Lenovo X201 Tablet, W701 and new L series revealed by ThinkPad roadmap slide (updated)

Our crack team over at Engadget Chinese has managed to snag the above roadmap slide for Lenovo's mobile computer division. We've seen earlier versions of the same slide -- when the Edge and T410 / T510 were freshly added -- but the very latest iteration contains a sprinkling of even newer machines. Most intriguing will be the L400 and L500, which are set to replace the former "corporate mainstream" mainstay R series, which incites the more hopeful among us to believe that perhaps a new chassis design is on the cards too. No less notable are the new X201 models, though we might surmise by the mild numerical change that they'll just be upgraded to low-voltage Arrandale CPUs and left well enough alone. For more info on the likely specs of the W701, you should check out our breakdown of its FCC appearance right here.

Update: In light of the X201 discovery, we've combed through our CES 2010 imagery and found a photo of an X200 with a touchpad, which was a curious thing to see when Lenovo has never sold such a creation. Our suspicion is that the X200 on display was in fact an early showing of the touchpad-enabled X201 that is soon to come. Browse past the break for the evidence.

[PENGADGET Posted Feb 2nd 2010 4:57AM]

I am thirst of Dell mini 5 news..

[JohnP Posted Feb 2nd 2010 5:19AM]

C'mon Lenovo - where's my x302?

[ArhcAngel Posted Feb 2nd 2010 9:18AM]

@JohnP

I see what you did there....

[Luffy Posted Feb 2nd 2010 5:26AM]

L-series is the spiritual successor to the R-series

[bigcow05 Posted Feb 4th 2010 1:17PM]

@Luffy
Most likely they meant to name it the R series but since they are Asian, they got R and L mixed up.

[MrPoPo Posted Feb 2nd 2010 5:34AM]

*yawn*

[manwithacamera Posted Feb 2nd 2010 5:47AM]

Finally, Engadget got rid of iPad hangover. Welcome back to normalcy team.

[hq Posted Feb 2nd 2010 5:53AM]

@manwithacamera Don't jinx it.

[hq Posted Feb 2nd 2010 6:25AM]

@manwithacamera told ya... http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/02/apple-ipad-rumor-roundup-abraham-zapruder-edition/

[YpoCaramel Posted Feb 2nd 2010 6:23AM]

Arrandale ULVs are bit slow coming to the market. Do hurry it up, Intel, I'm not going to get a SU9600 when you're holding us in suspense like this.

[aelaos Posted Feb 2nd 2010 7:15AM]

I miss the Old IBM Computers!!!

[ArhcAngel Posted Feb 2nd 2010 9:20AM]

@aelaos

I have an XT I'll make you a good deal on. Hurry though. I've got a couple of museums bidding on it.

[Eternity Posted Feb 2nd 2010 8:23AM]

I'm waiting for the successor of the X200t but a measly CPU upgrade is not going to cut it. Where is my USB 3.0 and HDMI out? Also the current model already churns out 8-10 hours battery life, so it better not be just another performance drop in the CPU just to squeeze out a stupid extra hour of battery.I also want the IPS panels back that they quietly removed.

[Astounding Posted Feb 2nd 2010 8:43AM]

Breaking news? I read about this including the pictures weeks ago on a different blog...

Any idea what the launch price on the x201 non-tablets is gonna be? Wondering if I should pull the trigger on an x200 as they are discounted, or wait for this.

[Krazie Posted Feb 2nd 2010 8:58AM]

Just got an x200 last week... So far, this has been great! I won't wait until x201.... Thx but no thx...

[fr4ncium Posted Feb 2nd 2010 9:39AM]

@Krazie
Hahaha, of course we find this out now - my x200 arrives Friday! I kind of anticipated the x201 addition to the roadmap given the crazy deal I got though. I guess I'll just have to live with my 2.66 Core 2 Duo and its 9-10 hour battery life. :P

[cferra Posted Feb 2nd 2010 9:05AM]

I can say with certainty that the x201 will be announce this month, and be released in March it will feature at most a mobile core i7 720 and will have options for a multitouch capacitive display as well as standard stylus screen options.

[cferra Posted Feb 2nd 2010 9:07AM]

it should be at around the same price point as the x200

[cferra Posted Feb 2nd 2010 9:08AM]

the 201 will have a touch pad as well as a touchpoint

[Bratan Posted Feb 2nd 2010 9:54AM]

If it's got keyboard it's not a Tablet, it's convertable notebook... :(

[Meng Bomin Posted Feb 2nd 2010 10:59AM]

@Bratan Wikipedia would beg to differ:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tablet_PC
I think the term you're thinking of is "slate".

[jugs Posted Feb 2nd 2010 9:56AM]

I would love to see the updated X301 and T410s!
Any speculation as to when they'll be released?

[Rounin Posted Feb 2nd 2010 10:14AM]

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=449687

Well there's the x201t. It looks like it'll have an icore7 ULV or at least an icore chip. It also has that trackpad too.. Hopefully, they'll have switchable graphics too.. I wished the screen was flush with the bezel though.

[brothaa Posted Feb 2nd 2010 11:10AM]

I saw the X201 in a youtube video in the background and sent it to Engadget (TIP) section.

but they never mentioned it. It was the same exact x201 with the touch pad that is in this picture

:)

too bad they never followed my tip

[M3 Posted Feb 2nd 2010 11:27AM]

An X Series Thinkpad with a touchpad ? This is blasphemy! Making room for that abomination means the keyboard takes up less space means its less exceptional. Now Lenovo is ruining the thinkpad series!

Rant off.

[bri0831 Posted Feb 4th 2010 12:46PM]

My Lenovo rep just came in yesterday. I have all the info on power points for desktops & laptops. EVERYTHING that you dont have!