Lenovo's two-screen laptop announced early

Lincoln Spector — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:36:55 -0500

Lenovo plans to release a laptop with a built-in second screen next month. Once intended for a CES release, the ThinkPad W700ds was announced early after news of its existence was leaked, producing a spirited discussion on the Notebook Review forum.

Having two monitors on a single desk is commonplace in many offices, and workers often miss the convenience of two screens when they hit the road with their laptops. The W700ds aims to address that need with a 10.6-inch LCD that slides out from behind the main, 17-inch screen.

But this convenience comes at a cost -- and not just the $3,600 price. At nearly eleven pounds, the W700ds barely qualifies as a portable computer. And when you consider the effect that displays have on a laptop's power consumption, you have to wonder how long Lenovo's DS laptop will last on battery power.

Of course, Lenovo designed the W700ds as a portable workstation, not as an ultraportable. It comes with an Intel Core 2 Quad Core Q9100 processors, NVIDIA Quadro graphics, RAID capabilities, and 4GB of RAM.

As one NoteBook Review Forum participant put it, "It literally defines the term 'niche market.'"

Image: Lenovo