Lenovo Elite ThinkPad W700ds 17.0 Review

The Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds isn’t a replacement or a refresh of the original, but rather, an optional upgrade to the same basic platform that makes good on Lenovo’s long-rumored promise to launch a notebook with dual displays.

With a sliding 10.6 inch display that pops out from the space behind the original Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds's 17 inch panel, the Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds still doesn’t have the screen real estate of two full-size desktop displays. But it also gives the Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds platform yet another leg up on its rivals, and, especially, another enticement for graphics pros on the go.

Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds Specifications:

* Processor: Intel Core 2 Extreme Q9300 (2.53 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB, 12 MB L2 cache)
* Memory: 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM
* Screen: 17” 1920x1200 WUXGA TFT LCD and 10.6” 1280x760 TFT LCD
* Storage: 259 GB HDD (7200 RPM) x 2, RAID 0 configuration
* Optical Drive: DVD recordable
* Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi Link 5300 (802.11a/g/n), Bluetooth 2.0
* Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M with 1 GB
* Battery: 9-cell lithium-ion (84 Wh)
* Dimensions: 16.1” x 12.3” x 2.1”
* Weight: 10 lbs, 15 oz (with battery
* Price As Tested: $5,309.00
* Starting Price: $3,663.00

Secondary Display is The one feature that distinguishes the W700ds from the original W700 is its secondary screen. A second 10.6 inch, 1280x768 display is mounted in portrait orientation into a recess behind the primary panel, and can be popped out as desired to further expand the W700ds’s desktop area. As we noted in our first look at the W700ds, the screen can also be tilted forward about 30 degrees if desired, providing a more ideal viewing angle for the second display.

The bigger differences between the two displays, in fact, have to do with color reproduction, brightness, and clarity. The second display lacks the more highly reflective coating of its high-end companion, and with 280 NIT brightness (versus 400 on the primary display) and a narrower reproducible gamut, colors definitely don’t pop as much.


Pros:

* Desktop-like performance in a notebook – now with two screens!
* Build quality still as good as always
* Very good primary display with built-in color calibrator
* Keyboard is as good as the one on my desk

Cons:

* Built-in calibrator doesn’t support second display
* Small onboard digitizer features a terrible pen
* Multimedia performance doesn’t quite cut it
* Performance upgrades will elevate the price significantly