Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2: Windows 8 slate set to take on Surface

The Gadget Show  Thursday 09 August 2012

Windows 8 is out in October, and now we’re starting to see all the big hitters tip their hands to show us their wares in the run up to launch. The latest off the factory line and into the news is the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2, a full powered Windows 8 tablet that Lenovo’s hoping can take on Microsoft’s slick looking Surface slate.

The 9.8mm thick Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 is headed to the UK and US this October, packing in a 10.1-inch 1,366×768 HD resolution screen, eight and two megapixel cameras on the back and front, optional 3G connectivity and a ten hour battery life. You can also hook it up to any HD TV screen using the micro HDMI connection.

Want to work on the go? No problem: the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 is getting a bunch of accessories, including a dock with space for three USB ports, so you can plug in a keyboard and mouse and you’re away.

Windows 8 official launch date revealed

Sounds good? Before you mosey on over to pre-order, there’s one thing you need to be aware of. Unlike the upcoming Microsoft Surface tablet, it uses a laptop-type Intel Atom processor rather than one found inside your phone.

This has pros and cons: on the one hand, it means the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 can run full fat Windows 8 without any limitations. On the other hand, it does mean that it’s not as quiet and power-sipping – you’ll hear and feel a fan whirring away inside.

There’s no price on the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 yet, but it’ll have to be aggressive if it’s to lure people away from the bargains that are the new iPad and Google Nexus 7. It’s out in October, and we’ll have a full review for you when it is – in the meantime, let us know what you think of it in the comments!

See the Microsoft Surface tablet in action on video here