CES 2011: New ThinkPad Edge leads new Lenovo products at CES - Mobile 4

Lenovo’s decision to use the ThinkPad Edge to go more mainstream with the brand was a gamble, but apparently it’s paid off.  Edge seems to be doing so well, in fact, that Lenovo is launching four new Edge laptops at CES.

On the smaller side end of the spectrum you’ll find the Edge E220s and E420s. These ultraportables offer a display size of 12.5 and 14.1 inches respectively, and both are under an inch thick. These pint-sized Edges will offer Sandybridge processors and optional Radeon switchable graphics. The E220s will not have an optical drive, but the E420s will carry a DVD burner. Pricing will start at $799.

Lenovo is also launching the mainstream E420, which is equipped with a 14.1” display, and the 15.6” E520.  These laptops are thicker than their “s” model peers, but otherwise offer similar features. The larger size reduces the starting to price to $599.

Surprisingly, all announced Edge laptops will have new design features that place them closer to other ThinkPads. The glossy finish is gone in favor of the soft matte finish found on other ThinkPads, and the lids will now be made of aluminum-magnesium instead of plastic. The silver trimming around the laptops, formerly painted plastic, will instead be metal.  The Edge keyboard design will remain the same, however. 

The ThinkPad X120e will also be receiving updates. Although the chassis will receive new major changes, the hardware will be updated to the new AMD Fusion platform. This should result in a battery life increase of 30%. 

CES 2011: New ThinkPad Edge leads new Lenovo products at CES - Mobile 5

The IdeaCentre brand’s focus will continue to be All-in-One PCs. Four new models have been announced. The largest is the wall-mountable A710, a premium 23” constructed with an aluminum shell.   The B520 and B320, at 23” and 21” respectively, also offer multi-touch displays. The entry-level 18.5” C205 will lack a touchscreen display. 

Just one traditional desktop was announced by Lenovo – the IdeaCentre K330, a gaming PC. Powered by Sandybridge processors and Nvidia graphics, this model could provide worthy competition to other gaming desktops on the market. 

Lenovo made many announcements relating to the IdeaPad brand, although most are simply updates. The Y series will be receiving updated Intel SandyBridge processors and optional Nvidia graphics, the Z series will gain the same as well as new color options, and the G series will offer both Intel SandyBridge and AMD Fusion options. The only new product available will be the Lenovo S205, an 11.6” ultraportable powered by AMD processors. It will start at $499 and weigh just 2.2 pounds.

As many readers will likely note, there are no new announcements relating to the well-known ThinkPad T, X or W series laptops. Remember, the C in CES stands for consumer. Lenovo assured us that their business-oriented products will be receiving updates as well, but these changes will be announced at a later date.

CES 2011: New ThinkPad Edge leads new Lenovo products at CES - Mobile 6