14 DAY TRIAL // PC makers have been supplying the market with a steady stream of new laptops, but it seems that Intel CPUs may stop being the only platform features in such devices. Just days ago, in fact, it was reported that AMD's upcoming series of mobile central processing units had scored 109 design wins and, sure enough, PC makers, Lenovo among them, are already starting to show off their laptops based on them.
With summer coming and the market in need of fresh blood, so to speak, the computer supplier has unveiled its plans to update everything from all-in-one PCs to desktops to nettops, as well as, of course, its laptops. To be more exact, Lenovo plans to release three IdeaPad Z Series laptops by next month.
The 15.6-inch IdeaPad Z565 is the only one whose configuration is based on a central processing unit from Advanced Micro Devices. The choice of CPUs, at least, is quite varied, with customers being able to select among a Turion, an Athlon and a Phenom series chip. The processor is then paired with up to 8GB of RAM and an HDD with 640GB of storage. Furthermore, the system boasts an Integrated or discrete ATI Radeon graphics solution.
"Lenovo's consumer business recently achieved 89% year over year growth, outpacing the competition,” said Dion Weisler, vice president, Business Operations, Lenovo.
“The latest additions to the Idea portfolio demonstrate Lenovo's commitment to leading the consumer market with stylish, feature-packed PCs that make computing more fun and enjoyable for all," he added.
The 13-inch Z360 and 15.6-inch Z560 are powered by the Calpella platform, which makes Intel Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs viable choices. Graphics are provided by the integrated Intel GMA HD or a discrete NVIDIA GeForce. Other specifications include an LED-backlit LCD screen and an optical drive (DVD or Blu-ray).
The IdeaPad Z360, Z560 and Z565 all have the same starting price of $649.