Lenovo is about to launch its ‘green’ ultra-small form factor desktop, the ThinkCentre A61e, in New Zealand.
The A61e, also known as the "Blue Sky", is the first desktop to be powered by AMD’s 45-watt Athlon 64 X2 dual core or Sempron single core processors and consumes about half the electricity compared with earlier models such as the A60.
Lenovo says this means A61e users will save an average of US$20 (NZ$27) a year in electricity costs compared with users of older PCs, and around 180kg in carbon dioxide emissions - the equivalent of two return flights from Boston to New York (four flights of 1 hour 15 minutes duration).
Michael Pierce, Lenovo director of environmental affairs told PC World that apart from the low-consumption processors, energy savings had also been achieved by using a more efficient, notebook-type power supply.
By using notebook (SODIMM) memory and dispensing with expansion slots, the A61e takes up 25% less desk space than the A60 and weighs in at about 3.6kg. Optional extras include a bracket which allows the system unit to be mounted on the back of a flat panel display and even a solar panel which Lenovo claims can be used to power the machine.
Pierce was unable to confirm New Zealand pricing and availability, saying this would be announced in a day or two. However the US retail price of US$399 (system unit only) suggests a New Zealand starting price of around $600.