Lenovo's ThinkPad X200 is 0.8-inches thick, actually affordable

Gone are the days of selling off homes and loved ones to afford the latest and greatest in laptop tech, Lenovo's new (and well-rumored) ThinkPad X200 takes a cue from the X300's form factor -- though there's no disc drive to speak of -- weighing in at 2.95 pounds and measuring 0.8-inches thick. The screen has been shrunk down to 12.1-inches, and both SSD (64GB) and traditional hard drive options (up to 320GB) are on offer. The X200 runs up to a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor, and up to 4GB of RAM, and will include wireless options galore, including UWB, WiMax and GPS. Oh, and that super-sexy asking price? $1,199. We like. It'll be out in August.

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 14th 2008 11:03PM]

Wow! I wasn't expecting that low of a starting price, awesome!!! XD

But now seeing the Vaio Z with its 13.1" screen having 1600x900 res, I'd like higher res options in 12.1" screens as well. : )

[cmdwedge @ Jul 14th 2008 11:05PM]

What an amazing price.. look forward to seeing this in Australia!

[Pochi @ Jul 14th 2008 11:09PM]

Higher res = me squinting more. I actually don't mind low resolutions at all.

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 14th 2008 11:25PM]

Well, I would like an OPTION for it, I wouldn't want it to be the standard as there are those that dislike the higher resolutions, but I can take them, bring on the eye-squinting!! XD

[feffrey @ Jul 15th 2008 12:28AM]

I just bought a x61 with the 1400x1050 res at 12.1" and I love it. I have horrible vision, but I were glasses and it looks great. The amount of screen real-estate the best part about the tablet imo

any word on the new tablet though?

[Paris @ Jul 15th 2008 12:53AM]

You can always increase the PPI (DPI) to compensate for a higher resolution.

[Pochi @ Jul 15th 2008 1:51AM]

@Paris

Looks like shit in every OS I've ever seen it used on.

[superhobo @ Jul 16th 2008 8:09AM]

Now if they would just make the same thing in a non-strictlybusiness casing, it will sell twice as much at least.

[Ryan @ Jul 14th 2008 11:05PM]

Aw, no disc drive? I thought the whole idea was for Lenovo to keep it thin and still keep the bells and whistles, a la the ad mocking the MBA.

[YpoCaramel @ Jul 14th 2008 11:13PM]

Now that you mention it, they probably kept out the optical drive to reduce internal competition with the X300.

[Ethyriel @ Jul 15th 2008 2:48AM]

There's never been an optical drive in this series. If you can't install an OS from a flash drive, or applications from the network, it's not worth installing.

It's essentially a trade off for the slower processor they have in the X300.

[YpoCaramel @ Jul 14th 2008 11:08PM]

At that price, I wonder if they could do an Atom version for $800. But maybe Leonovo has more ambitious plans for Atom. Who knows?

[Chris @ Jul 14th 2008 11:10PM]

I think I saw a Leonovo branded moble internet thing (like a psp) a while back that was running on atom

[Craig @ Jul 14th 2008 11:54PM]

Atom isn't for business machines...it's for students and professional layabouts (bloggers, writers, the homeless, etc.).

[YpoCaramel @ Jul 15th 2008 12:06AM]

Craig, I think you're confusing netbooks like the EEE with Atom. Intel never said the Atom was designed for Netbooks - in fact they're obsessed with it used in MIDs like the one Greg mentioned. There's no saying that so called "business machines" can't use Atom either.

[Ethyriel @ Jul 15th 2008 2:45AM]

I hear they have 9" and 10" Atom machines to be announced soon.

[Hung @ Jul 15th 2008 11:21AM]

No, you guys, Craig is right.

The Atom architecture stresses a smaller die and less power-usage, excluding out-of-order execution in the processess (a larger die is required to allow instructions to reorder to address which instruction has readily available cache; a larger die requires more power). That sacrifice resulted in severely hampered multitasking and performance (depending on the application[s]), but significantly improved power-efficiency.

I never even thought Atom processors would hit 1.0 GHz, because devices that would best utilize Atoms would be embedded or ultra-mobile non-performers. The fact that Atom processors are in netbooks is already a stretch. I'd doubt that any professional would spend good money on a machine that isn't at least average all across the board.

[Miles @ Jul 14th 2008 11:07PM]

that "thinkpad" engraving looks old and out-of-touch.

[you @ Jul 14th 2008 11:19PM]

don't you be dissin' on the think pad. It's a classic. And its meant for business and not pleasure.

[Miles @ Jul 14th 2008 11:21PM]

maybe i'm too young to appreciate it :)

[andres @ Jul 14th 2008 11:25PM]

thats what he said.

[Craig @ Jul 14th 2008 11:53PM]

^^^^ as can other activities you young kids like to engage in.

[EVE @ Jul 15th 2008 12:00AM]

so sticking with an outdated design Chinese piece of crap can makes you ... better ?



technology advances, so does art ; if you can't keep up with fashion, your business model will end with failures, just see what IBM did with the notebook line

[austin @ Jul 15th 2008 3:03AM]

Art is timeless. You know that stuff hanging in museums worth millions? Yeah, it's old.

As with a well-cut basic black suit, the ThinkPad is classic and classy.

[Mark @ Jul 15th 2008 4:22AM]

Though I'm falling for troll bait, I for one always found the Thinkpad design to be iconic and fairly timeless. It was a brilliant design and industrial form factor when it debuted in the 1990s, and because of it's forward-thinking design, remains fairly timeless today.

That industrial form factor has garnered many rewards and acknowledgements from people with a lot more savvy than random commenters on blogs ;)

I'll be lining up for this one. I have always appreciated the usability of trackpoints over touchpads, and the combination of features, size, weight and price make this a must have for me.

[cc154237 @ Jul 14th 2008 11:09PM]

Why would any company release a laptop without Montevina/Centrino 2 in August? I was waiting for all the new laptops with Centrino 2 to be released before I bought one for college, but right now I'm thinking the Sony's are the only ones worth the wait--I don't see how this is any better than the X61, other than a form-factor change.

[bluemonq @ Jul 15th 2008 12:12AM]

Two of the three parts of Montevina/Centrino 2 bundle are already out: x4500 (out since last month) and Penryn C2D/Q (I doubt that it *wouldn't* have one of these). The only addition is a WIFI + WiMAX combo, and seeing how we're not exactly swimming in WiMAX right now...

[Jason @ Jul 15th 2008 12:50AM]

You are confused my friend. Presumably, you are making the claim that the Thinkpad x200 does not house that new silicon hotness dubbed montevina. It does in fact, as well as a slew of other new technologies you'd be surprised are mainstream. The reason why it won't be available until August is the fact that they wish to include the WiFi/WiMax chipset in their builds that Intel won't have wildly available (for one reason or another ) until sometime in August. Personally, I am a senior at CMU, and I've been waiting for this beast for a while. Finally someone gets it. I want ultraportability without compromising computability and battery longevity.

More information on the Thinkpad x200 technical specifications can be found here:

http://gizmodo.com/5025193/hands-on-lenovo-x200-tiny-cheap-means-business-but-forgot-the-trackpad

[bluemonq @ Jul 15th 2008 12:19AM]

Gizmodo was nice enough to include the spec sheet for the x200 in their article. Guess what? It has all the components of the Centrino 2 bundle (or at least the wireless is available as an option). So for all intents and purposes, it *is* a Montevina.

[Tony @ Jul 14th 2008 11:27PM]

Wow, $1,199 for an ultraportable? THAT'S how it should be done. Kudos, Lenovo. I don't think the disk drive will be missed, it's rarely used anyway. The low price tag is enough to stick it to all other ultraportables, including the Macbook Air and Voodoo Envy.

[KEROLiUKAS @ Jul 14th 2008 11:13PM]

needs optical drive and a real trackpad. oh and a lil less uglyness

[maveric101 @ Jul 14th 2008 11:22PM]

yes. the ThinkPad line is pretty unattractive.

[Samus Aran @ Jul 14th 2008 11:36PM]

track nubbin > *

Once you get used to it, it's the best pointing device available on a laptop. Waaaaay better than a trackpad.

[nzo @ Jul 14th 2008 11:39PM]

Who needs a trackpad when you have the ubernipple of glory?

[Ethyriel @ Jul 15th 2008 2:53AM]

quoth Samus Aran:

track nubbin > *
_______________


They won't get that, and for that, you are upmodded.

[Carmen Vj @ Jul 14th 2008 11:17PM]

Now I think I am in love. I was looking at the Sony VAIO. I think I will be checking this one out instead. Seems to be alot lighter. Very light weight and very thin. I like it. Awesome gadget here.

[Joe @ Jul 14th 2008 11:31PM]

Could really use a trackpad though. I've never gotten the hang of using the ThinkPad's clit mouse.

[Tom @ Jul 14th 2008 11:45PM]

You just need more practice, and it's not like the practice isn't fun.

[sinai @ Jul 15th 2008 2:34AM]

REMEMBER THIS FACE! I AM THE CLIT COMMANDER! I MAKE THAT SHIT WORK! IT DOES WHATEVER THE FUCK I TELL IT TO DO! NO ONE RULES THE CLIT LIKE ME!

[Kevin @ Jul 14th 2008 11:35PM]

The article says that there is an optional ultrathin optical drive:

"Users will be able to watch Blu-ray movies on the laptop through an optional ultrathin optical drive."

[Huy @ Jul 14th 2008 11:33PM]

TABLET!! TABLET!! TABLET!!

I have a T61p already. If I get a new notebook, it's gonna be because it offers me some functionality that my current one can't. Looks like Lenovo's on the right track though.

[Fanfoot @ Jul 14th 2008 11:48PM]

Hey, the Dell XPS M1330 has a 13" screen, a slot load DVD, and is quite small, and only $999. Looks like a very nice machine and all, but I'm not sure the price is anything to write home about...

[Virtuous @ Jul 15th 2008 12:00AM]

You're right Fanfoot. The Dell trumps the X200 any day.

[YpoCaramel @ Jul 15th 2008 12:10AM]

The question is either an inch and another pound matters to you. Generally 4ib laptops aren't seen as ultraportable but if you're willing to drag around a M1330 in place of this laptop, all the power to you.

[jbm0592 @ Jul 15th 2008 12:13AM]

Yea the Dell is a real nice laptop, it actually has a disk drive. I would much rather have a laptop a whole cm thicker if it has a disk drive and nice hardware. Thanks alot apple for setting the standard of laptops without disk drives. Really appreciate it.

[Ethyriel @ Jul 15th 2008 2:57AM]

If my laptop is 4lbs, it damned well better have a 14" screen, like a Y7 or S6510. A 12" machine needs to top out at 3lbs - 3.2lbs

[j @ Jul 15th 2008 2:20AM]

this'd be perfect but for the lack of trackpad!! now i've got to get the eee 1000H

[Ethyriel @ Jul 15th 2008 2:47AM]

I just got an X61s today. I never spent a lot of time with the trackpoint on my T60, but once you get forced to, you get used to it really fast. I kind of wish I didn't waste the few bucks on bluetooth. Once I install Diablo2 to force the matter, I should be a pro in no time.

[SNP @ Jul 14th 2008 11:58PM]

FFS, you could have just say that the X200 is the replacement of the X61 and many will just get it, like the T400 & 500 replacing T61.

[zargon @ Jul 15th 2008 8:28AM]

The X series is still the X series, they just dropped the two digit meaning less numbering to a 3 digit some what meaningful numbers. 200 = 12", 300 = 13", 40 = 14", 500 = 15", etc... they should also be doing this across the Thinkpad line.