Lenovo 2012 ThinkPads: T430s, L430, W530

The ThinkPad T430s gets a slightly different (read: better) set of specifications, though again, nothing concrete was really tossed around:

• Thunderbolt! 
• HD and HD+ display configurations
• New rapid charge option charges your battery to 80% in just half an hour
• Ivy Bridge CPUs
• Backlit keyboard options (really, this needs to be standard, Lenovo)
• DisplayPort with audio
• 720p webcam with face tracking

Frankly the biggest news for most people is going to be the fact that Lenovo's ThinkPad T430s may be the first non-Apple laptop to ship with Intel's high-speed Thunderbolt interconnect. For the moment, Thunderbolt's cost (cable? $50) keeps it firmly within the realm of the professional, but as more and more computers ship, the cost will eventually ebb.

The new T430s comes in at under 4 pounds, making it a perfect choice for users who want a really light laptop, but need something with more power or features than the X series can really offer. That light weight combined with the new rapid charge options will make this thing a real force for mobile warriors.

ThinkPad L Series

New models: L430

The Lenovo ThinkPad L430 sits in the middle in a lot of ways. It's not their biggest, nor fastest, nor sleekest, slimmest or prettiest. It gets the job done just the same, however, and it might just do it more affordably, to boot. This year, Lenovo is making a few modest, but necessary improvements to the lineup, which includes, happily, USB 3.0 and mini-DisplayPort.

Lenovo promises up to 9.5 hours of battery life on the new L430, as well as:

• Ability to open new metal hinges out to 180 degrees
• HD+ display panel options
• SmartCard capability (thanks to 54mm ExpressCard slots)
• New eco-friendly certifications
• Dolby sound
• USB 3.0
• DisplayPort
• New keyboard styling

ThinkPad W Series

Ah, the ThinkPad W. Always ready to get the job done thanks to its big and beefy workstation performance, the ThinkPad W530is ready to help you out. Or help hurt your back, I'm not sure which (seriously have you lifted one of these monsters). Thanks to its quad-core Ivy Bridge CPUs or double RAID solid state storage, the W530 will be probably be up to the task.

Some new options include:

• DisplayPort 1.2 compatible
• Same new Chiclet-style keyboard
• Dolby "Home Theater" v4 sound
• Xrite Color Calibrator now 45% smaller with palm rest option
• 135W AC adapters (for dual-core models)
• Backlit keyboard option (again, which should be standard)
• "Latest" NVIDIA GPUs
• Ivy Bridge CPUs

Other than that, there isn't a whole lot to say - like the rest of the lineup, Lenovo isn't really changing the design of the W series apart from the keyboard. One notable expectation for this model, was Thunderbolt, since the T430s has it. Despite the high-end performance nature of this model, Lenovo doesn't see the value - it's likely testing the water with the T430s as it is. Still, you'll be able to get RAID 0 or 1 arrays as well as a screen with 95% viewing angles.

Up to 32GB of DDR3 RAM and a 10-hour battery life round this guy out. Not a bad deal, all told.