Think more expensive
Catering to a slightly flusher audience, Lenovo is also expected to release a $549 ThinkPad - the ThinkPad Edge - with a 13.3" screen and a choice of either an Intel or an AMD dual-core processor base.
Punters will reportedly be able to choose between AMD's Turion Neo X2 L625 or Athlon Neo X2 L325, or Intel's Pentium SU4100 or Core 2 Duo SU7300.
The 1.6 Kg Edge will also sport 4GB of RAM, 160-500GB of mechanical storage - with the option of a 320GB 7,200-RPM offering - 802.11n Wi-Fi, four or six-cell batteries and Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional.
As for battery life - that old bone of contention between Intel and AMD - rumour has it that on the six-cell battery the Edge will get 5.2 hours of juice on an AMD platform as opposed to 7.8 hours on the Intel one. Then again, the AMD version comes with vastly superior Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics when compared to Intel's GMA 4500.
Both the X100e and the Edge should hit shelves in January 2010.
