Ahead of what’s sure to be a subdued Mobile World Congress, Lenovo has unveiled a new range of Lenovo ThinkPad and IdeaPad laptops, Chromebooks and a range of remote working accessories they’re branding as Lenovo Go.
The new range of laptops includes the Thinkpad L13 and L13 Yoga Gen 2 powered by AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors and Radeon graphics. There’s also the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 which has been completely overhauled for the latest release and the new IdeaPad 5i and IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebooks.
Lenovo is also bringing new USB-C monitors and FullHD resolution webcams, as well as a range of remote working accessories which also includes a sweet Wireless Charging Kit for 13-14” laptops.
ThinkPad
ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4
Lenovo has completely overhauled the design of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4, offering more power, better connectivity and configuration options for customers.
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 will offer processor choices up to the latest 11th Gen Intel Core i9 H-series processors. There’s also options for up to 64GB DDR4 RAM and with options for dual SSD support and the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs.
The design overhaul includes a new 16:10 aspect ratio display, as well as small touches like a larger touchpad and moving the fingerprint reader to the power button to make it easier to power on and authenticate in one place.
Lenovo has confirmed the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 will arrive in Australia, but haven’t announced dates or pricing as yet.
ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 and ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2
The ThinkPad L13 series comes in two models, with the Yoga option including a 360-degree hinge. The L13 Gen 2 will be offered with the latest AMD Ryzen 5000 Pro Mobile processors and integrated Radeon graphics with memory options up to 16GB of DD4 RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage.
You can nab the ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 in either Black or Metallic Silver when it heads to Australia, though Lenovo hasn’t been able to confirm dates or pricing for either L13 at this stage.
IdeaPad 5i and Flex 5i Chromebooks
For those wanting a Chromebook, Lenovo has refreshed their IdeaPad 5i and Flex 5i Chromebooks, updating the impressive model from last year.
The two models include slightly different sized FullHD resolution displays with 100% sRGB Colour Gamut. The IdeaPad 5i comes with a 14” display, while the IdeaPad Flex 5i includes a more compact 13.3” display and is also a convertible, with a 360-degree hinge letting you position the screen in almost any way you’d like.
The Chromebooks include up to 11th Generation Intel Core i5 processors, with 8GB LPDDR4 RAM and a 512GB SSD.
Both the IdeaPad 5i and IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebooks include a battery capable of up to 10 hours use, and also include an LED light bar which gives you a visible indicator of how much battery is left.
Lenovo hasn’t yet confirmed if we’ll see either the IdeaPad 5i or IdeaPad Flex 5i here in Australia, but we’ll update if they do.
Lenovo Go – Remote Work Accessories
The past year and a half saw many people transition to working from home, and Lenovo has announced a new range of accessories which are optimised for better mobile productivity and work better together.
Lenovo is launching accessories which cover three main categories: Input, Power and Audio.
In terms of Input, Lenovo is launching the Wireless Multi-Device Mouse, USB-C Wireless Mouse, Wireless Vertical Mouse, Wireless Split Keyboard and Wireless Numeric Keypad. The headliner for me is the Wireless Multi-Device Mouse which can pair with up to three devices, and lets you quickly switch between them with a click of the button on the top. The mouse can also be wirelessly charged, though the battery lasts for up to 3 months.
For those looking to power their mobile devices, there’s a 20,000mAh USB-C Laptop Power Bank and 10,000mAh Wireless Mobile Power Bank, but the headliner for me is the Wireless Charging Kit for your laptop.
The Wireless Charging Kit uses Power-by-Contact to turn almost any 13” or 14” laptop with a USB-C charger into a wireless device. The wireless charger kit attaches to your laptop, with one end plugged into a USB-C port, while the unit itself sticks underneath the laptop and presents two pogo pins pointing down which then sits on the charging mat which has a metal top. This allows you to simply pick your laptop up and walk away, then sit it back down when you return to instantly begin charging again.
Finally, Audio includes a Wired ANC Headset, Wireless ANC Headset, ANC In-ear Headphones and Wired Speakerphone.
Lastly, the Lenovo Go Tech Accessories Organiser offers protection for your tech including mice, ear buds, cables and more with compression-moulded compartments and splash-proof zippers letting you take everything you need with you safely.
Frustratingly Lenovo hasn’t confirmed if the wireless charging kit, Tech Accessory organiser and Wired Speakerphone will be launched in Australia – but I am hoping they will at least bring the Wireless Charging Kit. For the rest, Lenovo has confirmed they will be arriving, they just need to confirm exact dates and pricing.
Monitors and Webcams
Lenovo being Lenovo, of course there’s more! Lenovo is finally moving to FullHD resolution webcams, announcing the LC50 and MC50 Webcams. Also announced are the ThinkVision M15 mobile monitor and ThinkVision T24m-20 USB-C connected monitors, as well as the L32p-30 and L27m-30 monitors.
The new M15 mobile monitor is a 15.6”, FullHD resolution display is lightweight (860g) enough to take with you on the road and versatile with a USB-C connection, meaning it can even connect to your smartphone.
The USB-C connected monitor range also includes the more traditional looking 23.8” ThinkVision T24m-20 which includes a stand. The monitor uses a single USB-C connector to connect which supports data, video/audio, ethernet signal transfer and up to 90W power delivery to compatible devices.
The L27m-30 and L32p-30 monitors are more along the lines of ‘traditional’ monitors, available in either 27” (L27m-30) with FullHD resolution or 31.5” 4K (3840×216) resolution. Both monitors use LCD IPS panels for excellent viewing angles and have minimal bezels.
Finally, on the webcam front FullHD webcams are finally becoming more popular with the LC50 and MC50 Webcams announced.
The LC50 is designed to connect to the Lenovo monitors announced today, securing to the top magnetically. The webcam comes with a built-in tilt capability and also includes dual noise cancelling microphones and a physical shutter button for privacy.
The MC50 is designed specifically for the T24m-20 monitor and comes with a stand so you can re-position it without moving the whole monitor. The webcam also has a clever ‘traffic light’ that lights up red when in use – easily letting family or colleagues know when you’re on a call.
Lenovo will of course start adding their new range to their Australian site as they confirm details on pricing and availability for everything, but we’ll update here as well.
