Lenovo ThinkPad W550s

The Lenovo ThinkPad W550s ($ 2,734 as tested) is a mobile workstation for those who require high-end performance in a package that is easy to carry and travel with. Outfitted with an Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia Quadro graphics, and an impressive display 3k, the ThinkPad W550s is an ideal blend of mobility and performance of the job-ready. The balance between the two, however, clearly favors portability, with excellent battery life and a slim, semi-rugged design, but its performance lags behind that of competitors, especially the Editors' Choice Lenovo ThinkPad W540, which remains our top pick for performance seekers.

Design
Lenovo does not do flashy, even though its ThinkPad line, so no surprises in black, boxy design of the laptop. Measuring 0.92 by 15 by 10.2 inches (HWD) and weighing only 5.47 pounds, the ThinkPad is the lightest and thinnest W550s Lenovo workstation to date, but it is also built to stand up to the rigors of a daily commute or regular business travel. It has a magnesium-alloy roll cage, a carbon-fiber-reinforced chassis, and stainless steel hinge, and it was built to meet the standard MIL-STD-810G, meaning it is designed to survive drops, shocks, vibration, and temperature extremes.

W550s can also get an impressive 15-inch display with 3k (2880-by-1620 pixels) resolution. With an In-Plane Switching (IPS) panel, the display looks sharp and vibrant from most any angle, and it is a 10-digit touch screen, so it supports all the motion controls located Windows 8.

The full-size keyboard has a 10-key numeric pad. Accutype keyboard design Lenovo will continue to be among the best on the market, and this is no exception; The keys offer a deep journey and comfortable level of resistance. The system also has dual-input, with TrackPoint pointing stick Lenovo in the middle of the keyboard, and three extra buttons on the top of the touchpad, for right and left click, as well as a center scroll button. The touchpad itself has clickable zones on the bottom right and left corners instead of discrete buttons.

Features
The ThinkPad W550s is well-stocked with the characteristics of job-ready and connections. With the right system you will see two USB 3.0 ports (one with continuous power for charging), and a mini DisplayPort.

On the left is proprietary power jack squared-off along a power connector, Lenovo with a third USB 3.0 port, VGA output, a Gigabit Ethernet port, headset jack, and an SD card slot.

There is also a kind of security and management features, ranging from a case lock slot for physical-secure system with a built-in fingerprint reader for simple secure login. A docking connector on the underside of the system allows you to use it on the Lenovo ThinkPad Ultra Dock (sold separately for $ 299.99), providing additional connections for power, monitor, and peripherals. The system also boasts the same dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0, and support Intel wireless widi for streaming HD video and audio.

The 512GB solid-state drive (SSD) is double the capacity of the drive found in the HP zBook 14 $ 1,759.95 on Amazon or the Lenovo W540. There also are not too many pre-installed programs taking up space. The laptop comes with a free 30-day trial of Microsoft Office 365 for new customers, and a 30-day trial of Norton Internet Security, but otherwise has one or two apps, such as Evernote Touch, Skype , and The Weather Channel. But while there are not a lot of preinstalled apps, the system is designed for broad match, with independent software vendor (ISV) certification for a wide variety of apps, with users in engineering, design, and finance .

Comes with Windows 8.1 Our review unit installed Pro, but it is also available with Windows 7 Pro for those who need it for compatibility reasons. W550s the ThinkPad comes with a one-year warranty on parts and labor standard, but Lenovo also offers extended protection plan to stretch this period two, three, or four years.