In advance of CES in Las Vegas next week, Lenovo today announced laptops targeting small and midsize businesses. Looking to combine “serious business technology and personal lifestyle computing features”, Lenovo introduced the $499 B Series entry-level laptop. But it’s the ThinkPad Edge S Series that’s more interesting, with an ultrabook option as well as hybrid storage that combines a solid-state drive (SSD) with a hard disk.
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ThinkPad Edge E Series
ThinkPad Edge S Series
Business Ultrabook?
Lenovo is claiming the S430 as its first ultrabook for business. Intel has suggested that ultrabooks will be less than .8 inches thick and weigh less than 3.1 pounds, so the S430 at .96 inches thick and 3.96 pounds wouldn’t qualify under that definition. Still, the model offers great features, notably hybrid storage and high-end graphics. With hardly any Thunderbolt accessories available, the Thunderbolt port isn’t currently a great selling point, but that’s likely to change this year as more computers support the standard.
Business Management
Businesses look for good performance in a manageable package, and Lenovo started addressing this through its Lenovo Solution Center, a management tool that can remotely control settings and deploy updates. It’s available on all models with Intel processors. It continues with two series that contain a number of features that extend the capabilities of business laptops.
Worth Looking At?
You can expect many manufacturers to target users who want strong performance for both work and personal computing in one package. Both ThinkPad Edge models offer hybrid storage, great for business with its combined benefits of performance and capacity, which stands out from existing laptops. With so many other products about to be released, wait to see if Lenovo has captured the interest of businesses, or if someone else hits the perfect combination of performance, size, and features.
Joseph Fieber has 25 years experience as an IT pro, with a background in computer consulting and software training. Follow him on Google+, Facebook, or Twitter, or contact him through his website, JosephFieber.com.