HIGHLIGHTS
• ThinkPad models are currently eligible, and more will be added in 2019
• You can choose from a wide range of CPU, RAM, SSD, and other options
• Customised laptops should be delivered to buyers in two weeks
Lenovo has announced that its ThinkPad series laptops will now be available "made to order" in India, which means that buyers can fully customise multiple specifications rather than only choosing from a few pre-existing configurations. Lenovo has stated that its other brands, which include IdeaPad consumer devices, premium Yoga models, and the Legion series for gamers, will also get made-to-order options by the end of this year. The service will allow much greater flexibility for buyers, which is especially interesting since only limited ThinkPad configurations have been available to retail buyers in India in the past. ThinkPad laptops can already be customised and ordered from Lenovo's own website.
To get started choosing options, buyers need to visit
www.lenovo.com/in/en/customise-to-order. At the moment, several ThinkPad base models are listed, including the premium ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad X1 Extreme, the 2-in-1 ThinkPad X380 Yoga and ThinkPad X1 Yoga, the compact ThinkPad X280, and the more affordable ThinkPad L380 and ThinkPad E480.
Depending on the model, buyers can choose to upgrade the CPU, operating system, display, memory, GPU, webcam, and storage. Certain models, such as the slim ThinkPad X1 variants, have soldered RAM which cannot be changed, and some do not allow discrete GPUs to be selected.
Buyers can also choose to add a keyboard backlight, NFC, cellular 4G connectivity, and fingerprint reader on some models. Features such as the smart card reader can be removed if they are not useful. Some models offer dongles and adapters as well, though extra batteries and chargers, extended warranty options, docks, and accessories do not appear to be on offer at the moment.
The website will show a message if there are any incompatibilities between chosen options. Lenovo says that customised laptops will be delivered to customers' doorsteps within two weeks, though the website currently shows a lead time of over four weeks when some options are selected. Shipping is free, and there are some discounts with coupon codes on certain models.