Lenovo Showcases Range Of IdeaPad Notebooks

Lenovo Tuesday at CES unveiled a new lineup of IdeaPad notebooks with additional IdeaPad Y Series, Z Series, S Series, V Series, G Series and B Series models.

With these new models, particularly the V Series, B Series, and Z Series IdeaPads, Lenovo targets both consumers and business users, while anticipating that more users will work from home or expect advanced consumer-oriented features on their mobile enterprise systems.

The new IdeaPads feature several adjustments to allow for such flexibility, as well as brushed metal covers and raised textures to add to the IdeaPad's sleek design . It also offers processor upgrades, improved graphics, and Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for faster boot times.

Lenovo says its Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 7 standard enables IdeaPad Y Series users to start their computer approximately twenty seconds faster than the average Windows 7 computer due to Lenovo RapidBoot technology. The Y470 and Y570 get an additional 10 second boost in loading through the optional Lenovo RapidDrive SSD technology with up to 64GB of SSD storage.

’We’re very excited about our latest lineup of IdeaPad laptops – they are the industry’s newest benchmark for consumer PC design,’ said Dion Weisler, vice president, business operations, Lenovo, in a statement. ’We’ve enriched our portfolio with wow features such as sub-10 second boot times and sleek new industrial designs that deliver higher performance and a more compelling experience for consumers.’

The 15.6-inch IdeaPad Y570 and 14-inch IdeaPad Y470 include up to 8 GB DDR3 RAM memory by Intel Core processors with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 and up to 1 GB of switchable graphics from the NVIDIA GT 550M graphics cards. They come with several multimedia features including Blu-ray drives and JBL speakers the OneKey Theatre II feature for automated audio-visual settings.

The Y570d is an update to the Lenovo IdeaPad Y560 released in June of last year. The Y570d also includes Nvidia 3D Vision technology, with polarized glasses instead of the active-shutter glasses of its predecessor. CPU options range from a second-generation Intel Core i3-2310M up to a second-generation Intel Core i7-2620M.

Between the consumer and the enterprise space, the IdeaPad V series offer a thin 21-mm design with an aluminum casing and cover. The V570, V470, and V370 are 13.3-inch to 15.6-inch laptops with 1,366x768-pixel displays, and Intel Core processor of up to Core i7. It includes storage of up to 8 GB of DDR3 RAM, and up to 1 TB hard drives. The V Series also includes several integrated security tools including the OneKey Rescue System for data backup and recovery, the Lenovo Security Suite for data protection and encryption, a finger print reader for authentication, and a USB Port Locker to block unauthorized access to USB ports.

Next: The IdeaPad G Series, V Series, And Z Series

Another line of PCs that Lenovo hopes will target users who work from home is the IdeaPad B series, which includes the B570 and B470 notebooks unveiled at CES. They offer similar capabilities as the other IdeaPad products: a second-generation Intel Core i5 processor with Intel Technology 2.0, support for Windows platforms up to Genuine Windows 7 Professional, as well as Lenovo Enhanced Experience for Windows 7 with Lenovo RapidBoot technology.

The lower end G series includes new 14-, 15-, and 17-inch models aimed at customers looking to secure good value for the price. The IdeaPad G770, G570, G470, G575, and G475 include AMD graphics, ranging up to the high-end AMD Radeon 6370M GPU, as well as hard drive space of up to 750 GB, and up to 8 GB of DDR3 RAM. Users also have the option of choosing between a Core i7 and an AMD Brazos processor.

The IdeaPad Z570, Z470, and Z370 laptops released last summer are situated in the midrange market. Powered by an Intel Core i3-2310M CPU, the Z Series supports a processor upgrade up to the Core i5-2520M. It includes Nvidia GeForce graphics with up to 2 GB 525M, a maximum 8 GB of DDR3 RAM, and a hard drive of up to 1 TB running at 7,200rpm. It also comes with optional Blu-ray drives and Dolby advanced audio features displayed on a screen with 1,366x768 pixel resolution.

According to Lenovo, the new IdeaPad Y Series models will be available beginning in May 2011 starting at $899.99; the S Series will be available beginning in March 2011 starting at $329.99; the V Series will be available beginning in April 2011 starting at $599.99; and the B Series will be available beginning in April 2011 starting at $499.99.