Lenovo ThinkPad T431, X320 updates leaked via user manuals
updated 11:18 am EST, Mon January 21, 2013
Hinges inherited from ThinkPad Carbon X1, altered keys
Spring updates to Lenovo's ThinkPad line have leaked online through the manufacturer's own website. User manuals for the ThinkPad T431 and ThinkPad X230 were found on the Chinese language version of Lenovo's website, and though neither give any clues for what specifications each notebook will have, they do show what physical designs of the notebooks will be.
Both will have the dedicated TrackPoint buttons removed from below the keyboard, instead being merged with a bigger trackpad, according to Laptop Reviews. The function keys will also be changed in that they will be the secondary use for buttons dedicated to typical notebook functions, such as brightness, audio, and Wi-Fi controls. The hinges will allow the screen to be positioned below the level of the main body, just like the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, though not at the full 180-degrees the Carbon can stretch to.
Other details found in the manuals includes the fact that the displays for the T431 and X230 will be roughly the same size as the T430 and X230 models they will replace, and that the red dot above the "i" in the ThinkPad logo on the lid will light up, presumably to show it as powered on.
Release dates are currently unknown, but both are likely to be released between late spring and the summer.
