Must Read: Sorry, but bringing back the Start menu won't help Windows 8

Topic: Laptops

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon aims to lead corporate ultrabook charge

Summary: Pricing is yet to be determined, but Lenovo is only the first in the corporate ultrabook parade. HP, Dell and a host of others will push ultrabooks on corporations.

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

Lenovo has refreshed its ThinkPad laptop line-up for business and appears to be one of the first to start pushing ultrabooks for business.

CNET's Scott Stein has details on the entire lineup, but the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, a 14-inch ultrabook is the front runner.

The X1 Carbon is an update to Lenovo's previous X1. The ThinkPad X1, updated with the latest Intel chips, has carbon fiber, promises fast charges and includes a high-resolution screen.

Stein noted:

The carbon-fiber 2012 ThinkPad X1 is a true 14-inch ultrabook that claims to be the world's lightest at that size (3 pounds). A 1,600x900 resolution screen, carbon fiber roll-cage, 3G broadband, and the return of last year's Rapid Charge battery (which charges the battery up to 80% in 30 minutes) round out the features.

Pricing is yet to be determined, but Lenovo is only the first in. HP, Dell and a host of others will push ultrabooks on corporations.

Topics: Laptops, Hardware, Lenovo, Mobility

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

12 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Screen resolution

    1600x900 is not high resolution. Granted, it's a lot better than the 1366x768 that so many manufacturers are trying to pawn off on us, but it's still rather paltry compared to the 1920x1200 displays that have been around since 2006 and earlier. If the new MacBooks have the rumored 2880x1800 Retina displays, we might finally see PCs forced to bring their display resolutions into the 21st century.
    slumgullion
    Reply Vote

    • really?

      On a 14" screen, 1600x900 is more than enough. Retina displays are only good for making the text you're viewing look like magazine copy. Not really needed for real work.
      dsf3g
      Reply Vote

      • Really!

        1080p should be considered the new minimum.

        No way should a "toy" like the iPad have a screen resolution that beats a high-end laptop. The game has changed, my friend.
        x I'm tc
        Reply Vote

      • Agreed

        1600x900 looks perfect on a 14" screen... on 15" and beyond, though, you need to go to full HD.
        douglasac10
        Reply Vote

      • 1080p should be considered the new minimum

        On a 14" laptop?

        What's next? BlueRay for the iPhone?
        ScorpioBlack
        Reply Vote

      • Screen Real Estate

        I think the more important details in regards to screen resolution for a business class machine is not so much about HD resolution or having a "retina" display, but the better screen real estate you gain with the higher resolution. I personally prefer 1440x900 on a 14" laptop but I sure I could get used to 1600x900 if I was to get an upgrade!
        JacknifeWillie
        Reply Vote

    • For what 99.9% of people do on laptops 1600x900 is more than high enough

      And its higher than the macbook air and pro. Barely beat by the 15" pro which has lower dpi. does that mean that apples latest/greatest arent in the 21st century yet?
      Johnny Vegas
      Reply Vote

    • Doubtful

      That's been a rumor since they put that display on their phone. It's also bunk, nothing serves that size content, and the gpu overhead would mean taxing the macbook's already piddly gpu
      Tea.Rollins
      Reply Vote

  • Carbon fiber?

    Way cooler than aluminum.
    toddbottom3
    Reply Vote

  • Screen resolution

    When will the "business" laptop become something other than a high priced DVD player. Work laptops should have a minimum of 1050 vertical to help prevent scroll fatigue! When will someone come up with a screen that can be rotated on a laptop (does not seem too technical to me). Then a 1600 x 900 would become "work" usable and also play movies...
    johnnywild@...
    Reply Vote

  • 1600x900 has been around for awhile....

    Dell, HP and others have offered that resolution in a thin 14" for quite awhile now. I'm not sure why it's "new".
    and 3G? ygbk...who buys that anymore?

    to johnnywild, have you checked out any of the convertable laptop/tablets? Asus, Acer and Dell all make decent ones that do what you want. I will agree tho, the Dell XT3 is only 1366x768, but then again, it is only a 13" screen.

    I currently use a 13" laptop. When at my desk it's on a doc with dual monitors, i have no complaints on how the graphics manage it. Even when i travel and have to look at that small screen (i bought the size for traveling), i still don't have an issue with resolution. Personally, i think screen resolution is all overhyped now for business. The eye can't hardly tell the difference anymore. Unless, of course, you're playing graphics intensive games! ;)
    concernedITpro
    Reply Vote

  • Get Back to 4:3 screens for business

    Purely business notebooks should have 4:3 screens, because business users need more vertical. The old UGXA at 1600 x 1200 was very usable, and WUGXA was OK.

    Not everyone is into watching videos, which is what the 16:9 is geared for, and unless one is into videos and making them, for regular office work use, 4:3 is preferred.
    Backbutton
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close