Lenovo ThinkPad X200

After the release of the Lenovo ThinkPad X200, we all knew that the coming of a look-alike convertible tablet would be imminent. The company's predecessor pair—the ThinkPad X61 and the X61 Tablet—shared many commonalities (with the exception of the swivel screen) such as the patented keyboard, the 12-inch screen, and similar innards. The new ThinkPad X200 Tablet, however, utilizes all of the great qualities of the X200 but adds tablet-pen capabilities. Lenovo is also announcing the ThinkPad X200s, which is a much lighter version of the X200, running on low-voltage and ultra-low-voltage parts. The X200 Tablet weighs about the same as the original X200, tipping the scales at 3.6 pounds (with an 8-cell battery). It, too, moves from a standard 12-inch CCFL screen to three widescreen panel options, all of which are in the 12-inch form factor, though they vary in brightness. There are three panel options: A CCFL option, which has a nit rating of 190; a touch- and Wacom-enabled LED panel, rated at 235 nits in brightness; and a Wacom-only LED panel that's the brightest of the three, at 285 nits. All panel options carry a 1,280-by-800 resolution. The X200 Tablet adds stereo speakers and dual-array microphones to its feature set. There are various storage options to choose from as well, including 5,400rpm and 7,200rpm hard drives and 64GB and 128GB SSD options. You also have your pick of low-voltage and ultra-low-voltage parts, and because it's using Intel's latest Centrino 2 platform, the system runs on DDR3 memory. The X200s joins the X200 as its lighter but less powerful sibling. It weighs about a pound less than the X200, tipping the scales at 2.4 pounds (with the 4-cell battery). What makes it lighter is the carbon fiber in the lid, the same material used in the ThinkPad X300 series, as opposed to the X200's magnesium-clad frame. You have just one choice in panels: An LED panel with a 1,440-by-900 resolution. A CCFL option with a 1,280-by-800 screen is being launched in France, but will not be available in the United States. Like the Tablet, the X200s offers many other options including LV or ULV parts, DDR3 memory, and wireless options like WWAN, WiMax, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. The low-voltage parts will benefit battery life, and you have multiple batteries to choose from. According to Lenovo, the 4-cell can achieve up to 4 hours, the 6-cell gets you between 8 and 9 hours, and the 9-cell should get you a whopping 13 hours worth of battery life. There is no word yet on pricing.