Two new laptop models to expand the existing W Series family

Feb 23, 2010 12:01 GMT  ·  By

Lenovo has already made available a new set of ThinkPad tablets, namely models powered by Intel Core i5 or Core i7 central processing units (CPUs). It seems, however, that the PC maker has more in store for its customers, having also prepared a pair of new additions to the same ThinkPad product line. This time expanding the ThinkPad W Series, Lenovo is making available the ThinkPad W701, along with its dual-screen version, the W701ds.

The new laptops are largely similar as far as the performance and overall I/O and connectivity specifications are concerned. They are both powered by the latest Intel CPUs and boast the graphics capabilities of the NVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M (with 96 cores) or the NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M (with 128 cores). In addition, the notebooks come with four distinct memory slots each, which enable a maximum memory capacity of 16GB DDR3. Each laptop also features a DVD burner, as well as an HDD with up to 500GB of storage or an SSD with up to 256GB.

The ThinkPad W701 can have a WUXGA screen with 100% gamut and 280nit brightness, or a WXGA+ LED-backilt display with 200nit brightness. The laptop also sports an optional Wacom digitizer, an optional color calibrator, a fingerprint reader, an ExpressCard slot, a 5-in-1 card reader and five USB ports, out of which one is a USB/eSATA combo. Furthermore, the notebook boasts WiFi, Bluetooth, FireWire, a 2MP webcam, as well as VGA, DVI and DisplayPort outputs.

The ThinkPad W701ds model is similar to its sibling in all ways, except for the fact that, in addition to the 17-inch WUXGA 100% gamut 280nit screen, it also has an extra 10.6-inch display.

“Lenovo’s ThinkPad mobile workstations have helped us increase our productivity by 20 percent,” Alan Duerden, lead systems engineer, McLaren Racing, said. “We rely on these mobile workstations for determining computational fluid dynamics and rendering high performance graphics to improve the car’s design as well as to support our drivers on the track.” Already available and ready to attack end-user bank accounts, the W701 and W701ds ThinkPad notebooks carry price tags of $2,199 and $3,799 respectively.