Lenovo today announced a new edition to the venerable ThinkPad line, the S431. The notebook includes a multi-finger touchscreen that opens to 180-degrees, backlit keyboard with optimized shortcuts and a large, responsive touchpad - all designed with Windows 8 in mind.
The ThinkPad S431 manages to fit a 14-inch display into a 13-inch frame that features beveled edges designed to make the system look thinner than it actually is. Lenovo said the progressive design will help small businesses impress their customers while at the same time delivering the power needed to accelerate productivity.
Lenovo's latest is powered by Intel's latest (for a few more months, anyway) Core processors. The S431 can hold up to 8GB of system memory and a 500GB hard drive - both of which are limitations of the slim chassis, unfortunately, as comparables are capable of double the RAM and storage. It is, however, one of the first ThinkPads to connect to the ThinkPad OneLink Dock via a single cable that handles video, additional USB 3.0 ports and gigabit Ethernet.
The S431 will begin shipping in June 2013 starting at $699.
In related news, the ThinkPad Edge E431 and the E531 are now shipping. These mainstream machines were both announced earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show and are designed for businesses on a budget. The duo feature OneLink support, touch functionality and a five-button touchpad.
The ThinkPad Ege E431 and E531 both start at $599 from business partners and on Lenovo's website.