Any Plans for New 17" W Series?

[RWDPLZ]

I've been wanting a new W series with a 17" screen for years, and now that I finally have the means to buy one, and my T61 is getting noticeably slower compared to new hardware I've used, I see Lenovo no longer offers a 17", just a 15" that looks like a T series? Are there any plans to offer a 17" again in the near future, or any new Thinkpad models? Last time I asked if there was going to be a new T series, everyone said no, and there was 3 months later. I remember drooling over the W701ds, and now I can't even find one of those used.

[ajkula66]

My understanding is that the plug on 17" series ThinkPads has been pulled for good. But what do I know...

With that said, with some patience you can find a W701 on feebay, but they still hold their prices pretty well.

[JeffCullen]

Lenovo seems to have made the decision to concentrate on the core mainstream stuff, and leave the "fringe" stuff to HP... :(

[Tableteer]

Darn, and I was hoping to refresh my W701ds, beloved as it may be. Would have thought they may have a "ts" (triple screen) model by now - slideout monitors on BOTH sides!!

[Medessec]

Would have thought they may have a "ts" (triple screen) model by now - slideout monitors on BOTH sides!!

Pah! One can dream. The W700ds and W701ds alone were pretty radical pieces of engineering coming from a company that hoped to make money off the Thinkpad brand... I'd say the dual-screen models were similar to the 701C that IBM brought us nearly a decade earlier... a brilliant idea, but because people like to play it safe, the idea doesn't pay. Everyone I show my W700ds asks where they can get one, to which I have to tell them... ebay, and good luck even there.

Lenovo doesn't really get too far making their own 17" laptops... the only one I've seen is the G780. So I don't see it very likely they'll make a 17" Thinkpad...

However-a theory I have is that because the W700/701 was made to last, and hardware-wise would be feasible to use for a good few years, they might be waiting until it's financially viable to produce a replacement for the W700/701.