Having debuted its original 27-inch IdeaCentre Horizon Table PC at CES in 2013 and following that up with the Horizon 2 earlier this year, Lenovo has used IFA 2014 to unveil the latest additions to the series, the Horizon 2s and Horizon 2e. Packing 19.5- and 21.5-in displays respectively, the new devices bring a thinner lighter form factor to tabletop computing.
The Horizon 2s comes with a depth of 0.59-in (15 mm) – the "s" stands for slim – and a weight of just over 5 lb (2.3 kg), which is 10 lb (4.5 kg) less than the original Horizon. To sweeten the pot, Lenovo is promising 2.5 hours of battery life when streaming HD video over Wi-Fi, which should make this quite a bit more portable than traditional all-in-ones.
Running Windows 8.1, Lenovo is promising processors up to 4th generation Intel Core. The device will be offered with up to 8 GB of DDR3 RAM and 500 GB SSHD and comes with a 2 MP webcam. Graphics to be handled by Intel integrated graphics with connectivity features including NFC, Bluetooth 4.0. SD card reader and 802.11 a/c or b/g/n Wi-Fi. The unit's IPS display packs 1920 x 1080 pixels and supports 10-point multi-touch, with stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater also on board. It also comes with an AccuType wireless keyboard and an optional charging stand.
The more budget-friendly Horizon 2e boasts a 21.5-inch LED 1920 x 1080 display and graphics card ranging from entry-level to a NVIDIA GT 820A 2GB. Storage options include up to a 1 TB HDD or SSHD hybrid drive, with a 6-in-1 card reader replacing the SD card reader of the 2s. An HDMI-in port also makes its way onto the 2e, with a mic array supplementing the 2 MP webcam and two 3 W stereo speakers, also with Dolby Home Theater. Battery life also gets a slight boost with Lenovo quoting 3 hours of streaming of HD video, but this comes at the expense of a heftier 10.1 lb (4.6 kg) weight. All other specs are the same as the 2s but no charging stand is available for the budget model.
Lenovo is pitching the new additions as PCs for both work and play. They can, of course, be used upright as a standard Windows PC (Stand mode), equipped with all the apps and programs one would expect, but users can also lay it down flat (Flat mode) to get access to Lenovo's custom Aura interface and the games and apps designed for tabletop use. Some of the games can be played with peripherals like dice and a joystick that are detected by the touchscreen.
The Aura interface allows multiple users to work together on the one device. Lenovo is also promising better interfacing with Android devices, meaning users will be able to access media from their phones and tablets on the new devices.
Lenovo expects to ship both the Horizon 2s and 2e in October, with the entry-level 2s coming with a US$949 price tag and the Horizon 2e starting at $749. This is quite a drop from the original Horizon, which came with a starting price tag of $1,499, but of course, that one also had a 27-inch display.
Source: Lenovo