Breaking (?) news/rumor: Thinkpad W1!

[AdrianP]

(I've created a new account for this as I'm a bit worried whether this is real or not and don't want to spoil my normal account.)

A friend of mine with connections inside Lenovo, who knows how disappointed I was by the new W540 (my W500 would need replacement sooner or later) got me this interesting bit of news:





Specs as far as he said:
Name: Thinkpad W1
Release date: Q1 2015 TBA
15 inch 3:2 display, 2560 x 1700 resolution (no idea who produces these screens, can't find any info through google).
No info on processors or GPU, apparently 16 GB of ram soldered to the motherboard with only 1 extra ram port (bit unsure about this).
6-row keyboard (leftover from W530?).
Adaptive keyboard strip that works when computer is off (same as the old status bar leds?) .
Trackpoint WITH trackpoint buttons, and Clickpad with integrated graphic tablet.
3 USB 3.0 ports, Thunderbolt, HDMI, MiniDP (no VGA).
3-cell battery integrated in chassis, selectable 6-cell or 9-cell (same as on the X240?).


If this is true I'm sold. I haven't tried a 3:2 display, but I loved the 4:3 display on my X60. But basically what gets me sold on this one is the trackpoint WITH the trackpoint buttons!

[Saucey]

There can't be a fuzzy photo in 2014...
But. Like the rise of the empire, there is always hope.

[AdrianP]

I've asked him if he could send me one with better resolution, it's a bit hard to make out.

[Ibthink]

Hm, very interesting - some better pics would surely be appreciated...

[BillMorrow]

first, for this OP, i don't see why you would "spoil" your regular forum account..
but on to this new thinkpad model..
it LOOKS nice..
15 inch 2570x1700..?? sounds a bit dense for a 15 inch display size..
but whatever resolution arrives Q1 15 will arrive.. interested to see this..

EDIT:
forum personnel moved this post out of sight out of consideration for Lenovo and what might be proprietary info but since we heard nothing for the last 4 or 5 days FROM lenovo's rep then back it is in public view..

[rkawakami]

I've removed the original posts on this topic. I'm going to err on the side of being cautious for now, as I'm assuming that this is Lenovo proprietary information. I've left a message with our Lenovo contact to get the final word on the subject.

[Saucey]

I figure its a hoax...

[rkawakami]

If so, it's a month and 4 days too late .

[AdrianP]

Yeah, I created this account in case the whole thing turns out to be a hoax or a troll. It sounded so good I couldn't help but make a post!

[Ibthink]

Too late to remove: The internet already owns it: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo/ ... ost9646457

[Saucey]

Well if its true, let us hope its not a let down like the W540...

[emeraldgirl08]

Trackpoint buttons???

That would be nice. Not that I put much stock in anything by Lenovo these days but still- a step in the right direction at the very least if true.

[Medessec]

I've removed the original posts on this topic. I'm going to err on the side of being cautious for now, as I'm assuming that this is Lenovo proprietary information. I've left a message with our Lenovo contact to get the final word on the subject.

Good plan actually. Kinda skipped my mind to think if this information doesn't exist anywhere else(and it doesn't) that it could be pretty secretive.

As for the actual Thinkpad in question- if this is the real deal, then it will be quite a U-turn in the Thinkpad direction that Lenovo's long since held. It would make sense for them to do something like this- it'd be an answered prayer for many of the older users, and therefore there will be a customer base for it. It does... however, sound a bit too good to be true. Especially the *3:2 aspect ratio screen* part.

[Adda]

Too late to remove: The internet already owns it: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo/ ... ost9646457

If all the info on that unit is true, then it's another miss.

6 row keyboard and memory soldered to the board? no thanks.

[600X]

I'm digging that 3:2 display.

Also lenovo was thinking about alternate Palmrests and returning to dedicated trackpoint buttons, so I guess they valued customer feeback.

[Zak]

If this happens, I think it's a good idea to buy it even if it's not perfect. It seems like a test of whether listening to what loud, angry Thinkpad fans say they want is actually good for business. If we buy it, they might listen to us more. If we don't, they almost certainly will not.

[RealBlackStuff]

3:2 displays are already sold here: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Google-Chro ... B00BM7Y7DQ

[Adda]

I think the display format is great too, but they HAD to change the clickpad, it's broken.
So that is great, truly.

But, the soldered ram points at corner cutting, can we expect a sufficient cooler? what about serviceability? soldered ram suggests that was not much of a concern.

The 6 row keyboard is a deal breaker for me, but Lenovo only has to make it compatible with one of the existing 7 row keyboards to fix that, should be vary easy to do, unless they are going for another thin and hot running... erm... workstation.

I am very excited to see thing going the right way, and I might be interested in buying this model, in the form shown around the web, but only 2nd hand.
I want more if I am to pay the full price, and I want to be sure this is not just another paper model (like W510/520/530 and especially W540).

[Medessec]

But, the soldered ram points at corner cutting, can we expect a sufficient cooler? what about serviceability? soldered ram suggests that was not much of a concern.

Soldered RAM has never been that big of a deal to me... the 760 had soldered RAM, albeit... backup RAM, because you could still expand the RAM after that. But soldered RAM, despite the obvious disadvantage(no expandability), you don't have to worry about 1-3-3-1s, and deseated memory. The big problem I have is soldered SSDs or HDDs.

I am worried that if this laptop exists, it'll be fantastic other than the fact that underneath... it's still just a fancied up basic design, and not a true premium platform, like the other Haswell Thinkpads. It's not completely expandable, like other modern laptops and ultrabooks especially... but you can't have everything.

[exTPfan]

If this story is true, I'll eat my username.

[Ibthink]

Another picture: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo/ ... ost9649062 There seems to be a 14" "T1" and a 15" "W1"

But, as I said there, 4chan isn´t really known as reliable....

[Ole]

That's a Windows 7 background, isn't it?

[600X]

That's a Windows 7 background, isn't it?

Yes, though it doesn't necessarily mean anything as it is just render and lenovo also offers Win 7 downgrades on their Haswell machines.

[Summilux]

If all the info on that unit is true, then it's another miss.

6 row keyboard and memory soldered to the board? no thanks.

Also, chiclet keyboard.

[jdrou]

I don't like the recent keyboards but I can live with them. The touchpad/trackpoint "buttons" on the current generation are the one thing that will stop me from buying any future Thinkpad if they don't bring back real buttons.
Normally I wouldn't like soldered memory but if it's 16 GB plus an open slot that shouldn't be too much of a restriction.

Very skeptical this is real though.

[Saucey]

Very skeptical this is real though.

Funny you mention that because I know that with this day and age there is no footage of an alien UFO in HD video quality.
Same goes with the supposid mermaid found at the beach.
Of course it would be blurry.

I figure the picture is someone's photoshop effect then blurred because it was done bad.

[emeraldgirl08]

It does seem a bit of the too good to be true variety. I remember reading the blogs by David Hill (?) followed by the comments afterwards. That has me thinking about how he either side-stepped or flat-out ignored comments that were directed to him regarding the direction Thinkpads are heading in currently and then this picture.....hmmmm... I sort of think there could be a possibility of someone trolling classic ThinkPad users

[Cigarguy]

Until there's an official Lenovo press release I get more info from listening to the wind than staring at an intentionally blurred picture. More hope and accuracy in the wind than internet rumors.

[BillMorrow]

I put the post back in public view..

[rkawakami]

Just some clarifications on what's happened to this thread in the last few days... I initially moved the first four posts of this thread out of view while I attempted to get official word from Lenovo about this. I also allowed the discussion to continue without having the benefit of the original (blurry) photo and system details. After several days of non-response from Lenovo, Bill decided to move the thread back into the public forum. I then merged the original 4 posts with the rest of the thread. Hope that makes sense and explains the various notes that Bill and I had left here.