Lenovo announced on Wednesday the launch of a 15.6-inch ThinkPad Ultrabook, the S531. It's presumably now launching in the UK first with a starting price of around $890 USD, and will begin rolling out to additional countries like the U.S. shortly thereafter. Currently the company is only listing the S431 model for the S-Series which has a starting price of $699, so customers may want to keep checking back for availability.
According to Lenovo, the new Ultrabook sports an ultra-thin bezel and beveled edges, giving the illusion that the PC is "floating". It's the company first 15.6 inch ThinkPad Ultrabook, and one of the first ThinkPads to feature the company's OneLink technology. This allows users to connect the Ultrabook to the ThinkPad OneLink Dock with a single cable for dedicated video, additional USB 3.0 ports and Gigabit Ethernet while charging the Ultrabook in the process.
"The aluminum LCD cover, available in fashion-forward silver or graphite black, is sand blasted and anodized, making it smooth to the touch for a premium feel," the company said. "The ThinkPad S531 also boasts a simplified interior with a five-button click pad with glass surface to eliminate clutter, adding to the overall clean look of the laptop."
Unfortunately, there's no Haswell going on here: this Ultrabook is powered by Intel's third-generation Core processors instead. As with the previous S431 model, there will be at least four different configurations, so expect hardware specs to include up to 10 GB of memory (2 GB soldered + 8 GB in slot), up to 500 GB of storage, and a variety of high-resolution displays featuring a 180-degree open angle.
Lenovo said the new Ultrabook also has a six-row backlit keyboard that includes Windows 8 optimized shortcut keys, a large, responsive touchpad that supports Windows 8 gestures, two USB 3.0 ports, a 15.6 inch Antiglare Full HD display, Dolby Advanced Audio and more. It's ideal for professionals who want a combination of design and substance, the company said.
As previously indicated, actual pricing and availability here in the States is unknown for now, but Lenovo said the 10 GB model with a Full HD display (1080p) won't be available until July, so maybe we'll see this Ultrabook next month.
