers, these new systems include ultrabooks and powerful multimedia laptops.
IdeaPad U510 Ultrabook
A 15-inch ultrabook, this high-end system is 21 millimeters thick and weighs 4.8 pounds, which makes it a bit hefty for something carrying Intel's official ultrabook branding. Lenovo says components include "up to a third-generation Intel Core i7 processor, and as much as 1TB of HDD storage with an optional 32GB solid-state drive cache, and a battery life of up to 6 hours. The U510 is also equipped with an integrated DVD reader/writer or Blu-ray Disc drive."
IdeaPad Y400 and Y500
These bigger laptops are designed for multimedia and gaming tasks. Lenovo says both "feature the unique UltraBay -- an interchangeable bay that users can instantly swap out for dual graphics capability, increased storage space, or an additional fan for cooling."
CPU options go up to a current-gen Core i7, and Nvidia GeForce GT655M for graphics, plus up to 1TB of HDD space. The Y400 has a 14-inch display, while the Y500 is a 15.6-inch system. Both have backlit keyboards, clickpad-style touch pads, and JBL-branded speakers.
IdeaPad Z400 and Z500
Somewhere between the slimmer U Series ultrabook and larger Y Series midsize laptops is the Z Series. Lenovo says these two models are 25 percent thinner than a standard laptop, and use full-voltage CPUs, rather than the ultralow voltage versions found in most superslim laptops.
Unlike many other Lenovo laptops, these will be available in different colors, blue, dark brown, pink, and white, all with a soft-touch surface. Besides the full-voltage CPUs, you can also get what Lenovo calls "the latest Nvidia GeForce graphics technology," although that may not mean the very top of the line when it comes to GPUs.
Lenovo says the IdeaPad U510 and Z500 will be available in September, starting at $679 and $549. The Y400 and Y500 will be available in October, starting at $649, and the IdeaPad Z400 will be available in November, starting at $549.