Lenovo . While the $1,000-plus laptops may be the company's most exciting and premium devices, the more affordable models are what most consumers are looking for. Lenovo is now trying to bring some of its more premium features to these budget laptops.
Lenovo's updated IdeaPad S540 now includes 8th- generation Intel Core i7 processors or AMD's Ryzen 7 3700U processor and an option for Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1050 graphics. Lenovo has also trimmed the bezels by 25 percent and added privacy protection to the camera — both features first introduced on its top-of-the-line laptops. The IdeaPad S540 will be available in both 14- and 15-inch (1920 x 1080) versions, with up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of SSD storage. Lenovo is launching three versions in April and June, with the 14-inch Intel model starting at $879.99, the 15-inch Intel model at $849.99, and a 14-inch AMD version starting at $729.99.
This year's IdeaPad S340 also gets some similar upgrades, with a choice of 8th- generation Intel Core i7 processors or an AMD Ryzen 7 3700U processor. Both models will include up to 12GB of RAM and 14- or 15-inch display options. Both models will be available in March and April, with the 14-inch Intel version starting at $369.99, the 15-inch version at $449.99, and the 15-inch AMD model starting at $429.99.
As for ThinkPads, the smallest ThinkPad gets a larger 13-inch display this year. That doesn't mean it's getting bigger overall, though. Lenovo has added that 13.3-inch (1920 x 1080) display to the ThinkPad X390, with a 50 percent thinner bezel. Inside, it's home to an 8th-generation Intel Core vPro i7 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of PCIe SSD storage. Lenovo says this tiny ThinkPad will have about 18 hours of battery life, and it has a Thunderbolt 3 port, USB-C, two regular USB ports, and even an HDMI port and microSD support.
Lenovo has also built a clever PrivacyGuard feature into the ThinkPad X390 that uses the IR camera to detect if someone is behind you, triggering privacy alerts or even the ability to dim the screen and only bring it back up when you're sitting directly in front of the laptop. ThinkPads are aimed at small and large businesses, so it's a clever feature that prevents others from looking over your shoulder if you're working on a confidential document in a coffee shop or on an airplane, for example. There's also a ThinkShutter webcam cover for extra privacy. Lenovo's ThinkPad X390 will be available in June starting at $1,099, and the company will also be releasing a variant, the ThinkPad X390 Yoga with its typical 2-in-1 features, starting at $1,359.
Lenovo is also updating its most popular T-series ThinkPads for 2019. As with the IdeaPads, the ThinkPad T490 is mostly a refresh this year, with PrivacyGuard, a ThinkShutter camera cover, dual microphones, and the option for a new HDR IPS display. The slimmer T490s also gets an HDR display or a low-power 1080p display, PrivacyGuard, a new aluminum lid, and is 13 percent thinner overall than last year’s model. Both the ThinkPad T490 and T490s will be available in June, starting at $999 and $1,279, respectively.
