Hands On: Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx
Lenovo's first slate in the Windows 8 tablet wars is an Atom-powered hybrid which bridges the gap with laptops.
Lenovo's IdeaTab Lynx is an Intel Atom-powered slate tablet running Windows 8. It bridges the gap between tablets and the laptops that most consider "real PCs." With an 11.6-inch IPS screen, the IdeaTab Lynx is a bit larger than either the 9.7-inch Apple iPad and 10.1-inch tablets. Like the ElitePad 900, the IdeaPad Lynx is a hybrid tablet with accessories that can make this slate feel like a laptop with a full keyboard.
The IdeaTab Lynx weighs about a pound and a half on its own, which is about the same as an Apple iPad. The Lynx's 16:9 aspect ratio screen feels larger in the hand, and it's a little longer than the 4:3 aspect ratio on the iPad. You'll have a little more glass hanging off your arm when you walk around the house with it. Think of it like holding a legal pad when you're used to walking around with a letter-sized paper pad. The tablet's IPS screen is bright and has a decent viewing angle, good for when you're trying to share info with a colleague or when you rotate the Lynx in your arms from horizontal to vertical orientation. The built-in accelerometers quickly rotated the screen to the correct orientation in our hands on with the device.
Lenovo says that the IdeaTab Lynx has a dual-core Intel Atom processor, formerly known as Clover Trail. SSD storage will be in 32GB and 64GB capacities. Though a little tight, 32GB and 64GB should be sufficient for a connected worker who deals mostly with online databases or applications. The Lynx comes with 2GB of system memory, Windows 8, a MicroUSB port, an SD card slot, Mini HDMI, and speakers. The IdeaTab keyboard dock comes with a full-sized USB 2.0 port, and an internal battery that doubles the IdeaTab Lynx's battery life from 8 hours to 16 hours. The keyboard and slate combo weigh in at just under three pounds, which is in ultrabook/nettop territory.
The IdeaPad Lynx will be available in November at a base price of $599, plus $149 for the optional keyboard. Look for a full review of the IdeaPad Lynx in the coming month.