Think Green, ThinkVision, Think Lenovo
ThinkVision L2251x Wide Monitor
Today Lenovo unveiled five new ThinkVision monitors that take “green” design and user critical ergonomics to a new level. The new line-up includes Lenovo’s flagship ThinkVision L2251x wide monitor, the company’s most environmentally-responsible monitor. The innovative L2251x is the world’s first PC monitor to be TCO Certified Edge. In case you have not heard of it, TCO Certified Edge is a supplemental award open to those products that already meet the stringent worldwide TCO Certified criteria for environment and usability in IT design. The supplemental award was created by the TCO to recognize those special products and technologies that go well beyond the call of duty within their existing eco-labeling programs. All the monitors are TCO Certified, EPEAT Gold Rated, and are more than 50% more energy efficient than previous models.
ThinkVision reusable packing bag
Here are some of the highlights related to our reduce, reuse, recycle strategy:
Reduce. The ThinkVision L2251x Wide features a webcam,microphone, ambient light and proximity sensor to further lower power consumption. The ambient light sensor adjusts screen brightness automatically based on room lighting conditions thus saving energy. The proximity sensors on the L2251x Wide cleverly turns the screen off when you step away, helping to save up to an additional 10 percent of power consumption a year. The integrated webcam and microphone makes it easier to reduce travel time and expense for critical meetings.
Reuse. The L2251x Wide chassis parts are made of 65 percent post consumer recycled plastics with no virgin plastics. With this achievement, it contains the highest amount of post consumer recycled plastics for monitors listed in the EPEAT registry. The new monitor is shipped in more than 90 percent recycled packaging, and for the first time, Lenovo is including a reusable protective bag as part of the packaging to further reduce plastics use. My team designed the graphics for the bag to celebrate this environmental achievement. Using a typical throw away plastic bag just didn’t make sense for these offerings.
Recycle. Lenovo provides a number of PC recycling options worldwide. Consumers in the U.S. can receive rewards for recycling if their old PC has residual value. Lenovo also offers Asset Recovery Services for business customers that provides computer take-back, data destruction, refurbishment and recycling. Additional Asset Recovery services include inventory, value assessment, on-site de-installation and data encryption. We really care about the planet.
We didn’t just focus on the green aspect of the design. The new monitors present vivid images fast by offering up to 1680×1050 screen resolution, a 1000:1 contrast ratio and a five millisecond response time. DisplayPort compatibility on select models also lets people easily work on their laptop or desktop via the monitor. The ThinkVision 2551x Wide features an ergonomic height adjustable stand that provides 110mm of lift and supports rotation from landscape to portrait. Four high-speed USB ports are also included for added flexibility and expansion. The appearance of the monitor family is right in line with other Think branded offerings, all business.
We spent a lot of time and energy designing these new monitors. I think you will like them for both their design and environmental leadership.
David Hill
The monitor uses just 21 watts of power when running and comes with other features that will help you save energy. The ambient light and proximity sensors and the low-voltage white LED display will help you save an additional 10% of power a year. As you can see the LCD is smart enough to know you left the room and shuts itself down until you return.
The chassis of the monitor is made of 65% consumer recycled plastics and there’s no mercury used in the panel. As for packaging materials they come from 90% recycled packaging. Lenovo is also willing to assist U.S. customers with the whole recycle process when it comes to their old PC equipment so you should definitely check talk to a Lenovo representative in your area for more PC-recycling details.
October 20th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Nice features. Does the brightness sensor adjust colour temperature too? I use F.lux to great effect – it adjusts colour temperature based on time of day – http://www.stereopsis.com/flux/
Insert usual whine about vertical space really mattering. My current main screen (24″) is 1920×1200 but I’ve noticed in all the stores that 1920×1050 is the new norm. (My second screen (21″) is 1600×1200 – see if you can find those anywhere anymore!)
It would be nice if the shop page you linked to had a category of “very eco friendly” or whatever you want to call this so I could find all models of this.
When my current screens die I hope you have these screens with large size and a decent vertical resolution.
October 20th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I wish you’d have done something more exciting with this. This is competing against low-power displays like Dell’s G2210 which are cheaper and more power-efficient (due to LED backlighting) and similarly priced competitors with pivot and superior panels (like Samsung’s F2080/F2308).
Certifications are for naught if the product itself isn’t competitive.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
> My second screen (21?) is 1600×1200 – see if you can find those anywhere anymore!
How about the Dell UltraSharp 2007FP 20-inch Flat Panel Monitor? I suppose the reason they’re so hard to find, and the reason why Lenovo doesn’t offer anything like this anymore, is that the panels are becoming increasingly difficult to find and the demand for non-widescreen sizes is dropping rapidly. I too lament this development.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Is it a RGB LED baclight with local dimming? If not I will pass.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
IPS? xVA? TN?
Considering L220x’s fantastic resolution and good matrix, there’s really nothing exciting here.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
David,
Green specs aside, a glance at the product page shows an option for a Soundbar. As the flagship model, shouldn’t it have the Soundbar standard as the L222 does (or is it deemed optional for a business-oriented display), and match the resolution of the A600’s 1920×1080 display?
PS. How does Lenovo choose the names for their monitors? I understand the “22″ is for the display size, but the “51X”?
October 20th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
I wonder why Lenovo LCD range does offer LCD with more inputs like hdmi, s-video, component like many other LCD makers do.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Very nice, is that a webcam on top?
October 21st, 2009 at 4:45 am
Dorian, are you kidding? How can you know that the demand goes down if there are no products available?
I demand (hereby, be *** be my witness) 4:3 displays! If there are some pretextual issues with cutting big sheet, no problem, just make the display square, or something in between 4:3 and square would be fine as well. But we had this discussion for a long period of time in Matt’s Blog. I was rather released when someone pointed me to the gain of profit for display manufacturers when they can sell less display area under the same label of display diagonal. So no courtesy to be expected from that side.
Roger, my salvation is rotation. Currently i have two 24″ 1920×1200 displays in portrait orientation next to each other. This is great for coding. The only disadvantage is that viewing angles are designed for a landscape orientation, such that i have the impression of a starting screen saver when moving sidewards…
cheers
Hecke
October 21st, 2009 at 7:05 am
Gaurav Sharma, the monitors described all use low-voltage LED technology for screen illumination.
October 21st, 2009 at 11:51 am
@Goran,
The L220x was discontinued. I bout one of the last ones from the Lenovo outlet when they went on clearance for $250.
I don’t understand why the L2251x is not 1920×1200 like the L220x. I hate Lenovo’s strategy regarding screens in their new products–make products better in every way, except make display image quality worse. Image quality is not the area in which to cut corners.
October 21st, 2009 at 11:51 am
(bout -> bought)
October 21st, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Hecke, I’m with you!
If I wanted to watch a movie, I’d watch it on a 42″ TV. Now please let me have my 20-something” work screen in a format that helps work, there is absolutely no need for my work-screen to be even remotely movie-friendly.
October 21st, 2009 at 12:49 pm
@Hecke, if you are going to use LCDs in portrait mode then you should buy Portrait-mode LCDs. ClearType and other anti-aliasing mechanisms (especially for text) are designed for non-rotated screens. And, everything is being optimized for ClearType so turning ClearType off is becoming impractical.
October 21st, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Brian, thanks for the hint, i will have a look at this issue. As i use Linux, maybe there is some opt-out of antialiasing.
I will ask for portrait-mode LCDs, maybe i’m lucky:-)
October 21st, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Thanks for clarifying David. Surprised you didn’t mention this an LED back-lit display as it’s a useful to know.
The power consumption figure of around 21W seems about right and less than half of previous models, although still slightly more than the equivalent Dell at 18W. The Dell doesn’t have pivot/camera though and given the choice I’d probably still get this. It’s a bit trickier when comparing to Dell’s similarly priced 24″ display which is under 20W, though this again lacks pivot/camera.
I still wish you’d do something interesting though, bend the rules a little like Apple’s recent 27″ iMac display. I think a lot of your fans (and Matt Kohut too) would kill for a square 1600×1600 display
October 21st, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I’m kind of tempted to buy this L2251X or the L2440X, but plan to wait for a ThinkVision monitor with a superior VA or IPS panel.
The L220X died too soon, it would’ve been a great LED-lit monitor :/
October 22nd, 2009 at 12:46 am
Gaurav, tell me who, and i do!
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
@Brian
I’m well aware that L220x was discontinued, that’s one of the reasons why I bought an HP LCD for my desktop. The point is that _that_ monitor is the only Thinkvision product I consider interesting.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Critique – different width of top and bottom borders can be a problem when using dual screens in portrait.
Why omit curvy buttons that go back to IBM ThinkVision displays? I liked that part.
Also I don’t like round base, it doesn’t go well with the rest of angular industrial look.
This monitor is a step from Think design towards generic look.
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I’m afraid this just isn’t good enough. Design is just too bland; I understand the Think brand’s industrial mainframe/heavy duty quality but this does not scream that. What it does scream is cheap identikit office gear. Tone it up a little!
It’s a shame that you’ve stopped offering 1920*1200 monitors (from what I can tell). As a W700 creative/programmer type I need professional grade monitors and Apple Cinema range or Dell’s stuff seems far superior at the moment. Well done on the green stuff though, you should keep that up.