New workstations and monitors from Lenovo
Lenovo's 'Innovation Tour' at the IET (Institution for Engineering and Technology) today saw the introduction of what the company claims is the highest-performance workstation in a compact desktop form factor — the ThinkStation C20/C20x. Lenovo also unveiled two wide-screen monitors: the USB-hub-equipped ThinkVision L2230x and the dual-display-capable L2321x.
ThinkStation C20/C20x These compact dual-processor desktop workstations are designed for businesses — typically in financial services, CAD and digital content creation — where space is limited but computing power cannot be compromised.
Lenovo C20/C20x: a compact dual-Xeon desktop workstation
Powered by Xeon 5600-series processors and supporting up to 96GB of DDR3 RAM via 6 DIMM slots (C20) or 192GB via 12 DIMM slots (C20x), the C20/C20x can drive up to eight monitors if two graphics cards are used (various Nvidia and ATI options are available). Up to three hard drives (SATA on the C20, SATA or SAS on the C20x) can be fitted, with options up to 500GB for conventional hard drives or 256GB for solid-state drives.
Despite the presence of five fans, Lenovo's 'tri-channel' cooling system manages to keep noise levels down to roughly those of a typical desktop PC. The ThinkStation C20 and C20x will be available in mid-June, with the C20 starting at £1,691 (ex. VAT). The C20x will be sold through Lenovo's buiness partners.
ThinkVision L2230x and L2321x The L2230x is a 21.5in. widescreen (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) monitor that's specifically designed for notebook users requiring a flexible desktop monitor in the office. Specifically, it has a USB video input, a 3-port USB hub and an Ethernet port, allowing the monitor to function as a docking station and extended screen with a single cable connection. The L2230x will be available in mid-July and will cost from £210 (ex. VAT).
Lenovo L2230x: a 21.5in. monitor with a 3-port USB hub
The L2321x is a slightly larger (23in.) monitor with the same 1,920 by 1,080 resolution as the L2230x but a different special function: a split-screen mode. This allows a presentation to be run in one 'virtual monitor' and, say, a web meeting in the other. The L2321x could prove useful for enterprises that run legacy applications requiring a 4:3 aspect ratio, or where space restrictions preclude the use of dual-monitor setups. The L2321x will be available at the end of July, from £240 (ex. VAT).
Lenovo L2321x: a 23in. monitor with split-screen functionality