Tech-Player: Intel

Lenovo updates ThinkPad laptops with Windows 10 Signature Edition, Intel Optane storage tech

The company's flagship notebooks will also feature Intel's latest Kaby Lake processors, support for Microsoft's Precision TouchPad drivers, and even a silver color option.

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 370

Lenovo has jumped the gun on CES by releasing info on its latest ThinkPad updates a few days before the annual electronics trade show. While the PC manufacturer isn't adding anything as radical as the Yoga Book's Create Pad hybrid input device, its flagship laptops will receive some of the latest computing technology as well as some other improvements.

Select ThinkPads will be the first computers to include Intel's Optane storage technology, which is reportedly several times faster than current SSD tech. The bad news? These laptops will only have 16GB versions of the Optane drives, so they will be used in tandem with traditional hard drives. They will also appear later in 2017 than new non-Optane ThinkPads as the drives are finalized.

Lenovo is further leaning on Intel for its processors, shipping new ThinkPads with the latest Core processors. the seventh-generation "Kaby Lake" CPUs. It's also continuing the trend of PC makers jumping on the USB-C bandwagon as well as supporting Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. The brand-new ThinkPad T470 and T570 will be equipped with Windows Hello cameras that can perform facial recognition to supplement their fingerprint readers. (See a rundown of all the new models at our sister site CNET.)

The ThinkPad's touchpad gets an update via software thanks to new support for Microsoft's Precision TouchPad drivers, which should provide finer control over inputting touchpad gestures. Microsoft will also be supplying Windows 10 Signature Edition for 2017 ThinkPads; given Lenovo's recent woes with installing flawed bloatware on its systems, this "clean" version of Windows 10 should give potential buyers a little more peace of mind.

The most noticeable change to the new ThinkPads will appear on the surface. In addition to its iconic black chassis, select Lenovo business laptops will finally be available in a silver finish. A nod to younger buyers who might not like the staid black ThinkPads of yore (and their overworked parents)?

Razer refreshes Blade, Blade Stealth laptops with Intel Kaby Lake CPU, Nvidia Pascal graphics

The 14-inch Blade gaming notebook gets upgraded to GeForce GTX 1060 graphics, while the Stealth Ultrabook will sport a seventh-generation Core i7 processor.

It may not have done anything as crazy as launch a $5,000 21-inch notebook with a curved screen, but Razer continues to refine its gaming laptop lineup, announcing updates to its Razer Blade and Blade Stealth systems at this week's IFA tradeshow in Berlin.

While the Blade received a graphics boost, the Blade Stealth sees a processor refresh -- but neither laptop gets both upgrades. The bigger Blade is the latest gaming system to upgrade to Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1060 graphics based on its new Pascal architecture. The boost in performance would seemingly make up for the fact that the Blade is otherwise unchanged. It still offers an Intel Core i7-6700HQ processor, 16 gigs of RAM, solid-state storage, and the option of a 3200x1800 14-inch touchscreen. The new GeForce card not only should improve traditional game performance, but also prepare the system for VR applications.

Razer rolled out the Blade Stealth as an ultraportable, so gaming is just one of its priorities. So while the Blade pumps up its graphics, the Stealth gets the latest and greatest from Intel to improve its performance as an all-around laptop. It will now ship with the seventh-generation Core i7 processor, code-named Kaby Lake. The new 14nm chips promise particular performance gains in media performance, which is especially important for the Stealth as it relies on Intel's integrated graphics (though you can add an external card via its Razer Core solution).

The one other key difference for the Stealth is a bigger battery, which the company says will provide 15 percent more capacity, allowing 9 hours of battery life between charges. The starting price remains $999, which is clearly more than most laptops, though the Blade Stealth is decently spec'd for a 12.5-inch notebook that tips the scales at less than 3 pounds. Given its pricier components (processor aside), the Blade is more expensive, remaining at $1,799.