Lenovo today announced an expansion of its IdeaPad S Series ultraportable lineup with three new systems: the IdeaPad S300, S400, and S405.
Despite sporting the kind of thin profiles that are currently en vogue in the tech world, the new S Series systems fall into the equally thin, sub-$500 ultrabook category, or what Lenovo dubs a "mainstream price."
Aiming to strike the ever-elusive balance between portability and performance, all three ultraportables in the new S Series cadre measure 21.9mm thick and weigh less than four pounds. Along with a 14-inch display, each ultraportable is decked out in a metallic-finished chassis that can be kitted out in either a cotton-candy pink, crimson red, or silver grey color.
Under the hood, each system can be configured in a few different ways. The Lenovo IdeaPad S300 and S400 are available with third-generation Intel Core i3 or i5 processors, and both pack hard drives with up 500GB of storage capacity. The S405, meanwhile, can be equipped with an AMD A8 quad-core processor, and it can be configured with a larger hard drive that can store up to 1TB of space. The S400 and S405, moreover, can be kitted out with an optional 32GB solid-state-drive (SSD). The purported battery life for all three systems is said to hover around the five-hour mark.
The new S Series ultraportables come loaded with Microsoft Windows 7 Home Professional. Come October, the revamped lineup will be eligible for Microsoft's Windows 8 upgrade program. And since they come equipped with intelligent touchpads, navigating through Windows 8's tiled interface on the new S Series ultraportable will presumably be a smooth and fluid process.
The Lenovo IdeaPad S300, S400, and S405 will be available stateside starting today with a starting price of $499.
For a closer look at the newly revamped S Series lineup, check out the slideshow above.
For more from IFA, see PCMag's photo blog.