Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z, ThinkStation C20 & C20x, L2320x Wide & ThinkVision L2321x Wide Announced

Press releases are getting crammed these days. But, we can't blame companies for wanting to shove as many products into one release as they can, especially if they all move towards one goal. In Lenovo's case, they believe that the desktop computing market has lost its innovation, and that's why they're officially announcing five new products to inject some of that innovation back into the market. They're covering pretty much all of their bases with the products herein, so if you're interested in what Lenovo is doing for big-businesses out there, then jump after the link to find out what's going on.

The ThinkCentre M90z is an all-in-one PC, shoved into a pretty luxurious looking 23-inch display. You get to choose from Intel's Core i5 or i3 processors, along with DDR3 memory, your choice of either hard drive or solid state drive, a DVD player, and optional WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity. You can include a touchscreen as well, and the AIO can also come with a physical on/off switch for your webcam, if that kind of thing floats your boat.

As for the other PCs, There's the ThinkStation C20 and C20x. The former is remarkably small, with Lenovo pointing out that it's 40 percent smaller than the Dell Precision T5500. The small stature of the hardware makes it so that more ThinkStation C20s can be installed in a rack formation. You can choose from a list of Intel Xeon 5600 processors, and the C20x can have upwards of 96GB of DDR3 memory, with its 12 available DIMM slots. You can also have up to two NVIDIA FX4800 class graphics.

Both the Lenovo L2320x Wide and ThinkVision L2321x Wide monitors feature two-in-one features. The L2320x has a port replicator and a 21.5-inch monitor. The monitor also has the standard USB connectors, but it's the first of its kind to also support the ability to plug in an Ethernet cable, too. The L2320x is only $259.99. The ThinkVision L2321x features a dual display, meaning you can have a full PowerPoint presentation running on one half, while something else is going on on the other, all at full size. It features both VGA and DisplayPort connectors.

Price wise, you're looking at $899 starting for the ThinkCentre M90z, which is available right now through some select business partners with Lenovo, or you can wait to order it from Lenovo's website later this month. The ThinkStation C20 and C20x workstations will be made available around mid-June, with prices starting at $1,199 for the C20. The C20x will be only made available through sales partners. The ThinkVision L2321x will be available in mid-July for $279.99

Press Release:

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – June 10, 2010: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced five new PC products that inject innovation back into the desktop computing space. The industry's first large business-focused 23-inch all-in-one (AIO) desktop, the ThinkCentre M90z, blends strong performance and IT features with sophisticated style and advanced web conferencing design. The super-compact ThinkStation C20 redefines expectations for a small dual socket workstation. Meanwhile, the ThinkStation C20x offers an extra boost of memory and more powerful processors, making it the highest performance workstation of this form factor.

Lenovo is also introducing two new "first of their kind" monitors: The first port replicator monitor – the Lenovo L2230x wide – attaches to ultraportable laptops for greater convenience and productivity in the workspace. The ThinkVision L2321x wide, the first "duo" display monitor, combines two screens into one for multitasking and running legacy applications using a widescreen display.

"While more and more people are using mobile devices, there are lots of environments where desktop products simply make more sense, and these latest Lenovo products showcase how our new innovations are leading in all-in-one desktops," said Peter Hortensius, senior vice president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. "We believe all-in-one is the future of desktops, so we created the ThinkCentre M90z to deliver everything large enterprise customers need: no compromised performance, customized ergonomic features and a full web conferencing experience."

ThinkCentre M90z – A Full-Scale Commercial AIO

The ThinkCentre M90z has beauty and brains, packing the full performance of a traditional desktop into a slick 23-inch display. It comes equipped with choices of the latest Intel Core i5 and i3 processors, DDR3 memory, selection of hard drives or a solid state drive, a DVD player and optional WiFi/Bluetooth. The space-saving, slim AIO can fit just about anywhere in a home or office by using one of the optional ergonomic stands: frame, height adjustable, extended arm or wall mount arm.

Lenovo designers detail the story behind the design of the AIO here.

And here the Center for Severe Weather Research takes the M90z out on the road tornado chasing.

The M90z also takes web conferencing to a higher level with a number of optional features that give it both style and substance:

Optical touchscreen that can be easily cleaned/Lenovo SimpleTap interface included

Unique web camera on/off switch for physical control of the camera

Autobrightness control to intelligently save energy

Array microphone for clear audio with mute button

Touch capacitive monitor buttons for elegant convenience

While the M90z saves space and fights clutter on the desk, for IT departments, it includes a full complement of manageability features for large businesses. Lenovo's ThinkVantage Technologies productivity tools are included, and the M90z supports Intel vPro and Lenovo's Hardware Password Manager for encrypted hard drives. Additionally, users can easily remove the back to upgrade the AIO.

ThinkStation C20/C20x – A Fit for Finance & Wealth Management

Lenovo designed the ThinkStation C20 and C20x workstations with the ultra-compact, number-crunching performance needed to drive financial markets. With space at a premium at standard traders' desks, the C20's small size – it's 46% smaller than the Dell Precision T5500 and 31% smaller than the HP Z600 – without compromising on performance. Its size allows for more ThinkStation workstations to be installed in a rack or trader desk versus the competition. An analyst can also attach and run up to eight monitors. Lenovo engineered many industry "firsts" to package high performance into such a compact design. New Lenovo-developed technologies include a patented slim, rotatable optical drive and a tri-channel cooling system.

The workstations offer:

Choices of Intel Xeon 5600 Series processors

Up to 96GB of DDR3 memory on the C20x with 12 available DIMM slots

Up to two NVIDIA FX4800 class graphics

Native SAS support on the C20x

Certified for compatibility with SBFI Trading and Control Room Furniture

"SBFI believes the smaller size and reduced heat output of the ThinkStation C20 and C20x workstations will provide greater flexibility for users who have high processing requirements and are a great match for our products," said Andrew Plumbly, International Business Director, SBFI, Ltd. "This will enable users to do more with the space they have.”

Lenovo L2230x Wide and ThinkVision L2321x Wide Monitors – More Than A Monitor

The Lenovo L2230x Wide and ThinkVision L2321x Wide monitors let users do more with two-in-one capabilities. The L2230x Wide monitor makes connecting from a laptop simple and economical by combining a port replicator and 21.5-inch monitor into one device. For an 11-inch laptop, the monitor provides nearly 200 percent extra display space and an easier way to work.

The monitor connects to peripherals through USB and is the first to allow direct plug in of an Ethernet cable. The L2230x Wide provides a cost effective solution at just $259.99 compared with purchasing a port replicator and monitor separately.

Lenovo engineers developed a creative solution to give business customers the best of both worlds with the ThinkVision L2321x Wide monitor. The "duo" monitor features a dual display function so users can work in split screen mode: For example, with 2:1 mode users can view full screen PowerPoint slides on one part of the display and run other applications on the other. The "duo" inputs both VGA and DisplayPort video and comes with a vertical stand that can be height adjusted.

More Gains in Green – M90z First TCO Certified Edge AIO

All of the new PC products incorporate greener designs. As the first TCO Certified Edge AIO, the ThinkCentre M90z sets a new standard for AIO environmental considerations and ergonomics. All the products are highly energy efficient by meeting Energy Star 5.0 standards. Many of the models are rated EPEAT Gold, and the products also use high amounts of recycled materials with the M90z using the equivalent of 65 plastic bottles. Other green highlights include: The C20 and C20x are the only 80 Plus Bronze Certified compact workstations and both monitors are TCO Certified Edge.

Pricing and Availability1

The ThinkCentre M90z all-in-one desktop is available beginning immediately through business partners and later this month on www.lenovo.com with models starting at approximately $899. The ThinkStation C20 and C20x workstations will be available in mid-June with models of the C20 on the web starting at approximately $1,199. The C20x will be sold through business partners. The Lenovo L2230x Wide and ThinkVision L2321x Wide monitor will be available in mid-July through the web and business partners and are priced at $259.99 and $279.99, respectively.