The Upcoming ThinkPad X230, X230i, T430, T430i, T530, T530i and W530?

Hey everybody. Just saw online (51nb) that the next generation ThinkPad is PTCRB certified:


T430, T430i, Mar. 7, 2012


T530, T530i, W530, Feb. 21, 2012


X230, X230i, Mar 8., 2012

When do you think the new series will be ready for sale?

 

maybe after win 8 is released?

 

No T430s? Perhaps those who want something thinner have to go to the ultrabooks.

John

 

Personally I don't see sense for Lenovo to have 3 different variants of the T430, I probably think the T430u will fill the niche for the slimmer 's' models though I could be wrong as its still early days.

 

Very few ultrabooks have more than 1368x768 resolution. Plus the advantage of the T4_0s was it had full voltage CPU's in a thinner chassis, as well as having a slim optical drive where you could fit a modular bay battery. Ultrabook is too much of a compromise IMO. But perhaps the s line of T series is finally going away, it's always been a niche model, just like X30_ series, maybe Lenovo could not justify a refresh of the T430s. It really is a shame, as my T410s despite the poor cooling and 1.8" HDD was really thin and light.

 

Which is why I'm following this with considerable interest (there is also a 13.3" 1600 x 900 version with the Samsung PLS (IPS equivalent) display).

John

 

I'm guessing July. The consumer Ivy Bridge laptops will start shipping on April 29th, it usually takes 2-months for ThinkPads to follow the first consumer notebooks with a new Intel. I'm guessing they'll announce them in April and give the availability date at that time.

John, the Lenovo S430 might also be considered a close cousin and follow-up to the T420s. Since the starting price is $749 (rumored) I'm guessing it won't be the same build quality though.

 

Doubt they'd wait that long.

Wouldn't be surprising. The two would be largely redundant, and the T4x0s series has long been priced too high and had too short of a battery life.

 

I'd say a couple months after Ivy Bridge is released. Lenovo will probably do the same thing with Windows 8 as they did for when Windows 7 was coming out by giving users a free or discounted upgrade.

I'm most looking forward for the X230 and W530. The design will probably remain the same although I'm really hoping for just a trackpoint or at least an improved touchpad for the X230.

 

X220 certification was done mid-Jan. If that's any indication X230 would release in May.