Lenovo ThinkPad x300 Available

Lenovo’s officially launched the ThinkPad x300 and I want one. The ultraportable is less than 3/4 of an inch thick and weighs just 2.9 pounds. Lenovo’s managed to pack GPS, a mobile broadband card, a 64GB solid state drive and a DVD burner into this incredibly slim ultraportable notebook. The x300 is designed specifically for road warriors, but it’s high price will keep it out of the hands of sales people and execs with stingy bosses.

A lot of people are comparing the ThinkPad X300 to the MacBook Air because both are thin 13.3-inch notebooks. I don’t recommend the MacBook Air as a primary computer for most computer users because of several limitations. On the other hand, the ThinkPad X300 can function as a primary business computer thanks to its swappable batteries, integrated optical drive and numerous other features not found on a MacBook Air.

The X300 features:

- An optional, integrated ultra-thin CD-DVD multi-burner
- A solid state drive for faster performance and functionality
- WiMAX, Ultra Wideband, integrated WWAN, and an Ethernet jack for flexible wired and wireless connectivity options
- LED backlight panels for brighter, crisper colors
- An advanced “roll cage” to shield the PC, constructed from materials used in airplanes and Formula 1 race cars
- Enhanced biometric security with integrated fingerprint reader
- Up to 10 hours of battery life
- Environmentally-responsible design and EPEAT Gold rating

Some users will find the X300’s 64GB drive too small, but as with all thin notebooks there are trade offs. The solid state drive is a major factor in the X300’s high price point of $2,799 and up.

The ThinkPad X300 comes with a primary 3-cell battery. Buyers can forgo the DVD-RW drive for a secondary 3-cell battery that fits in the optical drive’s bay. If you want to save some cash and don’t want either option you can opt out of both options.

The ThinkPad X300 is available now over at Lenovo’s ThinkPad web site, but the sales page doesn’t seem to have all of the options promised in the press release. Most notably, there aren’t any wireless broadband (WWAN) options available yet. If you’re a true road warrior an always-available internet connection is a must have.

I’d suggest holding off on ordering an X300 until Lenovo fully populates the X300 page.