lenovo helix 2 lcd panel made in china

No more fans. Core-M makes it possible: The new ThinkPad Helix 2 is available without a fan for the first time, but is still supposed to provide sufficient performance for all important applications. Can the versatile convertible meet the high expectations of business customers?

Appreciating the tried and true, however, does not mean ignoring innovation. About eighteen months ago, Lenovo introduced the ThinkPad Helix, which featured many innovations as one of the first truly usable 2-in-1 notebooks for professionals. Despite an overall impressive concept, we noted some drawbacks in our review, from very high temperature development to the very steep pricing.

The new Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 is an effort to make everything (even) better. The outdated Ivy Bridge architecture was replaced by the frugal Core-M platform, which finally enables devices with passive cooling and even smaller dimensions. In addition, you get 4 or 8 GB LPDDR3-RAM, an SSD with 128 up to 512 GB, and an optional LTE module. All configurations provide a 11.6-inch display with Full HD resolution and a digitizer pen from Wacom.

The price of our pretty well-equipped review unit (Core M-5Y71, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, LTE) is around 1,300 Euros/1480 USD without the keyboard dock, which is available for 90 Euros/103 USD (standard keyboard) and 280 Euros/320 USD (Pro keyboard), respectively. This is roughly on par with a similarly configured Microsoft Surface Pro 3.

The chassis of the Helix 2 is completely new, although Lenovo did keep some design features from its predecessor. It is a typical ThinkPad device with matte gray plastic (PC/ABS)and an inner construction reinforced with aluminum. Lenovo uses strong Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the glossy display surface. All of these measures result in a pretty hefty weight of 790 grams with a thickness of just 9.6 millimeters.

The stability and the build quality of our review unit are, unfortunately, not quite on the level that you would expect in this product and price class. Slightly twisting the tablet with moderate force results in some creaking sounds. This, obviously, does not affect usability, but it is not very reassuring, either. There are also some visible gaps between the display and the frame that quickly collect dust. The Helix doesn"t keep up with the competition from Redmond -- Microsoft definitely offers the more sophisticated device.

The ThinkPad is not a really productive device if you do not use a corresponding keyboard dock. Lenovo offers two models: while the more expensive "Ultrabook Pro Keyboard" has an additional 26 Wh battery and adjustable display hinges, the tested "Ultrabook Keyboard" is basically just an attachable keyboard. The angle between the tablet and the dock can hardly be adjusted - you can only use the normal operating mode (opening angle around 120 degrees) or put the tablet flat on the keyboard for transport. Also, the connection between the two parts is not very stable since the tablet is just inserted into an indentation of the dock.

301 mm / 11.9 inch193 mm / 7.6 inch9.6 mm / 0.378 inch1.3 kg2.92 lbs292 mm / 11.5 inch201 mm / 7.91 inch9 mm / 0.3543 inch810 g1.786 lbs279.8 mm / 11 inch176.4 mm / 6.94 inch10.75 mm / 0.4232 inch1.4 kg3.09 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch210 mm / 8.27 inch1 mm / 0.03937 inch5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Besides the single USB 3.0 port (full size), which is hidden underneath a cover at the right side of the case, the Helix 2 only features the standard headset port, a micro-HDMI port, and a microSD card reader. Users of the additional keyboard dock can enjoy a second USB port; and the Pro version also supplies a mini-Display Port. This means you can hardly use the ThinkPad as a real notebook if you do not have an additional USB hub and several adaptors - but the same is true of the Venue 11 Pro and Surface Pro 3.

Lenovo equips the Helix 2 with pretty much every good (and expensive) communication module out there: the standard wireless adaptor is a high-end model from Intel (Wireless-AC 7265) that supports Bluetooth 4.0 as well as WLAN at IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards. The dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz) and dual-stream (2x2 TX/RX) modem demonstrated a good range and impressive transfer rates. Some configurations are also equipped with a modern WWAN modem (Sierra Wireless EM7345, LTE Cat. 3) that makes it possible to use the Internet on the road.

With 2.0 megapixels, the front camera of the tablet has a slightly higher resolution than many notebooks, and you actually get pictures with much more detail. The 5.0 MP sensor at the back is even better (auto focus, no LED flash), but it cannot compete with current smartphones. The manufacturer deserves praise for the integration of three microphones that ensure perfectly understandable voice recordings.

The security features of the Helix 2 do not have to hide behind other ThinkPads: besides the fingerprint reader at the back, the tablet also has a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and supports important technologies like Intel vPro and AMT (not in combination with the Core M-5Y10) as well as Anti-Theft/Computrace theft protection. Both the BIOS and the boot sequence can be protected with passwords if necessary.

The security features of the Helix 2 do not have to hide behind other ThinkPads: besides the fingerprint reader at the back, the tablet also has a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and supports important technologies like Intel vPro and AMT (not in combination with the Core M-5Y10) as well as Anti-Theft/Computrace theft protection. Both the BIOS and the boot sequence can be protected with passwords if necessary.

Lenovo grants a standard warranty period (at least in Germany) of 36 months for the Helix 2. As usual, it is possible to extend this period at additional cost. An upgrade to four years, for example, costs between 55 and 210 Euros depending on the service type (e.g. on-site repair) you require. Service upgrades are also available on the manufacturer"s website after you enter the serial number of your device.

The ultrabook keyboard of the Helix is no featherweight at around 530 grams - but in return, you also get a full-fledged and sturdy input device. Key layout, size and travel hardly differ from standard ThinkPad keyboards, which are among the best solutions on the market. And we can confirm that the firm stroke and the precise feedback make typing very comfortable, with the production of even long texts no problem. The absence of handy background illumination for this keyboard is, however, an unfortunate omission.

We are less euphoric about the corresponding touchpad, primarily because of its small size - the user gets only a 9.0 x 4.5 centimeter surface. This is probably the reason that Lenovo deactivated many multi-touch gestures like pinch-to-zoom. Two-finger scrolling, on the other hand, works pretty well on the smooth surface, and the precision is acceptable as well.

Like all new ThinkPads, the Helix 2 does not have dedicated mouse buttons anymore. Clicks are, instead, triggered by pressure on the corresponding side of the pad. This is, unfortunately, often disrupted by accidental cursor movements, so you can occasionally miss your target. It will require some practice to master these features. Two dedicated buttons definitely would have been the better solution.

Even though the capacitive 10-point touch screen executes all inputs precisely and without delay, it is still pretty tricky to control typical desktop applications. The solution: an active stylus with a fine tip that hits even the smallest icons. The Helix is, therefore, shipped with a Wacom digitizer, which can interpret multiple (256) pressure levels. The pen can be stored in a corresponding slot at the side of the unit if you do not need it, but cannot be tethered to the tablet itself.

Lenovo does not offer different display options for the Helix 2, equipping all configurations with a 11.6-inch, 1920x1080 pixel Full HD panel. The resulting pixel density of 190 ppi is a good compromise, in our opinion, between manufacturing cost, screen real estate, and a sharp picture. For comparison: the higher resolution but also slightly bigger Surface Pro 3 (12-inch, 2160x1440 pixels) has 216 ppi, and the slightly smaller Venue 11 Pro (10.8-inch, 1920x1080 pixels) has 204 ppi.

According to the spec sheet, the display should reach up to 370 nits, but out measurements show that the panel just misses this value. Still, the actual 342 cd/m² brightness is not bad by any means, and is not eclipsed by direct rivals Dell (357 cd/m²) or Microsoft (338 cd/m²), either. You rarely need more than 150 cd/m² indoors, so we recommend dimming the backlight down by around 4 steps (158 cd/m²), or activating the integrated brightness sensor. Also worthy of mention is the very even brightness distribution without the production of annoying screen bleed or other picture errors.

Like the majority of tablets (except for some low-end models), the Helix 2 uses the high-quality IPS panel LG LD116WF1-SPN2. The rich blacks ensure a great contrast value of 1109:1, but the subjective impression is even better thanks to the glossy display surface. Not only pictures and movies benefit from the vivid picture: you will also appreciate the advantages of a high-contrast picture during office tasks.

We unfortunately had to waive the usual calibration of the panel due to software issues, but the out of the box results are already pretty accurate: a decent RGB balance, low grayscale deviations (DeltaE 2.8), decent color accuracy (DeltaE 4.4) - all results that should be sufficient if you do not use Photoshop or similar applications every day; but if you do, you have the option of switching to a better quality external display.

The ThinkPad struggles outdoors because of its glare-producing panel. Even the maximum luminance of the LED backlight is not sufficient to compensate for reflections, so the user mostly sees him-/herself or the environment. This problem, however, is typical for all glass surface touch screens (including the Helix"s rivals). You can live with the issue by opting to work in the shade.

While a typical TN panel only provides a picture without distortions when you are sitting in the right spot, an IPS panel is much less affected by viewing angles from the sides. Those viewing angle issues can hardly be avoided when you use the Helix 2: the tablet can only be used at one angle with the inexpensive keyboard dock. However, picture distortions like color and contrast changes are only a problem when the angle exceeds 70 degrees, so there should not be any problems in typical use.

The Intel Core M-5Y71, with a TDP of just 4.5 watts, is currently the best of the frugal Core-M-series. Thanks to the modern 14 nm manufacturing process, the two Broadwell cores are still able to reach impressive clocks between 1.2 and 2.9 GHz if the chip is not restricted by power consumption or temperature development. Users do not have to waive features like hyper threading (simultaneous execution of up to four threads) or AES-NI (cryptography applications).

All graphics calculations are handled by the integrated HD Graphics 5300. It runs between 300 and 900 MHz (slightly slower than the HD Graphics 5500, a "standard" ULV CPU with a 15 watt TDP), but features the same number of execution units (24), and also supports the current DirectX-11.2 standard.

Considering the Helix"s non-replaceable memory, it might be a good idea to get a configuration with the maximum 8 GB LPDDR3-1600 memory and 256 GB SSD. You can also get a slightly cheaper entry-level model with 4 GB RAM and a 128 GB SSD in some countries, but the limited memory and hard drive capacity could be a problem in the long run.

Like the majority of devices with the Core-M platform, the Helix 2 is equipped with a completely passive cooling solution that dissipates system-generated heat via the front and rear of the device. Full Turbo Boost potential is only available for a couple of seconds before the chip drops to much lower frequencies.

We wanted to evaluate this behavior more closely with the help of Cinebench R11.5. The single-thread test was executed at a processor clock speed of around 2.8 GHz (9.3 watts) at the start before dropping to 2.2 GHz (6.0 watts) after 30 seconds. The CPU behaved the same way in the multi-thread test: 2.6 GHz (13.3 watts) at start-up, then 1.7 GHz (6.0 watts) over the course of the benchmark. It seems that Lenovo raised the TDP of the Core M-5Y71 to 6.0 watts, which explains the comparatively good performance.

The processor is limited to 4.5 watts when you use the Helix 2 without the keyboard dock, which also means that the clock speeds are noticeably lower (1.8 GHz single-thread, 1.4 GHz multi-thread) and the performance is reduced by up to 20 percent. We observed this behavior on both main and battery power.

Our review unit was equipped with a Toshiba 256 GB SSD (HNSFJ256GDNU). We suspect it is the M.2 version of the Toshiba Q Series Pro, which is based on a Marvel controller (88SS9187) and 19 nm MLC-NAND.

The important thing is obviously the performance - and the results were pretty decent. Besides the solid sequential read (474 MB/s) and write performance (216 MB/s), the results (based on multiple simultaneous accesses of small 4K files) were particularly good. All in all, this storage drive is a good solution, but we cannot guarantee that Lenovo will not use SSDs from other manufacturers over the course of the Helix 2"s production cycle.

The frugal Core-M processor of the Helix 2 does not, of course, stand a chance against the performance of the actively cooled 15 watt CPU inside the Surface Pro 3. But we were still surprised by the small differences we noticed in actual usage. Thanks to its high Turbo Boost potential, the ThinkPad can easily cover short peak load just like a much bigger ultrabook. While longer periods of load result in much lower clocks, especially in tablet mode, it"s worth keeping in mind: this device was not designed for complex renderings or simulations.

You should not expect any performance miracles from the integrated HD Graphics 5300 when you consider its limited power consumption. The GPU is actually between the older HD Graphics 4200 (Haswell, 11.5 watts) and HD Graphics 4400 (Haswell, 15 watts) and is, therefore, slower than any dedicated low-end GPU of the last 2-3 years.

Still, the HD 5300 is well-equipped for all relevant tasks. The performance is more than sufficient for a smooth Windows experience and simple 3D tasks, especially since the chip can handle the playback of high-resolution 4K trailers (H.264 codec, 100 Mbps) with minimum CPU load. The best solution for encoding and transcoding of videos is the Quick Sync feature, which Intel has once again improved; other calculations (several Photoshop functions, for example) can be accelerated via Open CL-API.

If you do not want to waive gaming despite the mediocre 3D performance, then you should focus on older or less demanding titles like Dota 2. Popular Action-RTS titles can, at least, be played at low or medium settings most of the time, but modern 3D blockbusters like Assassin"s Creed Unity or Ryse: Son of Rome are hardly playable, even at the lowest details. More gaming benchmarks for the HD Graphics 5300 are available in our database.

Contrary to its predecessor, the Helix 2 does not have a fan and is, therefore, virtually silent. You can actually hear a quiet electrical murmur when you hold the device next to your ear, but this is no problem when you use the tablet at a normal viewing distance of more than 30 centimeters.

The temperatures of the hardware inside the chassis are just as moderate. After a one-hour stress test with Prime95 and FurMark, the CPU leveled off at around 75 °C, which is 20°C under the specified maximum value from Intel (95 °C). The only reason for the CPU (800 MHz) and GPU (300 MHz) throttling is the TDP limitation.

(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 35.3 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.

(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.1 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.

Depending on the power profile, the display brightness and the activated wireless modules, the Helix 2 only consumes between 2.0 and 6.6 watts while idling - an impressive improvement compared to its predecessor, which consumed between 7.9 and 11.5 watts under the same conditions. The Core-M platform produced excellent consumption results in general, which is on par with the Dell Venue 11 Pro (2.0-6.2 watts).

Lenovo has slightly decreased the capacity of the integrated lithium polymer battery - you now get only 35 Wh (not the previous 42 Wh). The optional Ultrabook Pro keyboard gives you another 26 Wh, but the non-Pro version that we tested does not have its own battery.

An indicator of more realistic results were our WLAN and H.264 tests, which indicated that users can browse the web or watch videos for around 6 to 7 hours with brightness adjusted (around 150 cd/m²) before the battery runs down.

With the ThinkPad Helix 2, Lenovo improved the basic idea of its first generation tablet and business notebook combined in a single device. This required a lot of hardware compromises, but the overall package is now much better thanks to the new CPU platform.

The frugal Core M-5Y71 impresses not only with its low cooling requirements (the passive cooling solution is sufficient), but also its solid performance, which is more than enough for all office and multimedia applications. The improved power efficiency also has a positive effect on the battery runtimes - even the integrated 35 Wh battery easily manages 6 hours or more. More stamina is available with the optional Ultrabook Pro keyboard, which is almost 200 Euros/240 USD more expensive than the reviewed non-Pro version - but in return, you get a secondary battery, Trackpoint, and flexible display hinges.

This brings us to one of our biggest criticisms: the hefty price. Our review configuration currently weighs in at almost 1,400 Euros/1600 USD, which is pretty steep despite the performance components (8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, LTE). This price is even more difficult to accept in a unit whose build quality and chassis stability cannot fully meet Lenovo"s claim to "premium" status. At least the ThinkPad keyboard, which is as great as always, compensates for a few drawbacks.

Last, we have a look at the competition: potential Helix 2 buyers should consider the previously mentioned Dell Venue 11 Pro as well as the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 in particular. Dell"s device is a real price-performance champion depending on the configuration, while the Surface, with its very sophisticated chassis, can sway some users from the Helix.

Computers always had an important place in my life, starting with an Intel 80286 microprocessor in the early 1990s. I became interested in the productive side of technology, especially in campus radio, while studying at TU Chemnitz and during a trainee program in Belfast. Hardware interests led me to manage Notebookjournal.de, which is now a division of Notebooksbilliger, for a few years. I became self-employed in 2010 and took the next logical step in my career by starting to write for Notebookcheck.

The Samsung Galaxy Book 12 is a quality, productive 12-inch Windows tablet option which comes in at about 1.2 KG with the keyboard. We haven"t fully tested this but remain in close contact with Notebookcheck for information. Their tests have been very positive.

We like the fact that there"s a 48Wh battery in this, and it weighs just 725 gramms. This is one of the lightest 12.3-inch tablets you can buy with that sort of battery capacity.

The Fujitsu Tablet Stylistic R726 with a 12.5 inch anti-glare display transforms into a full performance and full productivity notebook by attaching the slim magnetic keyboard. It has a magnesium-aluminium case which gives it durabiltiy for business professionals on the move. It can be used with a digital pen to take notes or signatures on the tablet. Enterprise-grade connectivity like 4G/LTE and security features like encrypted drives and NFC-based authentication allow you to do your job wherever you want; all in confidence that your data is secure.

The fabulous looking HP Spectre x2 is another Surface-like tablet (but cheaper) with a cpu choice of Core m3, m5 and m7 processors. It will be competing with, among others, the recently launched Surface Pro 4 - the x2 can be configured with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and a solid-state drive with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of SSD storage albeit the Full HD display is less than the Surface Pro 4"s 2,763 x 1,824. There is a firm looking metal kick stand. Reports suggest the sound is very good partly due to the Bang & Olufsen 4 speakers and their positioning.

The Surface Pro 4 has launched with a bigger screen in the same sizing as the Surface Pro 3. Entry level $899 model will be a Core M based device with Intel HD 515 graphics but a Core i7 version with Intel Iris graphics will be available. A new mechanical Touch-Type keyboard will also work with the Surface Pro 3. Resolution is 2736 x 1824

So following on from their 8 and 9.7 inch dual boot devices Teclast have introduced a large tablet - the X2 Pro - which has a full HD 11.6 inch screen which is also able to boot Windows 10 or Android 4.4 (5.1 expected) and has a generous 4GB RAM and 64GB or 128GB storage options.

Fujitsu"s first Core M device is the Arrows Tab Q665 Windows tablet targeted at the enterprise market - solid in construction (also waterproof and dustproof to IP58 standard) and security. You can get it with a choice of Core M-5Y10C or M-5Y31 CPUs, 128 or 256GB SSD and 4 or 8GB RAM. As usual with enterprise divices from Fujitsu it will be expensive if it comes to Europe - upwards of 1200 euros but it does have top notch components.

Now a 10.1 inch Windows 8.1 tablet from Dell using an Atom processor this one is light, has 2 screen options as well as an optional mobile keyboard with battery.

10.1" Windows 8.1 (32 bit) tablet PC with attachable keyboard, Intel Atom Z3735 processor 4 core, Li-Polymer 6000 mAh battery. Office 365 for one year, includes 1TB Drive One cloud storage. Weight with dock 1.35kg.

The Chinese company “Lenovo” has been experimental and revolutionary from the moment Windows 8 got here out, and has worked hard to take advantage of Microsoft’s touch focused OS.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 continues this trend with a travel friendly tablet that may be converted into a totally functioning ultrabook utilizing a keyboard attachment.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 is a complete made from 2 halves. The notebook itself consists of a tablet display and a keyboard dock that the display screen plugs into.

The tablet half of the system appears like somebody simply chopped off a notebook display screen. Its lower edges are fairly hard, offering a visual cue for the user when they are able to dock to the rest of the system. Decked out in a matte black plastic, the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 tablet half acts as the brains of the operation. Contained inside it are all the things that make the package work like an audio jack, processors and storage.

On the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 tablet back is a standard ThinkPad logo, 2 speakers, a fingerprint reader and a 5 MP camera for capturing memories and including pictures to notes. On the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 edges are a headset jack, volume rockers, mini HDMI port and a single USB 3.0 port. An embedded line wraps around the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 tablet half, giving the sea of black a hint of design. A red ring across the camera lens within the upper left corner offers something on your eyes to focus on.

On the front of the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 is a 11.6 inch FHD display, embedded in a rather massive bezel.  There is a power button and a devoted screen rotation lock button too, which may be very handy.

This half of the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 suits into one of Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 keyboards with a snap and are disconnected from them with a easy button press. Lenovo hopes that the usual Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 Ultrabook Keyboard will work for many users and that the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 Ultrabook Pro Keyboard will set productivity-minded users up for very productive night and days.

The 11.6 inch FHD display screen has the standard 1920×1080 resolution that is out there on most laptops. The display seems good, and web, videos, and the occasional low-end sport look sharp. There are advanced display screen settings for colour saturation, brightness, contrast, and so forth. The brightness controls are very robust though, you really would not need to tweak them too much or else the display screen gets washed out fairly quickly. Documents and different productivity applications look good.

Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 contains Intel Core 5Y71 processor and 8GB RAM. Lenovo’s website permits users to configure the machine with much less storage and 4GB RAM. Though its Intel HD 5300 Graphics are not a real substitute for a dedicated graphics card, nobody however gamers will notice. Each app masses fast, each program performed fine. 3D games like Star Trek On-line are not one for the Best looking, however this is not a dedicated gaming machine.

You may store games, apps and just about anything else on the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 built-in SSDs. With the 256 GB SSD that completely balances store space and pace. Those stereo speakers on the back of the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 tablet half are Dolby Stereo Speakers and so they sound terrific, however lack bass.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 is running Windows 8.1, although it’s out there for the Windows 10 update as soon as that’s out there here within the weeks. Windows 8.1 acts as you’d anticipate that it’d. Lenovo contains a few of their own software on the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2, together with SHAREit, SECUREit, SYNCit, SNAPit, and SEEit.

Like the remainder of its ThinkPad line, the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 keyboard has the familiar red TrackPoint between the G, H and B keys, a mouse alternative that continues to be highly accurate. Left click, right click and scroll buttons lie alongside the top of the touchpad.

Measuring 2.5 x 1.5-inches, the touchpad isn’t that enormous – it is 64% smaller than the touchpad on the original Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 – however it’s still very functional. It simple to perform such multi touch gestures as pinch to zoom and rotate, and the touchpad supplied ample tactile feedback when clicked. The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 additionally supports Windows 8 touch based gestures, similar to swiping in to switch between applications.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 additionally comes with an Active stylus on the low end models, with a Digitizer Pen within the high end model, providing 256 levels of pressure sensitivity, although this may be purchased individually on Lenovo’s website.

The  Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 itself has a score of 8 hours battery life, and you may eke out an additional 4 hours (12 hours total) with the Ultrabook Pro keyboard included battery. The device ought to definitely get you through a whole work day without any problem. In my testing I averaged between 7 hours and just under 8 hours on the tablet. The keyboard will clearly extend that battery life, and you may simply use the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 while plugged in, extending battery life even additional.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 performed pretty nicely when benchmarked on Sunspider, Kraken and PCMark 8. The device scored 438.7 ms on Sunspider and 2,167.5 ms on Kraken, where a lower rating is preferential.

The ThinkPad Helix scored 2,700 work and 1,906 conventional on PCMark 8, which checks how the gadget features in specific user cases, and where a better rating is best.

The scores are pretty impressive and put the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 a cut above most other convertibles. For instance, the Microsoft Surface 3 scored 1,571 work and 1,282 conventional on PCMark 8, 556.6 ms on Sunspider and 3,950.2 ms on Kraken.

The Intel integrated graphics imply that the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 is not a serious gaming machine, however it’s greater than powerful enough for office and productivity duties and we did not notice any serious efficiency issues.

If a tablet for business use is what you want, however you would not thoughts one that you could additionally use as a regular computer when docked, then the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 is a sweet offering.

It was more than two years ago that Lenovo launched the promising ThinkPad Helix, a detachable tablet-laptop hybrid that offered decent performance, lengthy battery life, and a slew of useful business-centric features. The ability to use the Helix as either a tablet or a laptop, each quite portable, made it a great alternative to the flexible Yoga Ultrabook line for the worker on the go.

And so the new Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2014/Core M was born. It uses the same name as its predecessor, and largely the same feature set, but Lenovo claims it"s now 15% slimmer and will last several hours longer on battery. It"s also much cheaper, with Lenovo shaving over $500 off the price of the original to help it become a more affordable and compelling option.

Aside from design changes and an upgrade to Core M, a lot of the ThinkPad Helix"s hardware remains the same. On the front you get the same 11.6-inch 1080p display, and internally up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of solid state storage. The battery has shrunk to 35 Wh (from 42 Wh) without affecting rated battery life at all.

The design of the ThinkPad Helix isn"t very inspiring, though I can"t say I"m surprised considering it carries the ThinkPad brand. It"s not the prettiest tablet going around, featuring a mostly grey and black design that keeps it firmly in the realm of business users. The focus has clearly been on keeping the build functional, with a slew of ports, flaps and buttons you wouldn"t often see on other devices.

The 11.6-inch display sits in the center of the front panel with reasonably-sized bezels, allowing you to hold the tablet portion of the Helix without accidentally touching the screen. If you look closely you"ll realize this isn"t a standard rounded rectangle, with sharper corners on the bottom edge than the top so it doesn"t look strange while seated in either of the two keyboard docks.

On the front, the display is protected by smooth and swooshable glossy scratchproof glass, which extends over the bezels to a small plastic rim. This black plastic then joins a cheapish grey piece of plastic that wraps around the edges and top of the tablet, providing a housing for all the ports and the wireless radios. The back panel is made of a similarly-colored metal, possibly aluminium, which feels nice but fails to provide a premium look.

While not necessarily a complaint I had about the design of the ThinkPad Helix, it should be noted that it"s not the thinnest or lightest tablet going around. A lot of this is down to the sheer size of the display, which keeps the device to a rather hefty 795 grams; certainly heavier than is comfortable for single-handed use. At 9.6mm thin it"s not ground-breaking in terms of thickness, but is able to facilitate a very handy feature.

That feature is a full-sized USB 3.0 port underneath a flap on the Helix tablet"s right-hand edge. Few tablets include a full-sized USB port, despite how useful it is to have a port that you can attach storage and peripherals to without needing an adapter. And when you do need an adapter, it"ll be for useful functionality such as Ethernet: Lenovo includes a USB-to-Ethernet adapter in the box of some Helix models.

A second flap is located just above the flap containing the USB port, underneath which you"ll find both a micro-SIM slot (in supported devices) and a microSD card slot. Also along this side is the 3.5mm audio jack, volume buttons, and a micro-HDMI port for directly connecting to external displays. Along the left edge is a single port that is used for charging the Helix through a proprietary connector. Power and rotation lock buttons are found on the right side of the top edge in a relatively easy to reach location.

While most of the Helix tablet"s edges are curved to an extent, the bottom edge is largely flat to accommodate a series of connectors that allow it to dock into the supported keyboards. There are four holes for alignment, several magnets, a selection of gold contacts and a physical connector. The physical connector is reserved for the Ultrabook Pro keyboard with its HDMI out port, while the contacts are used for the basic keyboard.

The back of the tablet features a camera lens, which at least on my review unit was slightly misaligned with the actual camera module beneath. Along the bottom of the back panel you"ll find two stereo speakers, which unfortunately fire away from your ears, but are good in terms of their volume output.

There"s also a fingerprint sensor located near the right-hand ports on the back of the tablet. It"s an odd black rectangle that"s not well integrated with the rest of the Helix"s design, but with a quick swipe over the curved sensor it works very well. It"s actually placed in a great location for swiping while using the tablet (or laptop for that matter) in landscape mode, and because of that, it has a very short learning curve.

Lenovo hasn’t said much about the device, but the Israeli site notes it’ll have an IPS LCD display and come with a digitiser stylus for folk who don’t want fingerprints all over their screen. Lenovo promises a ten-hour battery life.

Over here, Lenovo is pitching the Ideapad Lynx, also a Windows 8 convertible, but this one with a 16-hour battery life, in part thanks to incorporating just a 1.8GHz dual-core Atom chip. ®

CES is mostly just one hellacious blur. Here’s a gadget, and another gadget, and a hooker, and a gadget, and hey do you want to know about my Kickstarter? At CES 2013, laptops were particularly hard to keep track of; everywhere you looked, a manufacturer had some novel way for you to spend $1,000 on a Windows 8 ultrabook.

Through all the chaos, the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix somehow stood out. The detachable tablet / laptop hybrid had it all: full-powered Windows 8 with an impressive spec sheet, two batteries that together promised huge longevity, and the possibility of using one device capably as tablet, laptop, and more. It even had a fan in its dock that would let you automatically overclock its processor — the Helix sounded like a power-user’s dream. It was due in February, and I wasn’t the only one excited about it.

Now it’s June, and the Helix is finally here. It still offers everything it promised, and I’ve been waiting a long time to get my hands on it. But the market’s changed: there’s a new breed of Intel processors, a crowded market of detachable devices that haven’t exactly taken the world by storm, and an as-yet unsettled debate over what a Windows 8 PC should look like.

Late or not, the Helix might still have a chance. The $1,679.99 Helix prices itself out of the low-end market, but can it be the premium Windows laptop we’ve been waiting for?

The Helix looks like someone took apart a laptop, handed someone else all the pieces, and said “make a laptop.” The resulting construction is mostly right — all the key parts are in the right place, unlike whoever did this experiment at Acer — but the Helix feels to me like someone put a couple of screws in the wrong place, glued a few things a little too tightly, and maybe lost a couple of pieces along the way.

For starters, the Helix is chunky. A 1.8-pound tablet that docks into a two-pound dock with a keyboard and trackpad, it’s heavy without being eye-raisingly so, but it doesn’t wear its weight well. When it’s docked it’s really top-heavy — that means it’s hard to open with one hand, and it’s easy to tip over or rock on its hinge if you tap the screen too hard. It’s also thicker than I’d imagined an 11.6-inch ultrabook might be, at half an inch for the tablet and 0.8 inches for the whole kit — Lenovo clearly picked the kitchen sink approach rather than the sleek one.

Both Helix halves are matte black with red accents, made of the same vaguely rubbery carbon fiber as the ThinkPad Carbon X1. They connect via the single most insane, convoluted, complex hinge I’ve ever seen. It connects in six places, a mix of steadying holes and connecting ports. You have to line the tablet up just so, and use two supports to guide it down onto the dock. Don’t try to move the hinge without the tablet in it, either — it takes near-superhuman strength, and feels like you’re about to snap the part off the dock.

The rest of the tablet’s bottom is full of ports that become completely inaccessible when you dock the device. There are two USB ports on the back of the dock, along with a MiniDisplay port; there’s a USB 2.0 port and another MiniDisplay on the tablet itself, plus SD and SIM card slots.

The hinge does at least give the Helix some Yoga-like flexibility. You can put the tablet in the dock in either direction, so you can have the screen facing away from you in a sort of presentation mode. You can also lie it down flat with the screen facing outward, though at that point you’re really just turning your tablet into a heavier tablet. Add all that to the fact that you can just press an awkwardly extruding button on the left side and detach the tablet from the base, and the Helix is probably the most versatile Lenovo ultrabook yet.

From the X1 Carbonto the Yoga 13, Lenovo clearly knows how to build simple, minimal, classy laptops, and yet from the same company comes this mess of exposed screws, awkwardly located rubber feet, and a seam on the base I could pretty easily pry apart. The whole laptop is a mish-mash of odd angles and asymmetrical designs, which feels particularly odd coming from Lenovo. There’s no excuse for this, and no reason for it — building a sturdy, docking hinge can’t be hard enough that everything else goes by the wayside. Lenovo didn’t even get the hinge completely right, either: I constantly tried to push the screen back further, because its normal angle forces you to slouch a bit to see it head-on.

It’s an ambitious design, and obviously a difficult one to do well. But Lenovo didn’t do it well. And that’s not the only place the Helix doesn’t hold up, either.

The 11.6-inch screen on the Helix is a beautiful, 1080p IPS panel that gives whites the slightest gray tint but otherwise looks fantastic. Viewing angles are great, colors are accurate, touch response is excellent, and everything is tack-sharp. But it runs into some of the same issues as the Sony VAIO Pro, where pixel density actually becomes a problem — cramming this many pixels into such a small space makes almost everything too small, from webpages to app icons. Anything from the Windows Store looks fine, but everything else scales wrong.

The bundled digitizer pen, which slots into the top left corner of the tablet, seems to be a tacit admission on Lenovo’s part that the high resolution is a problem. And it does help: it has the same hovering preview features as the Surface Pro, and makes finding tiny touch targets much easier. But it’s otherwise a pretty basic pen, and it’s not a good enough solution anyway.

All you need to know about the Helix’s keyboard is that it’s a ThinkPad. From the slightly curved, concave keys to the red TrackPoint nub in the middle, it’s every bit as good as always — springy, rich with function keys, and even roomier than I’d expect from an 11.6-inch device. The only sacrifice to size is the crowded arrow keys, but I can get over that. Lenovo makes the best Windows keyboards, and that hasn’t changed here, even if I can’t believe it’s not backlit.

The trackpad, too, is at the top of its class. It’s smooth and glassy, and impressively responsive – though two-finger scrolling can be a little jumpy at times. Lenovo’s tweaked its ThinkPad formula a bit: instead of having two buttons at the top for TrackPoint users to click with, the trackpad is now much bigger, and all its corners are clickable. It’s better-looking, and more usable besides; I don’t mind the TrackPoint so much here, because at least it’s easy to ignore.

Of course, the normal Windows trackpad problems still apply. The Helix’s cursor has a weird habit of freezing, and some gestures can be unresponsive — Lenovo makes good trackpads, but here, as with the resolution, Microsoft needs to help.

On day one, the Helix is already outdated. Even as Intel’s new Haswell chips ship with promises of better performance and incredible battery life, the Helix ships with a 1.8GHz Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor, along with 4GB of RAM and between 128GB and 256GB of solid-state storage. It also comes with a fairly clean version of Windows 8, marred only by Lenovo’s series of business-minded apps and a whole lot of Intel and Norton popups.

Performance is solid, and the Helix powers everything from the Windows 8 interface to relatively heavy apps with ease. It’s easily among the most capable Windows tablets I’ve used, rivaled only by the Surface Pro; it’s even better when it’s docked, because the built-in fan in the dock allows the Helix to overclock its processor and run even faster. I didn’t notice the bump most of the time, but definitely felt the difference between running a heavy app like Adobe Illustrator in tablet vs. laptop modes.

But Haswell promises another bump, particularly with graphics — that’s important future-proofing, and might also mean the Helix, which is currently completely incapable of playing any kind of graphically intensive games, could do a little better. Haswell chips are clearly the future, and though I’m sure there’s a Helix coming with Intel’s new chip inside, right now the device feels old from the minute it comes out of the box.

When it does get a Haswell upgrade, battery life is going to be ridiculous. Even now, the Helix scored eight hours and eight minutes on the Verge Battery Test, which cycles through a series of websites and images with brightness set to 65 percent — that’s a rare number for an Ivy Bridge machine. It’s also with both parts connected; the tablet alone lasted five hours and five minutes, which is a really low result compared to the iPad but is sadly par for the Windows 8 tablet course. If Lenovo can figure out how to double the Helix’s battery life the way Apple doubled the MacBook Air’s, it’s going to be insane.

On one hand, there’s really nothing like the Helix. It works well as a tablet and a laptop, has solid battery life, and offers a mix of power and versatility I haven’t really seen from a device this size. It’s like the Surface Pro with a better, sturdier keyboard and better battery life — maybe that’s enough for some people. But it’s not for me. $1,679.99 can buy you a lot of laptop from almost any manufacturer, and it’s too high a price to pay for too little attention to detail here. I want a device that is sleek and beautiful, equally laptop and tablet, not a jumble of parts designed to awkwardly mash the two devices together.

The worst part? Lenovo clearly knows how to make a nice laptop, and even a good laptop this versatile. If you want a tablet that is also a laptop, the IdeaPad Yoga 13 and 11 have great keyboards and trackpads, and they pair them with a design that doesn’t look hacked together in a garage. As a laptop, the ThinkPad Carbon X1 is thinner, lighter, and better in almost every respect.

Lenovo ThinkPad Helix refers to two generations of 2-in-1 convertible tablets that can be used as both a conventional ultrabook and a tablet computer. The first-generation Helix was announced at the 2013 International CES and was released on 21 May 2013. A second-generation Helix came out in 2014.

In March 2013, Lenovo said that the ThinkPad Helix would launch in April in the United States. Launch dates in other countries will vary. The Helix was announced at the 2013 International CES. Lenovo touts the device as a “high performance Ultrabook with a detachable Windows 8 tablet.” The starting price for the base model Helix is expected to be $1,499.

The ThinkPad Helix II was released in October 2014. It is an Ultrabook-class convertible laptop based on the Intel Core M processor. The Helix II uses a vapor chamber with no moving parts instead of fans for cooling, achieving a significant noise reduction. It is both thinner and lighter than its predecessor at .38 inches thick and weighing 1.8 pounds.

The Helix serves as a conventional notebook computer but uses a "rip and flip" design that allows the user to detach the display and then replace it facing in a different direction. Also, as all essential processing hardware is contained in the display assembly and it has multitouch capability, the monitor can be used as a standalone tablet computer. The Helix features include Gorilla Glass, stylus-based input, and Intel vPro hardware-based security features, and is designed to appeal to business users.Wacom and fits into a dedicated slot in the tablet portion of the device.

The Helix has an 11.6-inch 1080p IPS display that has ten-point capacitive multi-touch capability. At 400 nits the Helix"s display is the brightest available among ThinkPad models. Connectors for mini-HDMI and mini-Display Port support graphics output. A five-megapixel rear camera and a two-megapixel front-facing camera are mounted on the display.

The Helix is equipped with WiFi, NFC, and a cellular modem with support for 3G and 4G LTE SIM cards as an option. A LAN port is offered for wired networking capability. The entire device weighs almost four pounds and the tablet portion weighs less than two pounds.

In a review published in Forbes Jason Evangelho wrote, "The first laptop I owned was a ThinkPad T20, and the next one may very likely be the ThinkPad Helix which Lenovo unveiled at CES 2013. In a sea of touch-inspired Windows 8 hardware, it’s the first ultrabook convertible with a form factor that gets everything right. The first batch of Windows 8 ultrabooks get high marks for their inspired designs, but aren’t quite flexible enough to truly be BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) solutions. Lenovo’s own IdeaPad Yoga came close, but the sensation of feeling the keyboard underneath your fingers when transformed into tablet mode was slightly jarring. Dell‘s XPS 12 solved that problem with its clever rotating hinge design, but I wanted the ability to remove the tablet display entirely from both of those products."

In a review published in CNET Vincent Chang wrote, "It gets worse once you add the dock, with the weight of the Helix increasing to 1.67kg with the accessory. That"s not exactly light for an 11.6-inch device when you can find slimmer 13.3-inch Ultrabooks, such as the Acer Aspire S7. Of course, the Helix is a hybrid device that can be used in more ways than one--you aren"t saddled with the keyboard like a laptop." Chang concluded, "With a starting price of US$1,499, the ThinkPad Helix is pretty expensive, even for Ultrabook convertibles. However, its business slant means that companies, which can afford the premium price for the extra security and enterprise features, are most likely the ones to purchase the Helix."

In another review published by CNET editors wrote, "There"s a lot to like about the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix. The engineers at Lenovo have come up with the best detachable docking hybrid system I"ve seen (although there may be no solution to the fact that these docking hinges are just inherently clunky). It feels sturdier and more reliable than many other hybrids, and the double battery system offers flexibility for longer work days."

In an early review for TechRadar Alex Roth wrote, "The Thinkpad Helix is exactly the kind of product Lenovo is known for: sturdy, versatile and designed for productivity to the point where it might [be] too niche for the average consumer. A lot of convertible tablet/ultrabooks look like just that, a tablet jammed into a keyboard stand. Not the Helix, all put together, it looks very much like one piece of equipment. As just a tablet, it"s a great size and weight, making it easy to hold."

Whitwam, Ryan (28 November 2014). "Lenovo cools the Thinkpad Helix with a tiny vapor chamber, no fans necessary". Geek. Archived from the original on 4 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.

Chang, Vincent (21 January 2013). "Lenovo ThinkPad Helix (Core-i Processor, 8GB RAM)". CNET Asia. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 21 July 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2014.

Ackerman, Dan (3 July 2013). "Lenovo ThinkPad Helix review: A business hybrid with an executive price". CNET. CBS Interactive. p. 2. Retrieved 9 September 2014.

Roth, Alex (19 January 2013). "Hands on: Lenovo Thinkpad Helix review". TechRadar. Future plc. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2014.

Sizes: 7.0, 8.9", 9.7”, 10.0”, 10.1", 10.2”, 10.4”, 11.1”,11.6”, 12.1", 12.5",13.1”, 13.3", 14.0", 14.1", 14.5",15.0" 15.4”, 15.6", 16.0”, 16.4”, 17.0", 17.1”, 17.3" ,18.4"

Chinese electronics marker Lenovo has introduced the delicious looking ThinkPad Helix laptop/tablet hybrid, with an 11.6-inch tablet that can be attached to a comfy keyboard.

One of the coolest aspects of the Helix is that it can be detached from its keyboard, can use the keyboard to give it more battery life, or can use the keyboard as a stand. (See the first photo in the slideshow below.)

The ThinkPad Helix runs Windows 8 and features a 1080p Gorilla Glass display, LTE connectivity, a 5-megapixel rear camera, 2-megapixel front camera, and NFC technology. The device will go on sale at the end of February.

Unfortunately, you have to throw down some serious scratch if you want to get your hands on the ThinkPad Helix. It starts at $1,500 and moves up in price if you want more powerful components. That’s way more than most Windows computer buyers are willing to pay, according to recent holiday sales data. Hell, that’s more than the average sales price of an Apple MacBook, which sold around $1,419 during the holiday season.

On top of the ThinkPad Helix, Lenovo also showed off an upgraded IdeaPad Yoga laptop/tablet hybrid (pictured above in an orange shell) that can flip its screen backwards to become a heavy tablet. The IdeaPad Yoga 11S starts at $800 with a Core i3 processor, 128 SSD drive, and 4GB of RAM. If you’re willing to pay more, you can bump the device up to a Core i7, 256 SSD drive, and 8GB of RAM.

While the ThinkPad Helix is a much more versatile device, the IdeaPad Yoga at $800 will be more palatable to consumers who don’t want to pay top dollar for a new Windows 8 machine.