Check out our reviews of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and Lenovo Yoga 2 13 laptops.
CES is the platform Lenovo has traditionally used to announce its big new products for the upcoming year, and the 2014 show is no exception. The company has taken the wraps off 11 new notebooks, convertible laptop as well a new PC tablet.
For the consumer market ,Lenovo is serving up the Miix 2 detachable (below), which can be had with a 10-inch or 11-inch screen, the Yoga 2, which comes in 11-inch and 13-inch flavors, and the Flex D, which can be had as a 14-inch or 15-inch model.
The Miix detachable is basically a Windows tablet that comes with a bundled keyboard. Though the two models vary little in screen size, the 10” is powered by an Intel Atom while the 11” version uses a Core i5 processor. Both have a 1920 x 1200 display and ship with Windows 8.1. Prices start at $499 and $699, respectively.
Those who want more laptop functionality will be interested in the Yoga 2, which is simply a sequel of the original IdeaPad Yoga and looks similar to its predecessor. The 11.6-inch model, which weighs less than three pounds, features a 1366 x 768 touchscreen, up to a quad-core Intel Pentium processor, a max RAM count of 4GB and up to 500GB of hard drive space with a starting price of $529. Meanwhile, the beefier 3.5-pound 13-inch model has an Intel Core i5, as much as 8GB of RAM, a hard drive that tops out at 500GB and an MSRP of $999. Both versions offer the same 360-degree hinge found on the original Yoga.
The Flex D series is a new version of the standard Flex that replaces the Intel internals with AMD hardware. Doing this has helped Lenovo slash prices; both the Flex 14D and 15D begin at $499 with an AMD A6 processor and Radeon integrated graphics. They also include as much as 8GB of RAM and a maximum of 1TB of storage.
Traditional notebooks are represented by the revised Z and Y series, each of which comes in a 14-inch or 15.6inch model. The Z series is a powerful all-purpose notebook with up to an Intel Core i7 processor, optional 1080p display, optional Nvidia 840M graphics, as much as 16GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive. Gamers, however, will really want the Y series (pictured above), which features a Intel Core processor, Nvidia GTX or AMD Radeon R9 M270 graphics and an optional 3840×2160 display (1080p is standard). RAM and hard drive space top out at 16GB and 1TB, respectively. Surprisingly, pricing starts at just $399 for the Z-series and $499 for the Y-series.
Business travelers should turn their attention to the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon, which Lenovo claims is the world’s lightest 14” notebook. The system has a 2560 x 1440 IPS display (though you can opt for a 1080p screen as well), up to an Intel Core i7 processor ,as much as 8GB of RAM, a 512GB hard drive, and can be purchased with optional Intel HD GT3 (aka “Iris”) integrated graphics. In addition to the hardware, the system provides a unique adaptive function row that is activated by touch and can change depending on the software you use. The base MSRP for the new X1 is $1299.
Last, but certainly not least, is Lenovo’s ThinkPad 8 tablet. Boasting an 8.3” 1080p display and a quad-core Intel Atom processor, this palm-able device can easily handle Windows 8.1 while also providing up to eight hours of endurance. This tablet is easy to carry, as well, thanks to a weight of just .92 pounds and profile slimmer than 4/10ths of an inch. This tablet will sell for $399.
What do you think of Lenovo’s newest lineup of tech? Which gear do you find to be most intriguing and why? Sound off in the comments below.
