Lenovo launches mobile workstation "beast"

Lenovo is today set to unveil its latest mobile workstation, which features a 17in display, a quad-core processor from Intel and an optional built-in graphics tablet from Wacom.

The PC maker is expected to show off its new ThinkPad W700 model, dubbed the "beast", at the Siggraph conference in Los Angeles. In a bid to offer advanced graphics performance for creative professionals, the release features Nvidia’s Quadro FX 3700M mobile graphics with 1GB of video memory along with Intel’s Core 2 Extreme Quad Core processor.

The laptop offers a built-in colour calibrator, which Lenovo said can automatically adjust the display’s colour in up to half the time of many other external calibrators. The graphics tablet addition is designed to let digital content creators edit images more naturally using the provided pen.

The release comes hot on the heels of the launch of new EliteBook models from HP, also aimed at creative and design professionals.

The first model in the series will offer Wi-Fi support for wireless access, while WiMax models will be added later this year.

Lenovo said its first 17in display ThinkPad would offer “an unparalleled viewing experience” for workers in fields such as computer-aided design and digital photography, offering them the same capabilities they would expect from a desktop model in a mobile format. The new model is slated for availability at the start of September, priced from £1,500.