Lenovo ThinkPad X200 (click for larger image)

Lenovo on Thursday introduced two ThinkPad computers, including a business notebook that's less than 2-1/2 pounds and boasts 13 hours of battery life.

The ThinkPad X200s notebook and the X200 Tablet PC are lighter and have longer battery life than previous generations, the Chinese computer maker said. The X200s is the lightest of Lenovo's business notebooks and has the longest battery life.

The X200s is powered by an Intel Centrino 2 dual-core processor and sports a 12-inch LED display with resolutions up to 1,440 by 900 pixels. The system is available with up to 4 GB of 1,066-MHz DDR3 memory and up to a 320-GB hard drive or 128-GB solid-state drive. The PC ships with Windows Vista and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology. WiMax wireless support is scheduled for availability by the end of the year.

When configured with a nine-cell battery, a solid-state drive, and Windows XP, the X200s can achieve a battery life of more than 13 hours, Lenovo said. The bigger battery, however, takes the notebook to slightly more than 3 pounds. With a four-cell battery, the system weighs slightly less than 2-1/2 pounds.

The X200 Tablet PC is almost 10% lighter and has nearly 50% longer battery life than the previous generation. The latest model weighs 3-1/2 pounds, offers more than 10 hours of battery life, and is powered by a Centrino 2 processor. The PC is available with up to a 128-GB solid-state drive and comes with a 12-inch widescreen. To achieve maximum battery life, the configuration would need an eight-cell battery, solid-state drive, and LED display.

The tablet PC is targeted for use in health care, real estate, education, and sales. The system sports a full-size keyboard and a swivel screen to shift between notebook and tablet mode. The PC's touch screen works with a stylus or finger touch.

The ThinkPad X200s notebook starts at $2,242 and the X200 Tablet at $2,323. The systems are scheduled to be available in September and October, respectively.