Any idea on when the next model after x200 will be released?

I can't wait to see the new x laptop's they make. I hope they can make them even lighter and more battery efficient. That would make me rebuy it for sure.

Anyone on here also hoping they release a 12-18 cell so we can be out of the house for like a few days and have no worries about battery usage? I'd gladly take on 2 pounds of weight to have the extra battery weight.


Thanks for any info.

 

I would guess early to mid next year, when the Calpella platform is introduced in ultraportable notebooks /w the arandale 35nm processor.

Whether they are more efficient I do not know.

 

The Calpella platform will be released by Intel around late Q3 to early Q4 this year. Lenovo will likely have the next generation Thinkpads waiting for that, with the first of the generation shipping later on in Q4. So, the X201 will likely be released late this year.

 

If prior experience holds, the x200 replacement will likely just be a simple refresh of the x200 series. This x201 will have a faster CPU, chipset, GPU, but will be otherwise identical.

The x61 was basically the same as the x60. Similarly, the x41 was very similar to the x40 and the T43, T42, T41, and T40 are practically identical.

 

what I'd like to see in an "x201":

* same fast chip, 2.53G if they can fit it
* x200t screen (LED backlit but 1280x800, not 1440x900 (too much for small screen))
* other weight-savers from x200s line

but they probably won't release this lest it cannibalize x200s sales

 

Haha, I don't think that will ever happen. But we can certainly dream. Also, the trend is always to improve battery life while decreasing the weight. However, it's not going to be a big improvement. Of course, I would be certainly ecstatic if Lenovo proves me wrong.

 

The initial release of the Calpella platform in Q3 will target mainstream notebooks 14-17" with the quad core Clarksfield processor. It won't be until Q1 of 2010 till we see the 32nm dual core Arrandale processor for ultraportables.

If you're waiting for a x200 platform refresh, it won't be till next year.

 

So should I infer from this that the X30x series won't benefit from Calpella/Clarksfield either?

 

I would like to see the 4:3 standard screen back.

Couldn't you just bring two 9-cell?

 

If Lenovo's plan is to keep the x300 series and x200 series notebooks as ultraportables (good battery life, lightweight, cool to run), then it will not benefit from the Clarksfield processor which has a TDP range of 35-55W (significantly higher than 25 watts in current models).

The Arrandale processor specifically targets ultraportables with a TDP ranging from 10-35W.