Hands On Lenovo X200: Tiny, Cheap, Means Business (But Forgot the Trackpad) [Lenovo X200]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/335705888/hands-on-lenovo-x200-tiny-cheap-means-business-but-forgot-the-trackpad

Lenovo officially announced its Centrino 2-based X200 ultraportable notebook today, confirming what we have known for a while now. Namely, that it's the smallest member of the X-family (12.1-inch screen, 0.8-inches thin) and very powerful. Powered by the new Centrino 2 platform, it's got a full arsenal of wireless communication interfaces (including WiMax, WWAN with GPS and Ultra-Wide Band for peripherals), yet it's a slight 2.9 pounds, a hair less than its older brother or perceived competitor. (No optical drive helps there.) And it starts at a much more affordable $1199. But where the hell is the trackpad?!

At first glance, it's fairly unremarkable. The bland case design is standard Lenovo fare, it's functional and super-solid. Base model's battery life is 3.1 hours, with the 6 cell and 9 cell batteries enabling 6.2 and 9.4 hours, respectively. Yeah, that's right, the X200 proudly forgoes a trackpad for the classic red navigation knob only, granting the keyboard a bit more space but possibly alienating users not raised on "the nip." Given the size, the weight isn't much of a surprise. Where the X200 excites, though, is under the hood. The specs run from respectable on the base model to downright impressive on the high end. Check below for a gallery and a full spec sheet.