14 DAY TRIAL // Even though the ThinkPad X301 is one of, if not the most successful 13-inch laptop on the market right now, and that this 13-inch niche appears to be on the rise. Lenovo believes that the market for notebooks of this size will gradually disappear. As such, according to reports, the PC maker is planning on canceling its entire ThinkPad X300 Series and, instead, focus on the high-performance ultraportable X line and T-Series machines.
Siena website states that, according to Wang Liping, a Lenovo marketing director, 45% of the global business notebook market is covered by 12-inch laptops. This makes the 12.1-inch ThinkPad X, aimed at traveling executives, the most popular of its kind. The other two, the 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch models, aren't as well received, and the latter will supposedly disappear, eventually.
The ThinkPad X301 hasn't seen a price decrease since two years ago ($2,739), and this makes it more expensive than the Dell Adamo XPS and the Apple Macbook Air. Since the tag doesn't look like it will go lower, it can only be assumed that demand is strong. It should also be noted that the X301, unlike previous models, has a powerful ULV chip and a screen resolution of 1,440 x 900 pixels. As such, completely scrapping this line may not seem altogether justified. Nevertheless, Lenovo thinks that the ThinkPad T410s, among others, actually does have more appeal than the X301.
The T410s is quite slim itself (1.77 kg, 0.83-inches in thickness) and, though not as thin as the X301 (0.73 inches, 1.42 kg), is more powerful. As such, it will better fit the needs of mobile users in search of high performance. Furthermore, 12-inch machines are easier to carry around than the X300 models. The overall idea is that, marketing-wise, the X301 and all its siblings should be scrapped, since the balance between portability, performance and functionality supposedly isn't worth the effort. The phase out will supposedly begin later this year.