Lenovo's Windows 10 contenders: New pro laptops even include ThinkPad for VR
Lenovo's ThinkPad P71 is designed to help creators meet the expected growing demand for virtual-reality content.
One of three new ThinkPad Windows 10 mobile workstations from Lenovo is just for virtual-reality content creators.
To help creators meet the expected growing demand for VR content, Lenovo has released its new mobile ThinkPad P71 workstation. The unit has Oculus, HTC, and Nvidia certifications, and it's powered by Intel's Xeon E3-v6 processors for mobile, while its GPU options max out at Nvidia's Quadro 5000.
The 17-inch laptop weighs in at a hefty 7.6lb (3.4kg), coming with 64GB RAM and four storage devices with up to 1TB of SSD storage. It also features a 4K UHD display with the option to switch to a FHD touch display and dual-fan cooling.
Operating system options consist of Windows 10, Ubuntu Linux, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Also available are a range of connectivity options, including four USB 3.0 ports, dual Intel Thunderbolt 3 ports to help move big files, a docking connector, and smartcard reader.
Lenovo is also tipping in two new 15-inch ThinkPad models. The ThinkPad P51s is over half a pound lighter than its predecessor, making it the lightest and thinnest mobile workstation ever built by Lenovo's ThinkPad brand. The model weighs 4.3lb (1.95kg) and is 0.79 inches (20.2mm) thick, featuring a 15.6-inch 4K UHD IPS display with optional FHD touchscreen.
Top options for the P51s are a seventh-generation Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia Quadro M520M graphics chip, 32GB RAM, and either HDD or SSD storage of up to 1TB. It also features a USB-C port with Intel's Thunderbolt 3 technology, three USB 3.0 ports, and a docking connector. OS options are Windows 10 or Windows 7.
The P51 meanwhile caters to engineers but doesn't aim for Ultrabook status, weighing 5.6lb (2.5kg) with a thickness of 1.02 inches (25.9mm).
Still, it does offer Intel Xeon E3-v6 mobile processors, seventh-generation Intel core processors, and up to two Quadro M2200M graphics chips, with 64GB RAM and up to 1TB storage. Operating system options are the same as the P71's, with Windows 10, Ubuntu Linux, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
The cheapest of the three is the ThinkPad P51s, which goes on sale in March from $1,049. The pricier ThinkPad P51 and P71 will arrive a month later, and will start at $1,399 and $1,849, respectively.