Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds hands-on

We've seen so much of the Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds already that our first time getting hands on the machine felt strangely familiar. The slide-out screen felt sturdy, and it's capable of swiveling 30 degrees forward and any steps in between. The tablet isn't going to replace a Wacom anytime soon, but it'll get the job done in a pinch. The laptop itself is rather bulky, but what do you expect when you're packing this much power? Check out the gallery below for pics.

Gallery: CES 2009: Hands on with Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds

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Update: Added video after the break.

[yopladas @ Jan 6th 2009 9:34PM]

If I could afford this, I'd get it in a second...

[Jake Tobak @ Jan 6th 2009 9:50PM]

I'd hold out for the W700TS

[yopladas @ Jan 6th 2009 9:54PM]

I've never herd of it. I repent!

[Jason @ Jan 6th 2009 10:10PM]

Seriously, Lenovo!! What were you thinking not doing a triple-screen?? You're not out of the W7OOds yet!!

[Flashpoint @ Jan 6th 2009 10:27PM]

Frankly, just one screen on the side looks like a horrible growth. If this had dual sliding screens, THEN AND ONLY THEN, would it peak my interests.

What gets me is that it would be so much more logical to just make the whole screen larger and lighter with OLED technology.

[yopladas @ Jan 6th 2009 10:47PM]

Speaking of OLED, how bout screens that you can pull out from every side that are paper thin?

I can almost picture the WT700oledPWN

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Jan 6th 2009 11:06PM]

WHO WANTS TO BUY A KIDNEY? So I can maybe afford this...

[Thats What He Said @ Jan 6th 2009 9:38PM]

oooo lala fancy
but why is the number pad a different color than the keyboard, or is thats just funky lighting?

[Keith G @ Jan 6th 2009 9:49PM]

I've gotta say... What an ugly POS. Its like Apple pricing with out the elegance or OS.

[akib @ Jan 6th 2009 9:51PM]

but with the functionality....

I kid, I kid...

[Michael @ Jan 6th 2009 9:53PM]

I think it looks awesome. I've always preferred Thinkpad styling to shiny macbooks.

Plus, you're forgetting the insane quality and warranty built into this.

[Wizardhowl @ Jan 6th 2009 9:53PM]

I have difficulty comparing Lenovos (formerly IBMs) to Apples... Something about that just seems odd.

[Wizardhowl @ Jan 6th 2009 9:56PM]

I have a IBM (same thing as Lenovo basically) and while the computer isn't elegant it sure as hell is a brilliant laptop. I think lots of people would be willing to compromise "the elegance or OS" of an Apple for the greatness that are Lenovos.

[gonintendo @ Jan 6th 2009 10:07PM]

I like to think of thinkpads as classic american muscle cars, and of apples as lexuses. One will last a lifetime and is powerful, while the other is a beautified version of it's cheaper counterparts (pc's and toyotas).

[Mark Anderson @ Jan 7th 2009 3:29AM]

It's called 'function over form'.

Really.

[Alex Brewer @ Jan 24th 2009 3:18AM]

@gonintendo
I hope you're joking, because it's the American cars that are poorly made and the Lexus/Toyotas that will last longer.

[digitallysick @ Jan 6th 2009 9:55PM]

Seems like it would be hard to position your hand to use that wacom function

[TexRob @ Jan 6th 2009 10:05PM]

I promise you I am not trying to instigate, but does anyone else see these posts about this thing and keep thinking "Any second now they are going to say this is a joke"? I'm honestly being serious. This thing looks like one gimmick after another. An extra screen? A trackpad AND a wacom style tablet? Does it have a screen on the outside too? That is the first thing I thought when I saw this. Did anyone actually buy one of those stupid Vista inspired laptops with the extra tiny screen on the outside? So many gimmicks, so little function. People make fun of Apple, but when was the last Apple product you saw that put a gimmick before function?

I'm just confused by this laptop.

[d889 @ Jan 7th 2009 12:00AM]

yeah i thought it was a joke too when i first saw it, i mean the laptop is a fucking beast, its huge! i mean 10 inches of screen is cool, but honestly i really cant see much use out of it especially with the weird resolution.

ibm/lenovo is my favorite laptop company, but i would honestly love to be sitting in the development room when this thing was pitched, and ask the guy who approved it "why?"

[CT A @ Jan 7th 2009 10:58AM]

You obviously misunderstand Lenovo and it's laptops.

This is not a gimmick like Apple's computers. This laptop for a special niche market for 3-D artists and engineers who need a 2nd small screen and a wacom tablet. It's also built to last long unlike Apple laptops. They may not sell many due to the niche market, price, and it's functions but it wasn't expected to. I also don't see what the problem is with having Vista as an OS.

and It was just yesterday that I saw Apple but gimmick over function. Glad you asked.

[1234321 @ Jan 6th 2009 10:12PM]

"The tablet isn't going to replace a Wacom"

I'm kinda not sure what that means cause Wacom makes the tablet

[required @ Jan 6th 2009 10:30PM]

that is funny

[David @ Jan 6th 2009 10:33PM]

I was thinking the same thing. Did you guys actually try it out?

[Zorque @ Jan 6th 2009 10:16PM]

I know I'll be low ranked, and I really don't care. They need to hire a designer who isn't stuck in 1994. How much is this current dude (or team of dudes) making to keep rehashing the same gaudy garbage?

Furthermore, I'm seriously going to track down and murder the first person who says "wahh it's functional it doesn't need to look good". Someone designs this thing, and they might as well do a good job.

[required @ Jan 6th 2009 10:35PM]

I'm sure it looks much better in person as these are clearly very bad photographs.

[Paul @ Jan 6th 2009 11:10PM]

I personally love the look of Thinkpads. They aren't using the same design. My W500 looks quite a bit different then my T60p. Probably about as much as this generation of Mac Books differs from the Mac Books of 2 generations ago.

[mistersquared @ Jan 7th 2009 4:00AM]

It's the periwinkle 'Enter' keys that really annoy me. Why? It's not like I need a visual reminder. Anyone who is getting this laptop should have at least the knowledge of how to type!

[Zorque @ Jan 7th 2009 5:02AM]

Exactly. Red, slate gray/black, and periwinkle are horribly mismatched colors. I work in graphic design, and although I've never designed hardware, the same basic principles apply across the board. Thinkpads continually violate... basically all of them, and if I turned in a design like that I'd be fired. There's no semblance (or even any attempt) at symmetry, balance (in both shape and color), proportion, or anything.

Besides that, it's not only unpleasing to the eye, but whenever I have to use a colleague's Thinkpad it feels like the designers just decided to put buttons, keys, trackpads, screens, antennae, etc. wherever they would fit rather than finding a pleasing compromise. Sure, the computers are functional, but it's to a fault, since every time you try to do anything another accessory is in the way.

In short, fire (or execute) everyone involved with the Thinkpad and beef up the specs on the Ideapads.

[fgklffklfjkl @ Jan 7th 2009 7:57AM]

That's YOUR opinion. I know plenty of people (incl. myself) who find Thinkpads the perfect example of classically stylish and formal design. And red and black go great together, it's the perfect match. Your work doesn't magically make you the know-it-all of design and taste.

[Zorque @ Jan 7th 2009 5:47PM]

Red and black do go together, red and light blue and black don't. EVERY designer follows these rules to some extent. Except these guys, I guess.

Oh, I get it. The Thinkpad is modern art. Guess I'll just pretend I understand it and move on, then.

[Huan22 @ Jan 6th 2009 10:17PM]

This lappy is beast! Where else can you get 2 integrated screens in a laptop? Lenovo has really done it this time. I question with this product, aside from its pocket burning price tag is how long does its battery last?

I bet if you are using its maximum power output battery wouldn't last for even an hour. But still this hasn't hit the shelves yet so will see what it really can do after it has been launched in the market.

[Alex @ Jan 6th 2009 10:18PM]

Sweet shit, the slide-out swivels!

[JPB @ Jan 6th 2009 10:34PM]

This laptop reminds me why I buy only Macs.

[john @ Jan 6th 2009 10:37PM]

theres a certain elegance about a design that focuses on the core function of a product and doing so without compromise, thinkpads have always embodied that with every detailing added to serve that very need - mobile computing
the same however cant be said of macbooks

[Chris @ Jan 6th 2009 11:40PM]

This thing looks like a Frankenstein laptop. I would MUCH rather have the new 17 inch macbook pro. No Question. Steve Jobs probably projectile vomited when he saw this ThinkPad.

[willyboy @ Jan 7th 2009 12:18AM]

As he would say, "feature creep".

[Jason @ Jan 7th 2009 2:24AM]

Yeah, but it was more due to the hormone imbalance.

[Kris Hall @ Jan 6th 2009 11:44PM]

Pricey!!! and USELESS!

[mr nimblewick @ Jan 7th 2009 12:24AM]

There are time when I want a second screen for my laptops... but not like this. Not like this.

[Whoodie @ Jan 7th 2009 12:33AM]

You know guys there are a lot of people out there who make their living with their laptops. Not everyone just uses theirs to surf the internet or type up word documents.

For the professional user, I know this laptop has been needed for a while. As a Mechanical Engineer myself I have been using dual screens for years now and find it hard to work productively on a computer with only one screen. Typically I have my main screen occupied with my solid modeling software and my second open with product data sheets, spreadsheets, etc... In fact every single person I have shown my setup, has ended up purchasing a second monitor.

I don't like the fact that IBM choose such a small secondary screen with a low resolution, but I would take on of these in a heartbeat to be able to get work done while not being tied to a desk.

[Mark Anderson @ Jan 7th 2009 3:30AM]

Exactly, anyone who's serious about a mobile workstation will buy this or another W series. Anyone who is merely a dilettante will buy the new Macbook pro.

Simple really.

[TFArchive @ Jan 7th 2009 7:38AM]

Looks nice but for $5K it doesn't come with a DVDRW, how cheap is that.

I can just see the 2nd screen sticking out from a desk and someone walks by and crack, no more 2nd screen :)

[Ryan @ Jan 7th 2009 1:57PM]

My boss just got one of these. He's looking to standardize them. Honestly, if they're this great, more businesses might switch to them because downtime (even 1-2 days) because a laptop crashed is a huge waste of money and time. Having a strong solid laptop to work / develop on is needed.

[Loonie @ Jan 7th 2009 4:07PM]

This is... the weirdest looking laptop I've ever seen. I guess that's what happens when you cram such a vast array of stuff and power into a laptop.

Strangely alluring.

[mking02 @ Mar 14th 2009 3:10AM]

$5k?? Yeah right. For a tiny added bit of screen space? It's not even close to being worthwhile.

Furthermore, all of the ThinkPads look like they belong in the year 1999. Outdated and bulky. And built cheaply. I was constantly taking mine in for a screen hinge that kept breaking. I think the only thing that didn't malfunction on that thing was the fingerprint reader.

Based on my negative experiences with the screen hinges,etc., I don't even want to know how many times i would have a sliding screen fixed.

[mking02 @ Mar 23rd 2009 8:33PM]

Oh, and guess what I ditched my ThinkPad for? A 17" MacBook Pro. Sturdiest, most reliable piece of computer hardware that I have owned.

And no, I'm not a "fanboy" who uses it for Photoshop and email. I am an electrical engineer that uses Windows XP, Linux, and Mac OS X Leopard all on the same machine, often running simultaneously.

Just thought I'd throw that out there for all of those people who mentioned the word "Mac" and got reamed for it.

[Ollie @ Mar 14th 2009 5:18AM]

this is the ugliest fugliest piece of crap i've ever seen... It looks like a design from 1998 that someone has just thought "lets add and extra screen".