Lenovo has launched the Thinkpad S431, a mid-end laptop that should not be confused with the Thinkpad T431s Ultrabook. It features “an elegant floating design and touchscreen display” that is optimized for Windows 8.
Considering that Intel’s upcoming “Haswell” processors are launching this June, it is somewhat odd that Lenovo equipped the S431 with Intel’s 3rd Generation of Core processors. This being said, the Ivy Bridge CPUs do offer 15 percent better performance than their predecessor and offer up to nine hours of battery life.
The laptop also features a 14” LCD display with ultrathin bezels, up to 8 GB of DDR3 memory, a 500 GB mechanical hard drive and two USB 3.0 ports. The S431 is also one of the first Thinkpads to feature Lenovo’s OneLink Technology that allows users to connect to a ThinkPad OneLink Dock with a single cable for dedicated video. Furthermore, there are additional USB 3.0 ports and Gigabit Ethernet, all while powering the system.
With regards to inputs, the laptop features a six-row backlit keyboard that includes Windows 8 optimized shortcut keys and a large five-button clickpad with a glass surface that offers support for gestures.
"The progressive design of our ThinkPad S431 will help small businesses impress their customers. We pack a punch behind that style, however, as we are committed to delivering genuine substance," said Jerry Paradise, executive director, Think Business Group. "The ThinkPad S431 offers an intuitive Windows 8 experience with the power needed to accelerate productivity."
The ThinkPad S431 will be available in June 2013 with a starting price of $699.
