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Lenovo ThinkPad Twist review: an old form factor gets new life with Windows 8
It used to be that "convertible PC" could mean only one thing: a laptop whose display swiveled around, folding down into tablet mode. Now that Windows 8 is here, though, the category has become a bit muddied. How else to describe our recent collection of reviews? In just the past few weeks alone, we've tested a laptop whose screen folds all the way back, an Ultrabook whose display flips inside the hinge and yet another with a slide-out keyboard. Anything goes -- at least until consumers decide which form factor they like best. But when Lenovo calls its new ThinkPad Twist a convertible, you can rest assured it's using the old-school definition. As the name implies, it has a rotating screen that allows it to be used as a 12-inch slate. And, like all the business-friendly ThinkPads that came before it, it sports a well-engineered keyboard, a secondary set of touch buttons and, of course, that signature red pointing stick. Now, though, it runs a much more finger-friendly OS, and has a touchpad that can support all the new gestures in Windows 8. It's one of several new touch-capable notebooks from Lenovo, but it's the only one geared toward business users. So is this worth the upgrade from an older ThinkPad? And is it a better buy than Lenovo's other Win 8 convertible, the IdeaPad Yoga 13? Read on to find out.%Gallery-171580%
Lenovo announces ThinkPad Edge Twist, a business-oriented convertible coming this month for $849
Lenovo was first out of the gate with a form-shifting Windows 8 machine when it unveiled the IdeaPad Yoga at CES. Now the company's back with a convertible for its business customers, the ThinkPad Edge Twist. In many ways, it's a convertible in the most conventional sense of the word: unlike the Yoga, whose screen folds all the way back, the Twist has a 12.5-inch display that can swivel all the way around and fold down into tablet mode. As a member of the Edge family, in particular, it blends design elements from Lenovo's business and consumer lines, with metal accents, rounded edges, an island-style keyboard, a magnesium frame and, of course, that signature soft-touch finish. Stealing the show is that 12.5-inch, 350-nit, Gorilla Glass-coated display, which uses IPS technology for wider angles. On the inside, the Twist runs your choice of a Core i5 or i7 processor, with up to 8GB of RAM and either a 128GB SSD or a 7,200RPM hard drive (320GB or 500GB). Battery life, meanwhile, is rated at up to seven hours. At 3.48 pounds, it's heavier than some larger-screened Ultrabooks, but at least that 0.79-inch frame makes room for a full-sized Ethernet jack. (It also has a memory card reader, two USB 3.0 ports, mini-HDMI output and a mini-DisplayPort.) As for business-friendly features, the laptop offers TPM and can be configured with an optional 3G radio. Look for it on October 26th, starting at $849. Until then, enjoy those hands-on shots below.
