ThinkPad Helix 2

[loyukfai]

http://notebookitalia.it/lenovo-thinkpa ... gini-20203
http://www.tabtech.de/windows/lenovo-th ... en-bildern
http://liliputing.com/2014/08/lenovo-th ... d-ifa.html

Notes:
- The Pro keyboard dock comes with dedicated RED buttons for the trackpoint.
* The dock connector looks smaller than the 1st generation.
- The "other" dock looks like the one for ThinkPad Tablet 10 and Miix's. (fixed angle)
- They say there are 3 dock models, but my quick glance can only make out two. The "Pro" dock with battery and the fixed angle one. There is supposed to be a 3rd that looks like the "Pro" (?) but without battery?

Cheers.

Thanks to Ibthink for alerting me about this.

[Puppy]

Hmmm ... Actually I am more interested in the Tab S8, if it runs Windows 8.1 and have LTE support.

Does the End key on the keyboard works as expected ?

[loyukfai]

Thread over Tablet PC Review (with links to images showing the differences between the 1st and 2nd generations):

http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/lenovo- ... x-2-a.html

Further notes:
- Stylus seems too "thick" to be "siloed" inside the body now. Could be the stylus is thicker, the body is thinner, or both.
- I can make out the 3 dock models now. If you see this image and compare with this. They look similar but the former one has no dedicated TrackPoint buttons. The latter (Pro?) one also has a place to hold the stylus.
- Looks like the screen is still 16:9.

Cheers.

[csioucs]

The video from lilputing shows a keyboard with trackpoint buttons. Let's hope it confirms.

[loyukfai]

Seems only 2 keyboard models afterall, the Pro/battery one comes with TrackPoint buttons.

Confirmed specs:
- Core M
- Fanless
- Up to 8GB of RAM
- 11.6" screen (likely 16:9)
- Wacom digitizer
- 8-hour battery life and 12-hour w/Pro dock

- 1.8lb (817g) and 0.38" (9.7mm), similar to the Surface Pro 3
- 1.4kg w/basic dock (stylus silo on the back) and 1.7kg w/Pro dock (stylus holder on the right)

- Fingerprint and Smart Card readers options
- Desktop dock option
- Rugged case option
- Quickshot cover option

Further observations:
- Japanese news says up to 512GB PCI Express SSD
- Pro dock no longer limits the opening angle (the 1st generation was limited to 110~120-degree)

Check this out for video links:
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/X-Series-T ... rue#M26947

Thread over TPC Review:
http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/lenovo- ... x-2-a.html

Cheers.

[Ibthink]

Product page is online on lenovo.com: http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/th ... /#features

[exTPfan]

11.6in, 16:9, 3.7lbs with trackpoint

versus

12.1in, 16:12, 3lbs with trackpoint for the X61 in my sig.

Such progress.

[loyukfai]

At 3.7lbs it's closer to the X61T than the X61. Considering it comes with a digitizer/stylus, could that make it more "acceptable" somehow?

OTOH, how much throttling will users experience with fanless Core M? The original Helix has a complicated cooling solution, but it uses the "U"-series. Core M seems to be underclocked "Y"-series.

Cheers.

Reference: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/09/ ... arly-2015/

[mrsparc]

Bad news for ThinkPad die hard owners that believes Lenovo will change with this the wrong direction from last years... The new keyboard pro has NO dedicated red buttons for trackpoint, take a look:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_wbL2twXgbA

Sad..but true...

[Ibthink]

You are wrong. This there is a prototype shown only on IFA. The production models of the Pro docks have TrackPoint buttons. As can be seen here: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/130911- ... oard-docks

[mrsparc]

Well, I hope that becomes true and will have keyboards options to suit all tastes and budgets: a simple, a PRO, and a PRO-PRO keyboard...
I'm sorry I have not seen any video with this version of the keyboard.
In the IFA exhibition, the only PRO that was shown was this hybrid as Lenovo opted for more of the same.
I sincerely hope I am wrong and your comment reborn my hope

[wolfindersteppe]

The official Lenovo Helix 2 comming soon page is explicitly showing the pro keyboard with dedicated buttons as well clearly stating "nearly 180-degree viewing angles", http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/th ... /#features.
I am fattening my piggy bank...

[aceo07]

Until they start going away from widescreen 16:9 or wider I'll be sad.

I bought the Helix just when it came out. It's maxed out and was expensive, but I wanted to upgrade from my x61t and waited a long time. Luckily I use it with a 24" monitor else I wouldn't feel productive with the 1080 vertical space.

My hopes for a future Helix would be
1. thinner, lighter, less bezel for not wide screen!
2. stylus with an eraser. the current stylus is handicapped
3. better heat management. it doesn't move that much air
4. real ethernet on dock. usb3 gigabit ethernet heats up cpu.

[mrsparc]

Good news: dedicated buttons comes back in 2015's ThinkPad models:

Take a look to this hangout minute 23:00 http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w0BlRjcgcN8
The engineer talks about this return and the performance of new Intel Core M.
I think that I will wait for a ThinkPad T450s i7-5500u 3K IPS 16Gb and with true dedicated buttons finally!

[i2000s]

Seems the Helix 2nd Gen is just on the US market:
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/th ... -customize

$979 VS $1399 after the instant discount and depending on the Core M or Core M pro processors, OS, memory, hard drive volume and warranty. Not sure if the keyboard available is the normal one or the pro one. The customizable version hasn't appeared. Anyway, looks exciting.

Anyone wants to have a try and report it back?

I suggest to have a joint discussion board on 2-in-1 thinkpad computers (including Yoga, Helix and others)...

[JaneL]

The pro version of the keyboard won't be available until January.

[Puppy]

I think that I will wait for a ThinkPad T450s i7-5500u 3K IPS 16Gb and with true dedicated buttons finally!

I would'nt bet on that. Check ThinkPad Yoga 14, no buttons yet. The same for Edge E555 http://www.notebookcheck.net/Lenovo-Thi ... 863.0.html

[Ibthink]

The ThinkPad Yoga 14 also doesn´t have Broadwell yet, but the planars with Broadwell are already listed in the parts list: http://download.lenovo.com/parts/ThinkP ... u_list.pdf

And if you scroll down to "Mechanicals", you will also find 3 different palmrests with the note "3+2", which means 3 Tackpoint buttons + 2 button ClickPad Its just not on sale in these configs yet, like it is not on sale with Broadwell CPUs yet.

Also, this: http://youtu.be/w0BlRjcgcN8?t=22m54s "Starting January, you will see 3 + 2 button clickpads"

As for E555, its a low-end product no one really cares about^^ And it also has a 3+2 Plamrest FRU in the partslist.

So yeah, I would bet on that.

[i2000s]

The ThinkPad Yoga 14 also doesn´t have Broadwell yet, but the planars with Broadwell are already listed in the parts list: http://download.lenovo.com/parts/ThinkP ... u_list.pdf

And if you scroll down to "Mechanicals", you will also find 3 different palmrests with the note "3+2", which means 3 Tackpoint buttons + 2 button ClickPad Its just not on sale in these configs yet, like it is not on sale with Broadwell CPUs yet.

Also, this: http://youtu.be/w0BlRjcgcN8?t=22m54s "Starting January, you will see 3 + 2 button clickpads"

As for E555, its a low-end product no one really cares about^^ And it also has a 3+2 Plamrest FRU in the partslist.

So yeah, I would bet on that.

The Yoga 14 will have Broadwell processors on board? I did not find the info from the pdf you gave... I thought Yoga 14 is designed for Haswell fanned CPUs only.

[Ibthink]

Yes, it will come with Broadwell. Look into the "Planar" section - planars with Core iX-5xxx CPUs are with Broadwell. Broadwell is Core i 5000, as Haswell was Core i 4000.

http://abload.de/img/cpus_y146oovg.png

[i2000s]

Yes, it will come with Broadwell. Look into the "Planar" section - planars with Core iX-5xxx CPUs are with Broadwell. Broadwell is Core i 5000, as Haswell was Core i 4000.

http://abload.de/img/cpus_y146oovg.png

hah, those are the Broadwell U series. I've only looked into the Core Y/M series so far. For performance, it would be better to wait for the planned Yoga with a pen, or for the new generation with the exciting Intel's Skylake in Q4 of 2015 maybe. I guess Core M will be enough for general business users.

[i2000s]

The ThinkPad Yoga 14 also doesn´t have Broadwell yet, but the planars with Broadwell are already listed in the parts list: http://download.lenovo.com/parts/ThinkP ... u_list.pdf

And if you scroll down to "Mechanicals", you will also find 3 different palmrests with the note "3+2", which means 3 Tackpoint buttons + 2 button ClickPad Its just not on sale in these configs yet, like it is not on sale with Broadwell CPUs yet.

Also, this: http://youtu.be/w0BlRjcgcN8?t=22m54s "Starting January, you will see 3 + 2 button clickpads"

As for E555, its a low-end product no one really cares about^^ And it also has a 3+2 Plamrest FRU in the partslist.

So yeah, I would bet on that.

From the released Parts list, I did not see the stylus pen option for Yoga 14. Does that mean the Yoga 14 won't have a digitizer and stylus pen in the future? Or, Lenovo will release the stylus pen model later with +$250 option for stylus pen support just as the trick Lenovo played for other models? I don't know if the FRU part pdf can be updated as time moves on.

[indotoonster]

[censored], and here I was almost feeling secure in the knowledge that I would never ever have to upgrade to another ThinkPad ever again because the lack of trackpoint buttons is an absolute dealbreaker. Now I'm back on the upgrade trail... NOOOO!!!

[GomJabbar]

*****Expletives removed by Moderator*****, and here I was almost feeling secure in the knowledge that I would never ever have to upgrade to another ThinkPad ever again because the lack of trackpoint buttons is an absolute dealbreaker. Now I'm back on the upgrade trail... NOOOO!!!

I know what you mean! This ThinkPad Helix 2 is getting me excited about the ThinkPad line again. I think my X220 will last me another year or two, but after that I'll probably be shopping for another ThinkPad - perhaps the Helix...

[kshaw]

Whoa, the "Pro" keyboard for the Helix is a $320 add-on. That's a lot of money to have to pay to get the trackpoint keys back. It feels like Lenovo is trying to screw over its most loyal customers that want the traditional trackpoint keys back by charging them an outrageous price for it.

[suzannetf]

Whoa, the "Pro" keyboard for the Helix is a $320 add-on. That's a lot of money to have to pay to get the trackpoint keys back. It feels like Lenovo is trying to screw over its most loyal customers that want the traditional trackpoint keys back by charging them an outrageous price for it.

Well for years folks have been complaining about the lack of premium options and that devoted users would pay for them not to follow the other companies/trends. I guess this is them saying put your money where your mouth is. That's a pretty steep price for a keyboard, though.