More dual-core laptops

Lenovo and Apple have both added new dual-core models to their laptop ranges

Lenovo and Apple have both added new dual-core models to their laptop ranges. Apple has introduced a new MacBook with a 13in screen to replace its old PowerBook, while Lenovo has announced its Z61 and R60 series ThinkPads.

The ThinkPad Z61 series offers advanced multimedia and greater connectivity options in a widescreen format, Lenovo said. It is available with a 14.1in or a 15.4in screen, and both versions have 802.11a/b/g wireless capability and up to 4GB of memory.

“We have designed the ThinkPad Z61 to accommodate travellers’ wide array of business needs for their notebook PC,” said Lenovo vice-president of marketing Marc Godin.

Lenovo’s ThinkPad R60 series, available from June, is a lower-cost mainstream system for users that value performance. It offers better battery life and more connectivity options than other R series models, and also features a new 14in display option.

Both the ThinkPad Z61 and ThinkPad R60 run 1.83GHz Core Duo or 1.66GHz Core Solo chips and prices start from £840.

Meanwhile, Apple’s latest Intel-based laptop design completes the firm’s MacBook line-up with a 13in widescreen model.

The new MacBooks are just one inch thick and are available with Core Duo processors at 1.84GHZ or 2GHz. All the models feature Gigabit Ethernet and Apple’s Airport Extreme 802.11g wireless adapter, plus Bluetooth, and run the Apple Mac OS X 10.4.6 operating system. Prices for these MacBooks will start at £749.