Lenovo unveils powerful quad-core mobile workstation

Computerworld - Lenovo Group Ltd. today unveiled the ThinkPad W700, a 17-in. widescreen mobile workstation aimed at high-end gamers and power users.

Running Nvidia's Quadro FX mobile graphics cards along with Intel Corp.'s Core 2 Extreme Quad Core chips, the new workstation can be equipped with dual internal hard drives. The computer can also be configured with up to 8GB of memory with an additional 2GB of Intel Turbo Memory.

"This new laptop is a real beast, with a configuration that tops quite a few desktop workstations," said Dan Olds, an analyst at Gabriel Consulting Group. "Lenovo is doing a great job of paying attention to what unique customer segments really need -- and desire. This system is aimed squarely at multimedia professionals, and Lenovo has designed a system that gives them pretty much everything on their wish list -- from a high-end, quad-core processor, to 8GB memory, high-end discrete video cards and dual hard drives, with a Blu-Ray burner, to boot."

The Lenovo ThinkPad W700

The computer maker claimed that the system is the first to include an optional built-in palm rest digitizer and color calibrator. A digitizer is designed to help users configure an image, either mapping it to the entire screen or to an area that the user has defined. The built-in color calibrator is geared to automatically adjust the display's color in about half the time and with more accuracy than competing external calibrators.

The mobile workstation can take advantage of both Bluetooth and ultrawideband technology. Wi-Fi connectivity will be available later this year.

"The built-in digitizer and color calibrator will appeal to the professionals, but the rest of the system, I think, will prove tempting to a wider audience," said Olds. "This system will certainly get the attention of the 'prosumer' crowd, which are consumers who buy professional gear. They may pick up the system to handle their own multimedia creation needs, or even use it primarily as a PC gaming platform. It's the biggest and baddest laptop on the market and is sure to pick up significant sales on that basis alone."

The ThinkPad W700 mobile workstation is slated to be available beginning in September, starting at $2,978.