Lenovo outs ThinkPad X1 Carbon and T430U

Lenovo looks to impress their SMB consumers with their two latest business-class Ultrabooks namely the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad T430U.

We’ve already featured the ultrathin and durable ThinkPad X1 Carbon as early as May of this year so some of you may already have an idea what this mean machine is all about. For those who missed it, here’s a quick look at the Ultrabook’s configuration.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon specs:
14-inch LED Full-HD Gorilla Glass display @ 1920×1080 pixels, 400 nits
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3427U
Intel HD 4000 graphics
Intel VPro Technology
4GB DDR3 RAM @1600MHz (Non-removable)
Expandable up to 8GB
256GB SSD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Built-in 3G modem (optional)
1 x USB 2.0 port
1 x USB 3.0 port
miniDisplay port
SD card reader
720p webcam
Biometric scanner
Dolby Home Theater
Windows 7 Professional
4-Cell Lithium Polymer
Dimension: 331.0mm x 226.0mm x 18.9mm
Weight: 2.99lbs

At 18.9mm, the X1 Carbon is one of the thinnest ultrabooks in the market. But don’t for one second be deceived by its razor thin profile as ThinkPads are known for is its durability, and the X1 Carbon is no exception to this.

As its name implies, the new X1’s body is entirely made of Carbon Fiber, a material usually used to make sports and race car lightweight without having to sacrifice durability. Following the company’s tradition, this ultrabook was also subjected to strenuous 8 Mil-Spec tests to ensure that it should be able to withstand grueling conditions and battering.

Other features of this ultrabook includes fast charging (from 0 – 80% will only take 30 minutes), Intel vPro Technology, Island-style six-row precision backlit keyboard and a display that tilts up to 180°. As you might’ve expected, all of these neat features doesn’t come cheap. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon will set you back a hefty PhP94’990 for the i5 configuration and staggering PhP124’000 for the i7 model.

The price is daunting to say the least, but If you have such money to spare, we think that this Ultrabook will be a worthy investment. Because apart from the physical protections that the X1 Carbon possesses, it will also come with a 3-year on-site warranty which includes parts and labor.

Well if the X1 Carbon doesn’t really fit your budget and you don’t mind carrying a slightly thicker and heavier machine, then the T430U might just fit the bill. It has the same screen size as the X1 Carbon minus the Gorilla Glass protection and with a lower screen resolution. Another difference between the two machines is the absence of Intel vPro Technology on the T430U and the use of a Hybrid Hard Drive instead of an SSD. If you need more oomph on the graphics side, you’ll have an option to configure this Ultrabook with an NVidia GeForce GT 620M.

Lenovo ThinkPad T430U specs:

14-inch LED display @ 1366×768 pixels, 200 nits
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3427U
Intel HD 4000 graphics
Optional NVidia GeForce GT 620M
4GB DDR3 RAM @1600MHz (Non-removable)
Expandable up to 8GB
500GB HDD + 32GB SSD Hybrid
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
1 x USB 2.0 port
1 x USB 3.0 port
miniDisplay port
SD card reader
720p webcam
Biometric scanner
Dolby Home Theater
Windows 7
3-Cell Lithium Polymer
Weight: 4.12lbs

Although this machine doesn’t boast the Carbon Fiber body of the former, the T430U’s body is entirely made of Magnesium Alloy which is also durable and lightweight. As testament to its durability, this ultrabook also passed the 8-Mil Spec test which goes to show that the difference in the material used doesn’t make this machine any less durable than the high-end X1.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T430U’s price starts at Php61’990 which is considerably cheaper as compared to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon.