Magazine

It is tough, it is functional and it ‘rips and flips’. It is Lenovo ThinkPad Helix.

The Specs

This much awaited laptop-tablet is possibly one of the best convertible ultrabooks yet. Its thickness is 0.8 inches, its screen size (diagonally) is 11.6 inches and it weighs only 3.98 pounds. It is powered by Intel and has Windows 8. The CPU family is Ivy Bridge and it is using integrated graphics. Helix will be available in both Core i5 and Core i7 with 128 or 256GB SSD drives.

The Design and Screen

When docked, Helix is a laptop. When undocked, the screen is shut against the keyboard and it converts into a Windows tablet with a multitouch screen, which is convenient for on-the-go use. The reversible screen mechanism is Helix’s prominent ‘rip and flip’ feature, which is assisted by a clever connector at the bottom which allows you to not only convert the laptop into a tablet but also to use the keyboard dock as a stand. The keyboard itself, as you’d expect on a ThinkPad, is brilliant. When the device is docked against the keyboard it performs better, owing to extra cooling fans at the base.

As expected in the recent tablets and laptop-tablets, Helix has employed an IPS display, which improves image quality and allows for wide angel viewing. An added advantage Helix buyers get while using the touchscreen is a built in Wacom stylus/digitizer for more precision. This is a great feature for those who like to sketch.

Battery

The tablet and keyboard dock each have a battery life of five hours which means when combined, the device has a total battery life of ten hours.

If you are looking for a Windows 8 device, one that you can use as a laptop for heavy-duty keyboard work and as a big-sized touchscreen tablet for on-the-go use, then Lenovo ThinkPad Helix is exactly what you’re looking for.

The price will start from $1499.