Professionals on the go will find a wide range of new choices in laptops and 2-in-1 devices this year, with many of those devices making their debuts this week at CES 2016 in Las Vegas. Among the companies unveiling new products for mobile computing are Lenovo, HP, Samsung, LG, Dell and Asus.
Exhibitors at CES are touting their devices’ portability, light weight and long-lasting battery power, among other features. Many observers is that many of the new machines strongly resemble Apple’s MacBook line.
LG’s homage to the MacBook, for example, is the new LG Gram 15 that sports a 15-inch screen and comes in an Apple-like gold finish. The LG Gram also features sixth-generation Intel processors — price and availability yet to be announced. Another contender, HP’s 12.5-inch EliteBook Folio, which weighs in at under one kilogram (which is 2.2 pounds) and has a thickness of just 12.4 millimeters.
The ‘It’ Look: Light and Thin
At CES yesterday, Dell unveiled an entire new portfolio of enterprise-focused Latitude notebooks and 2-in-1 devices that the company said are its thinnest and lightest yet. Lenovo also rolled out more than a dozen new devices for mobile computing, including the YOGA 900S, “the world’s thinnest ultraportable convertible laptop.”
Priced starting at $ 1,099, the 12-inch YOGA 900S hybrid will hit the market in March. Running Windows 10, the laptop, which is 999 grams (2.2 pounds) and 12.8 millimeters thick, can be configured into four different modes thanks to its 360-degree watchband hinge. Featuring up to an Intel Core m7 processor, the Yoga 900S also has a touchscreen that can be used with an optional computer pen.
Other laptops and 2-in-1s introduced by Lenovo include several new ThinkPad models, including the X1 Carbon Ultrabook; the flexible X1 YOGA; and the ThinkPad E560 that comes with the option of an interactive 3D camera; as well as a trio of Ideapads: the 700, the 710S and the Y900.
“We recognize the pain points and constantly refine and innovate to create ever lighter, faster and more powerful devices that combine technical prowess and striking design to re-imagine computing experiences,” said Johnson Jia, senior vice president of Lenovo’s PC Business Group, in a statement.
693-Gram Galaxy TabPro S
Samsung devices making their first appearances at CES include two new members of the Samsung Notebook 9 series — available with either a 13.3-inch or 15-inch screen — and the Galaxy TabPro S 2-in-1 tablet.
While weighing just 693 grams and having a thickness of 6.3 millimeters, the Windows 10-based Galaxy TabPro S includes a full-size keyboard cover, Super AMOLED display and a multi-port adaptor that supports HDMI as well as USB Type-A and Type-C ports. It’s due to become available in February, at a price yet to be announced.
Asus is also showing off several new compact and “pocket-size” PCs at CES. They include the VivoMini UN65H and VivoMini VM65N mini-PCs, both powered by sixth-generation Intel Core processors.
