14 DAY TRIAL // Of the two Lenovo products that we will speak of here, only the ThinkPad Edge twist will get a thorough description, since the ThinkPad Tablet 2 was formally launched back in August.
The one reason we are even mentioning the latter device, powered by the Atom Z2760 Clover Trail, is the fact that its price has finally been uncovered: $649 / 649 Euro (sales will start in November).
And now we can dedicate our full attention to the 12.5-inch ThinkPad Edge Twist which, depending on the position of its display, can behave like an ultrabook or tablet.
The secret behind the transformation ability is the special hinge. Unlike the other 360-degree mechanism (the one used by the IdeaPad Yogas), the Edge Twist can spin the display around and then push it down on the keyboard instead of the laptop's back.
"Lenovo was one of the first to embrace convertible design coupled with touch interaction in a big way and the Yoga 13 and ThinkPad Twist are both remarkable devices that are sure to wow consumers," said Kirk Skaugen, corporate vice president and general manager, PC Client Group, Intel.
"These designs fueled with powerful Intel 3rd generation Core processors will deliver the key attributes of the PC and tablet into a single system – essentially people are getting 'two for one'."
Speaking of processors, buyers will be allowed to choose between an Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs when sales finally start, in October 26 (2012).
Unfortunately, the bright HD IPS display (350 nits, 1366x 768 pixels), Gorilla Glass coating (protects the screen from scratches and other damage), the mini-HDMI and DisplayPort connectors and every other piece of hardware, not to mention the Windows 8 OS, don't make for a very affordable product.
Shipments will begin on October 26, for at least $849, or 849 Euro. This is the price paid for mobility and strong notebook specs (500 GB HDD/ 128 GB SSD, optional 3G, various Lenovo software tools, etc.).