Lenovo unveils slimline ThinkPad T431s business ultrabook

Thin and light system the result of extensive end user research according to Lenovo

Lenovo has given its T series ThinkPad line an overhaul, incorporating customer feedback to deliver the ThinkPad T431s ultrabook, claimed as the thinnest and lightest T series to date.

The ThinkPad T Series is Lenovo's high-end line of corporate laptops, and the firm said it has based the new T431s on extensive research to deliver a slimmer form factor with a simplified consumer-friendly design, without losing any of the corporate ThinkPad features.

"We want to retain the right amount of ThinkPad-ness that satisfies our loyal customers who've always valued it while modernising ThinkPad under the influences of [...] simplicity, interoperability and connectedness," said Lenovo's Kristy Fair, writing on the company blog.

The resulting T431s is a 14in ultraportable weighing in at 1.63kg and measuring just 20.6mm thick.

Powered by Intel third-generation Core processors, the T431s boasts a 1600x900 anti-glare display, can be configured with up to 12GB of memory and a choice of hard drive or solid state disk (SSD) options.

Like Lenovo's acclaimed X1 Carbon ultrabook line, the new model also makes use of carbon fibre to keep the weight down, with a magnesium exterior for ruggedness.

From its research, Lenovo has given the T431s a sleeker-looking keyboard plus a super thin bezel surrounding the display to deliver a product that is "just as suave as consumer ultrabooks".

While the T431s keeps the ThinkPad's combination of TrackPoint and TouchPad controllers, the design has been tweaked to deliver a larger TouchPad that integrates TrackPoint behaviour alongside support for Windows 8 gestures.

For enterprise buyers, the T431s is available with Intel vPro for management, and it also supports Lenovo's ThinkPad dock hardware.

In the UK, the ThinkPad T431s will be available in April with pricing starting from £1,119, according to Lenovo.

User reaction on Lenovo's own blog has so far been largely negative, with respondents criticising the relatively low display resolution, the integrated battery, and the apparent lack of any mobile broadband capability.