Lenovo’s latest gaming laptops pack 9th-gen Intel Core CPUs

Lenovo has announced two new gaming laptops, while it has refreshed some models in its Legion lineup -- all of which work with 9th-gen Intel Core i7 processors. The IdeaPad L340 Gaming laptop is a little more budget-friendly than other portable Lenov...

The Daily Roundup for 03.29.2013

DNP The Daily RoundUp

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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Lenovo announces the IdeaPad Yoga 11S with Ivy Bridge, Windows 8; arrives in June for $799+

Lenovo announces the IdeaPad Yoga 11S with Ivy Bridge, Windows 8; arrives in June for $799+

That headline says it all, doesn't it? The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S is like the Yoga 11, except instead of an ARM chip, it has a laptop-grade Ivy Bridge processor. That means it's more powerful, of course, but more importantly, since this is an x86 system it runs full Windows 8 instead of Windows RT. Hello, legacy application support! As a full-fledged PC, the 11S also steps up to a higher-quality display: a 1,600 x 900 IPS screen, compared with a 1,366 x 768 LCD on the Yoga 11.

Other than that, this has fundamentally the same design as the other Yoga laptops, which is to say its screen can fold all the way around into tablet mode (with in-between options, like Tent and Stand modes). As you can see in those press shots, it has the same look and feel, too, including a soft-touch finish and a relatively cushy keyboard. As you'd imagine, though, it's a bit heftier than the lower-powered ARM version: it measures 0.68 inch thick, instead of 0.61. On the inside, it can accommodate up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of solid-state storage, with the top processor option being a dual-core Core i5 CPU. Just what you were hoping Lenovo would make? Today's your lucky day, but you'll still want to hold your horses: the 11S won't actually go on sale until June. When it does, though, it'll start at $799.

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Lenovo intros four IdeaPad laptops, all with touchscreens; prices start at $699

Remember we said lots of PC makers were going to play it safe at this year's CES, introducing touchscreen versions of their existing laptops? That definitely applies to Lenovo: the company just announced four touch-enabled notebooks, and they all look pretty similar to its earlier offerings -- save for those touchscreens, of course.

First up, there's the IdeaPad U310 Touch and U410 Touch, which have the same industrial design as the U310 and U410 Ultrabooks, just with a little extra heft (the U310 is 3.85 pounds / 18mm thick; the U410, 4.4 pounds / 21mm thick). Other than that, the specs closely match the current U310 and U410: up to 4GB of RAM and 500GB of storage on the 13-inch model, and up to 8GB of memory and 1TB of space on the big guy. Both will be offered with a Core i7 processor, but only the 14-incher has a discrete NVIDIA GPU (the U310 gets by on Intel's integrated HD 4000 graphics). The U410 also offers four USB ports, while the U310 makes do with three. Finally, battery life is bound to differ: the U310 is rated for up to six hours, compared with eight on the U410. Whichever you choose, though, the screen resolution tops out at 1,366 x 768, and the hard drive can be paired with a 24GB SSD to help speed up boot times. The U310 will arrive in March starting at $779, while the U410 is slated to land in April with a starting price of $850.

Additionally, Lenovo announced two mainstream laptops, the 14-inch IdeaPad Z400 Touch and the 15-inch Z500 Touch. Unlike with the U310 and U410 Touch, the specs here are pretty consistent, other than the difference in screen size. Both measure about an inch thick, even with an optical drive on board. They'll be offered with Core i7 processors (standard voltage), a 2GB NVIDIA GT645M GPU, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 1TB of HDD storage. Additionally, they'll come standard with backlit keyboards and will be available with optional 1,600 x 900 displays -- both nice-to-have features, we'd say. The two laptops will start at $699, according to Lenovo, but the Z400 will arrive in March, while the Z500 is scheduled to ship in April.

Continue reading Lenovo intros four IdeaPad laptops, all with touchscreens; prices start at $699

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 review

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 review

Make no mistake: Lenovo is taking this Windows 8 thing very seriously. The company's first-generation of Win 8 devices includes everything from a laptop / tablet hybrid to a classic convertible laptop with a swiveling display. Then there's the Yoga. This, too, is a convertible, in the sense that it can be used as a tablet. But it's not like any convertible you used back in the Win 7 era: the screen folds 360 degrees back, turning this Ultrabook into a giant, 13-inch slate. Because of that special hinge, though, you can also bend it into Downward Dog, to use a Yoga term ("tent mode," if you're nasty) or fold the keyboard underneath so that only screen is exposed. It was one of the most memorable things unveiled at CES, and it remains the most striking Windows 8 design we've seen to date. But what's it like to actually use it? And how does it fare as, you know, a plain old $1,000 Ultrabook? Let's find out.

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 review

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 shipping this month for $1,099, ARM-powered Yoga 11 coming in December

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 shipping this month for $1,099, ARM-powered Yoga 11 coming in December

Lenovo is pulling back the curtain on several Windows 8 devices today, and among the bunch is a somewhat familiar face: the IdeaPad Yoga. We first got a look at the 13.3-inch device back at CES in January, where it stood out with a flip-and-fold design that lets it transform into a tablet from a notebook and vice versa. In addition to unveiling full spec and pricing information for the Yoga 13, Lenovo is announcing an 11-inch version.

The IdeaPad Yoga 13 will go for $1,099 and up when it hits Best Buy and Lenovo's online store October 26th (Best Buy pre-orders will start Otober 12th.) The hybrid device will pack a Core i5 or Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of SSD storage. As we already knew from our preview earlier this year, the Yoga boasts a 1,600 x 900 IPS multi-touch display, and there's a 720p front-facing camera for video conferencing. At 0.67 inches thick and 3.4 pounds, this guy is a bit chunkier than some of the slimmest Ultrabooks, but it's certainly no hulk either. Connections include USB 2.0, USB 3.0, a media card reader and HDMI output. Lenovo rates the Yoga 13 for seven hours of battery life.

Continue reading Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 shipping this month for $1,099, ARM-powered Yoga 11 coming in December

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 shipping this month for $1,099, ARM-powered Yoga 11 coming in December originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo outs 15-inch IdeaPad U510 Ultrabook with Ivy Bridge CPU, optical drive: $679 and up (update: hands-on)

Lenovo's IFA itinerary is marathon-length. It unveiled no fewer than three tablets yesterday, not to mention three new IdeaPad S Series notebooks, and today it's serving up more laptops. Let's hit the high-profile guy first: Lenovo's IdeaPad Series lineup of Ultrabooks is getting its first 15-inch model, the Windows 8-running U510. The machine weighs 4.85 pounds (2.2kg) and measures 0.83 inches (21mm) thin, which is hefty for an Ultrabook but gives it enough room for a DVD burner or an optional Blu-ray drive. The 15.6-inch display's resolution is a ho-hum 1,366 x 768, which is exactly what you'll find on the IdeaPad U310. The laptop will be available with up to a Core i7 Ivy Bridge CPU, up to 8GB of RAM and a 500GB, 750GB or 1TB hard drive and optional 24/32GB SSD cache. Connections include USB 2.0, USB 3.0, VGA and HDMI, and there's an SD card reader as well. Lenovo rates the machine for six hours of battery life. The U510 will set you back $679 (for the entry-level configuration) when it goes on sale in September. For now, you can check out our hands-on photos below.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Continue reading Lenovo outs 15-inch IdeaPad U510 Ultrabook with Ivy Bridge CPU, optical drive: $679 and up (update: hands-on)

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Lenovo outs 15-inch IdeaPad U510 Ultrabook with Ivy Bridge CPU, optical drive: $679 and up (update: hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo expands IdeaPad lineup with Y400, Y500, Z400 and Z500: prices start at $549

Lenovo expands IdeaPad lineup with Windows 8compatible Y and Z series prices start at $549

Lenovo just unveiled its new IdeaPad U510 Ultrabook, yes, but it has a few new IdeaPad models further along in the alphabet, too. Today the company is introducing two new entries to its multimedia-focused IdeaPad Y Series. The 14-inch Y400 and 15-inch Y500 include an interchangeable HDD bay that users can swap out for dual graphics chips, extra storage space or an additional fan. Both models also sport dual-layer backlit keyboards, with a snazzy red tone peeking out from under the black chiclet-style keys.

Processor options go up to a Core i7 Ivy Bridge chip, and discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT650M graphics are a configuration option. Like virtually every other product announced at IFA, these notebooks will run Windows 8, and though the 1,366 x 768 displays aren't touch-enabled, Lenovo says its touchpad is optimized for the Metro UI. Storage space maxes out at a 1TB hard drive and up to 16GB of SSD cached, and the machines offer up to 16GB of RAM. Pricing for the Y400 and Y500 starts at $649, and the laptops will go on sale in October. Meet us past the break for a look at the Z Series models.

Continue reading Lenovo expands IdeaPad lineup with Y400, Y500, Z400 and Z500: prices start at $549

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Lenovo expands IdeaPad lineup with Y400, Y500, Z400 and Z500: prices start at $549 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo announces IdeaPad S300, S400 and S405 notebooks for $499 and up

Lenovo announces IdeaPad S300, S400 and S405 notebooks for $499 and up

Lenovo is expanding its IdeaPad line to include some new S Series ultraportables. Today the company announced the 13.3-inch S300, the 14-inch S400 and the (also 14-inch) S405. These models sport a metallic finish, with color options including crimson red, silver grey and cotton-candy pink. All three models measure 0.86 inches (21.9mm) and weigh 3.97 pounds (1.8kg), and, aside from screen size, the main difference between them is processor type. The S300 and S400 will be available with Core i3 or Core i5 CPUs, while the S405 will ship with an AMD chip (up to a quad-core A8 processor). Storage options include a 500GB, 750GB or 1TB hard drive, and the S400 and S405 are configurable with a 32GB SSD. Lenovo says you can expect up to five hours of battery life from these machines. They'll go on sale in August (aka now) for $499 and up. Though all models will ship with Windows 7, they'll be eligible for an upgrade to Windows 8. Check out our hands-on below.

Zach Honig contributed to this report.

Continue reading Lenovo announces IdeaPad S300, S400 and S405 notebooks for $499 and up

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Lenovo announces IdeaPad S300, S400 and S405 notebooks for $499 and up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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