Lenovo launches a business and consumer laptop

CHINESE LAPTOP MAKER Lenovo has announced a business and consumer crossover super slim Thinkpad X1 laptop.

The hybrid laptop was first spied online at the beginning of May but Lenovo has confirmed its existence with a full specifications and features breakdown.

At 17mm high, the Thinkpad X1 is Lenovo's thinnest laptop to date, and it is destined for business users who want an array of better multimedia consumer features on the company IT account.

Those consumer features on the 13.3in laptop include Dolby Home Theater audio, a backlit keyboard and a super-bright glossy display reinforced with Corning Gorilla Glass. Lenovo has also bundled in an HDMI port and Chipzilla's WiFi technology so it can stream HD 1080p wirelessly.

It's not exactly ultra light at 1.7kg, but it does have a magnesium chassis and what Lenovo is calling an internal rollcage, so if you roll it taking it for a spin around the M25, we guess it's going to have good protection.

Lenovo said the Thinkpad X1 will sport enterprise-level security, a fingerprint reader, Intel Vpro technology and encrypted hard drives with remote management support. It will have video conferencing features like an HD 720 camera, high definition microphones and advanced calling modes. The Chinese company said its integrated Rapidcharge battery technology can also charge the battery up to 80 per cent within 30 minutes.

Lenovo didn't mention memory, storage or graphics but the Thinkpad X1 will be available in a range of configurations and will have Intel Sandy Bridge Core i7 processors.

The Thinkpad X1 is out now in the US with the cheapest model priced at $1,399 and it will be out everywhere else in the next few weeks, when Lenovo will set a UK price. µ