Entry level doesn't have to mean cutting corners, though, and the Ideapad 100 in 14- and 15-inch models has plenty to offer those looking for an affordable laptop.
With a BayTrail-M CPU, upto 8GB of RAM available and options to have a hard drive up to 500GB or an SSD up to 128GB, the Ideapad 100 looks decent enough for its price of $249 and up. That's Chromebook territory on pricing, yet with the benefits provided by having the full Windows 8.1 OS available.
The only areas we're a little wary on the hardware so far are the display, a lowly 1366x768 resolution at both 14- and 15-inches. This isn't going to attract those looking for a killer display anyway, but even so, that's not the greatest. The battery life is also a claimed 4 hours, which for some will be ample, but it's not going to appeal to anyone who needs to be away from an outlet for any extended periods.
And it looks pretty nice, too. It's not the thickest thing in the world and looks pretty sleek in its Ebony Black finish. It'll be available in June from $249, and we'll hopefully get a better look at it soon from the Tech World event in China, In the meantime, check out the full press release and image gallery below.
Lenovo's New Consumer Laptops Designed for Those Who Love Simplicity
Lenovo Z41, Lenovo Z51 and ideapad 100 notebooks kick off Lenovo Tech World's new product lineup
- Lenovo unveiled three new consumer laptops, Lenovo Z41, Lenovo Z51 and ideapad 100, for users who value simple and functional design
- Lenovo Z41 and Lenovo Z51 (featuring an optional Intel® RealSenseTM 3D camera) are the ultimate multimedia workstations for music and video lovers
- The ideapad 100 is ideal for customers who need only the most essential laptop features
BEIJING, MAY 27, 2015 – Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today unveiled three new consumer laptops in advance of Lenovo Tech World, the company's first exclusive global technology innovation event in Beijing. The new Lenovo Z41, Lenovo Z51 and the ideapad 100 laptops are as versatile as Lenovo's customers are. Whether users just need to create and edit content or want a fully-equipped multimedia experience to enjoy music and videos, the new Lenovo Z41, Lenovo Z51 and ideapad 100 laptops are ideal for users who value simple and functional design.
The new 14-inch Lenovo Z41 and 15-inch Lenovo Z51 laptops are equal parts home-entertainment center and powerful workstation. Featuring a stunning FHD display, optional AMD discrete graphics and immersive Dolby® DS 1.0 Home Theater® Surround Sound for crisp sound and sharp visuals, they are ideal for streaming videos, downloading music and gaming. The new Lenovo Z41 and Lenovo Z51 come with advanced 802.11 a/c WiFi technology for up to three times the Internet speed of regular laptops for faster web surfing, streaming and downloading content. Engineered for productivity, the new laptops are powered by up to the latest Intel® CoreTM i7 processor with up to 1 TB of storage. The new Lenovo Z51 and Lenovo Z41 stand out for their beautiful color options in ebony black, chalk white and crimson red (for the 14-inch laptop).
The new Lenovo Z51 also features an optional Intel® RealSenseTM 3D camera that brings the world to life in 3D. Featuring full 1080p color and a depth sensor, the revolutionary 3D camera allows the new Lenovo Z51 to sense and capture depth like the human eye. Users can 3D scan objects to 3D print, play 3D games or use gestures to control the laptop. Customers can also create a more lifelike video chat experience by changing the background and sharing content.
Lenovo created the entry ideapad 100 laptop for customers who need only the most essential features, such as surfing the web, creating content and managing lists. It features up to Intel® BayTrail-M N3540 processor, up to 500 GB HDD storage and integrated Intel® Graphics giving users a fast processor, ample storage and solid display. The new ideapad 100 runs up to 4 hours without plugging in so users can work, browse online, watch videos and more with minimal interruption. Measuring at just 20.2 mm for the 14-inch and 22.6 mm for the 15-inch laptop, the thin and sleek ideapad 100 looks anything but entry level with its classic ebony black finish. Starting at an incredibly affordable price of $249, the new ideapad 100 fits in nearly any budget.
"We've created the new Lenovo Z41, Z51 and ideapad 100 laptops specifically for customers who want simple and functional design," said Mr. BAI Peng, vice president and general manager, Lenovo Notebook Business Unit, PC Group. "But because our customers are diverse, so our products are not 'one size fits all' either. Our three new laptops offer customers the choice to select the one that's right for them – two specialized for multimedia and one all-rounder."
The new 14-inch Lenovo Z41 and 15-inch Lenovo Z51 laptops will be available on www.lenovo.com and will hit retail shelves starting in June. Pricing for both laptops starts at US $499. The new Lenovo Z51 laptop with optional Intel® RealSenseTM 3D camera comes with an Intel® Core™ i5 processor and 8GB memory, starting at US $599.
The new Lenovo ideapad 100 14 and 15-inch notebooks will be available on www.lenovo.com and hit retail shelves starting in June. Price will start at US $249.
