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Here are Lenovo's new products for this coming holiday season

By Kenny Yeo & Koh Wanzi - 22 Oct 2015

Here are Lenovo's new products for this coming holiday season

We were at the OSG+ Bar at Suntec to check out what Lenovo has in store for the holiday season.

It’s that time of the year again, where manufacturers gear up to trot out a bagful of goodies just in time for the holiday season. We were with Lenovo yesterday to see just what it has in store for us, which turned out to include everything ranging from tablets and 2-in-1 convertibles to gaming PCs.

Of course, Lenovo isn’t passing up on the opportunity to include the latest sixth-generation Intel Skylake processors in its new devices, and they come packed with the newest silicon and Windows 10. Does a 6.8-inch phablet or tablet with a built-in projector interest you? Read on to find out more!

Lenovo Phab Plus

At 6.8-inches large, the Lenovo Phab Plus pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a phablet.

Phablets are a big deal today because they fulfill the needs of users who can’t decide between a smartphone and a tablet. There’s no shortage of phablets today, but if you happen to find the 5.5-inch display of the iPhone 6s Plus too tiny or maybe the 5.7-inch display of the new Galaxy Note 5 isn’t quite doing it for you, Lenovo has the answer.

Enter the Lenovo Phab Plus, an Android 5.0 phablet which boasts of a massive 6.8-inch display - nearly 20% larger than the already sizable Galaxy Note 5. And as you might expect, the Phab Plus is a real handful. Even if you have large palms, and even with the one-handed optimizations such as the smaller one-handed keyboard, the Phab Plus is not a phone that you can use easily with a single hand.

But the upside of this is that the Phab Plus has a wonderfully large screen with which you can use to browse the web, watch movies, play games and more. The 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution display of the Phab Plus might not be as competitive as its more premium rivals, but with a pixel density count of 323 pixels per inch, users would be hard pressed to notice the difference. Another plus point is that the bezel is really slim.

Inside, the Phab Plus is powered by a mid-range quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor and comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal flash storage. Like most Android phones, the Phab Plus can expand storage by up to 64GB using a microSD card. The large phablet also has decent camera specifications - a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 5 megapixel front-facing camera.

The Lenovo Phab Plus is priced at S$499 and is available now in Honey Gold and Gunmetal Grey.

 

Yoga Tab 3 Pro

The Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 Pro is powered by Intel's latest Cherry Trail Atom processor.

Last year’s Yoga Tablet 2 Pro was a giant 13.3-inch tablet Intel Atom-powered tablet with an integrated pico projector that can output a display that’s roughly 50-inches large. It’s a curious tablet, but one that we guess movie buffs might appreciate.

This year, Lenovo has made improvements to its successor - the Yoga Tab 3 Pro. But first, the Yoga Tab 3 Pro has a smaller display than its predecessor. The screen size is now 10.1-inches, down from 13.3-inches, but display resolution remains the same at 2560 x 1440 pixels, so images and text on the Yoga Tab 3 Pro do look appreciably sharper. 

Though the Yoga Tab 3 Pro is smaller, its signature feature - the built-in pico projector - is still intact. Not only that, it can also project brighter and larger images.

The standout feature is of course the integrated pico projector, which Lenovo says is now brighter and can project an image up to 70-inches large. While we couldn’t tell exactly if it was any brighter than its predecessor, what we can tell you from our brief time with the Yoga Tab 3 Pro’s projector is that it is sufficiently bright as long as you dim the lights in the room, or better yet turn it off altogether. To complete the cinematic experience, the Yoga Tab 3 Pro also has a power built JBL sound bar with four front-facing speakers featuring Dolby Atmos technology.

Powering the Yoga Tab 3 Pro is Intel’s newest Cherry Trail Atom x5-Z8500 processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Storage is expandable of course by using a microSD card, up to a maximum of 128GB. The device runs Android 5.1 Lollipop. To allow users to efficiently stream movies, the Yoga Tab 3 Pro supports the latest Wireless-AC standard for faster wireless performance.

The Yoga Tab 3 Pro will be available from the end of December (hopefully in time for Christmas) and will be priced at S$899.

 

Ideapad Miix 700 and Miix 300

The Ideapad Miix 700 (left) and Miix 300 are relatively affordable 2-in-1 hybrid devices.

Like the much-vaunted Surface hybrids from Microsoft, the Lenovo Ideapad Miix 700 is a 2-in-1 hybrid device that doubles as a laptop and tablet. It even comes with its own kickstand that sports a dual watchband hinge that can accommodate an unlimited number of resting positions.

In this regard, it shares a lot in common with the latest Microsoft Surface Pro 4, although the 12-inch Miix 700 features a sixth-generation Intel Core m7 processor instead of the more powerful Core i series processors. It can be configured with up to 8GB of RAM, and will ship with Windows 10. Microsoft’s latest OS is fully equipped to take advantage of the hybrid device, as it’s capable of switching automatically between tablet and desktop mode depending on whether the keyboard is attached.

The display is a 2,160 x 1,440 pixels affair, and it secures itself to the keyboard via a magnetic hinge in the fashion of the Surface Pro devices. One interesting option is the ability to configure the Miix 700 with an Intel RealSense camera on the rear, which means you’ll be able to use the device to scan 3D objects to measure their dimensions.

The detachable keyboard of the Miix 700 attaches to the display with a magnetic hinge, much like on the Surface Pro 4.

If you like the idea of a more affordable Surface device, the Miix 700 will be available this November starting at S$1,299.

The Miix 300 is the smaller brother of the Miix 700. It is an 8-inch entry-level hybrid device that sports a modest 1,280 x 800 pixels resolution IPS display and an attractive S$499 price tag. Unfortunately, no sixth-generation Intel processors will make it into this device and it will instead be equipped with an Intel Bay Trail Atom chip with up to 2GB of DDR3L RAM and 64GB of eMMC flash storage.

The Miix 300 is an entry-level hybrid with a lightweight aluminium body.

It is an affordable option for those who want a 2-in-1 device that is easy on the wallet and will be available in November as well. However, the device will not come with Windows 10 and will ship with Windows 8.1 with Bing instead.

 

Yoga 900 and Yoga 700

If the Miix devices were geared toward battery life, the new Yoga 900 and 700 are their larger, more performance-oriented counterparts – minus the detachable keyboard. According to Lenovo, the higher end Yoga 900 is the world’s thinnest convertible to feature an Intel Core i processor at just 14.9mm thin.

The Yoga 900 is targeted at users who want a high performance and portable convertible.

Lenovo’s signature watchband hinge makes an appearance here as well, and it is reportedly comprised of a whopping 813 individual pieces that allow you to fold the screen all the way around. The 13.3-inch IPS display has a high resolution of 3,200 x 1,800 pixels, which translates into a 16:9 aspect ratio – ideal for watching movies. It weighs just 1.3kg and is equipped with JBL stereo speakers with Dolby DS 1.0 Home Theater Certification, so it’s quite a portable multimedia machine.

Under the hood, the Yoga 900 will be configurable with the latest Intel Skylake processors and up to 16GB of RAM, good news for those who perform memory-hungry tasks like photo and video editing.

The Yoga 700 is slightly heavier at 1.6kg, and despite its name, it’s actually a slightly larger device. Along with the latest Intel Skylake processors, it also comes with a 14-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) IPS display that is powered by an NVIDIA GeForce 940M graphics card with 2GB of video memory. 

Like the Yoga 900, the Yoga 700 can be used in four different modes – Stand, Laptop, Tent, and Tablet mode – to suit different scenarios.

Shown here is the Yoga 700 in Stand mode, which gets the keyboard out of the way for things like movie viewing.

The Yoga 700 and 900 ship with Windows 10 and will be available as soon as the end of October with prices beginning at S$1,799 and S$1,999 respectively.

 

Ideapad Y700

The Ideapad Y700 is a reasonably portable 15.6-inch gaming notebook.

On the gaming front, Lenovo unveiled the Ideapad Y700 and Ideacentre Y900, a Windows 10 gaming laptop and desktop for serious gamers. The 15.6-inch Ideapad Y700 features a sixth-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M graphics card with 4GB of video memory. It is configurable with up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a 512GB SSD, or even a 1TB + 8GB hybrid drive.

At 2.6kg, it’s no featherweight, but you won’t have to break your back lugging it around either. One notable feature is the 10-point multi-touch 1,920 x 1,080 pixels IPS display, something you don’t always see on a gaming laptop. There’s also the option to upgrade the display to a 3,840 x 2,160 resolution.

The chiclet keyboard is backlit with aggressive red LEDs with two brightness levels, and the built-in stereo JBL speakers with Dolby Home Theater support should provide decent audio. And like the Miix 700 and 300, the front camera can be upgraded to an Intel RealSense camera.

The Ideapad Y700 will be available this November at a starting price of S$1,499.

 

Ideacentre Y900

For gamers who want more power and don’t see themselves moving around at all, there is the Ideacentre Y900, a full-fledged gaming desktop. The chassis itself is a beefy 34L one that houses a sixth-generation quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, up to an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 card, and a 625 watt power supply. The NVIDIA GeForce card can be viewed clearly through the side window, along with the red internal LED lighting.

Unlike certain pre-built gaming systems, the Y900 is easily upgradeable. The side panel comes off easily, allowing you access to the internals to swap out the hardware. Furthermore, the fairly generous 625 watt PSU means that you have considerable freedom in selecting your upgrade parts.

Starting this November, the Ideacentre Y900 will go for S$2,699 and come bundled with a 23.8-inch monitor.

 

Ideacentre AIO Y700

The Ideacentre AIO Y700 is a 27-inch multimedia all-in-one PC.

For home entertainment buffs, there’s the Ideacentre Y700, an all-in-one (AIO) Windows 10 PC that also sports the latest sixth-generation Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 graphics card as its most powerful graphics option.

The 27-inch machine has a 10-point multi-touch UHD display and comes with the option to install an Intel RealSense camera as well. JBL stereo speakers complete the package, making for a fairly comprehensive home entertainment solution.

There is a smaller 24-inch option available, which will also support the Intel RealSense camera. The Ideacentre Y700 will be available come November, with the 24-inch version starting at S$1,399

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