The ThinkPad E Series (formerly ThinkPad Edge) is a notebook computer series introduced in 2010 by Lenovo. It is marketed to small and medium-sized businesses.[1]
Launch and reviews
The Edge series of ThinkPad computers was introduced at the 2010 International CES in Las Vegas and became available for sale in April of the same year.[1][2]
For the ThinkPad Edge 13, a review on the Engadget web site said that even though, "it may not carry the premium features of [Lenovo Thinkpad] X301..., but for a budget ultraportable... [there is] little to complain about."[3] Engadget also tested the battery life of the Edge 13 and discovered that "Lenovo's battery life prediction of seven hours is pretty on the mark." The Edge 13's battery lasted 5 hours and 12 minutes.[3]
Laptop Magazine reviewed the ThinkPad Edge 14 and found it was "the most compelling 14-inch small business notebook on the market today."[4]
NotebookReview reviewed the ThinkPad Edge 15 and said that its "build quality seems to be a step down from the 13 and 14 inch."[5] The website also mentioned that the Edge series in general "feels under built...[and] the Edge 15 fares much worse".[5]
Reviews of the E220s and E420s were more positive, citing better build quality than other models in the Edge line.[6]
Features
The ThinkPad Edge series uses processors from both AMD and Intel.[7] AMD processors offered include the Athlon II dual-core, the Turion II Dual-core, Phenom II Triple-core and Ryzen 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Generation mobile Accelerated Processing Units (APUs). Intel processors used include the Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7.
Voice Over IP (VoIP) features including high resolution cameras and an HD LED screen are also included.[1] All four models offer a glossy LED back-lit 16:9 display capable of playing 720p video.[8] However the Edge 11 and 13 does not include an optical drive.[1] The laptops came in three colors: Midnight Black (Smooth), Midnight Black (Gloss), and Heatwave Red (Gloss).[8]
Design
Lenovo designed the laptops to "reflect a new progressive and strikingly clean appearance while retaining ThinkPad durability and reliability".[7] For example, along with the new Island-style keyboard, the Edge series had some keyboard design changes: uniform black keys and the removal of the embedded number pad. The Function keys were re-designed so users could use one finger to access functions such as multimedia keys.[7] Some keys which were rarely used like SysRq were removed.[7]
The ThinkPad Edge 11 laptop was not released in the United States, with the X100e serving as an 11.6-inch laptop solution in the US. The laptop was 1.1 inches thick and weighed 3.3 lbs.[9] Like other laptops in the series, the Edge 11 was made available in glossy black, matte black and glossy red. Despite the low starting price, the Edge 11 laptop included some of the traditional ThinkPad durability features, including solid metal hinges. The battery life was better than both the IdeaPad U160 and the ThinkPad X100e laptops.[9]
Edge 11 (DER Special Edition). A special edition laptop was provided for Australian Year 9 students as part of the Digital Education Revolution (DER) program in 2011.[10]
The ThinkPad Edge 13 laptop was released on January 5, 2010.[11] It was 1.2 inches thick, weighed 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg), and fit into a backpack.[12] The Edge 13 laptop was capable of handling Windows 7 Pro with ease, with multiple applications like Firefox, Microsoft Word 2007, GIMP, TweetDeck, and iTunes at the same time.[13] It did not feature Intel’s Arrandale platform on release, and was launched with an prior generation CULV processor.[14] The lack of processing speed, however, was compensated by a gain in battery life. The laptop delivered 6 hours and 58 minutes of battery life in MobileMark 2007 tests.[15]
The ThinkPad Edge 14 and 15 laptops were both launched on March 22, 2010.[16] A web review noted build quality above average, yet not the same as professional grade ThinkPad laptops. One difference was smaller screen hinges which were plastic-faced instead of metal.[17] While the Edge 14 laptop did not have a roll cage, it was still durable, with no flex on the palm rest, keyboard and touchpad.[18]
The Edge 15 laptop was noted for having the same features as the smaller laptops in the series, with lower build quality.[19] The right side of the palm rest displayed flex under moderate pressure. The keyboard tray also displayed slight inward flexing at the optical drive area.[19] Some positive features included a keyboard that was noted as being very easy to type on.[20] The touchpad was also noticeably easy to use, with fast response time, no discernible lag, even without adjustments.[21] But also at the Lenovo support forum, lots of keyboard failures were reported. The price was viewed favorably, with user experience and feature set receiving praise.[22]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2020)
Model
Release (EU)
Dimensions
Weight (min)
CPU
Chipset
Memory (max)
Graphics
Storage
Networking
Screen
Battery
Other
11.6"
Edge 11 (Intel)
2010
1.53 kg (3.4 lb)
Intel Celeron, Pentium, or 1st Gen Core i3
Intel HM55
8 GB DDR3 — 1333 MHz (2 slots)
Intel HD Graphics
One 2.5" SATA Drive
Gigabit Ethernet Wi-Fi Half Mini PCIe Card Optional BT 2.1 Module Optional WWAN Mini PCIe Card (exclusive)
1366×768
M(6)
Edge 11 (AMD)
2010
1.33 kg (2.9 lb)
AMD Athlon II Neo
8 GB DDR3 — 1066 MHz (2 slots)
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4225
One 2.5" SATA Drive
1366×768
M(6)
13.3"
Edge 13 (Intel)
2010
1.63 kg (3.6 lb)
Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 or 1st Gen Core i3-380UM
Intel GM45 or HM55
8 GB DDR3 — 1066 or 1333 MHz (2 slots)
Intel GMA 4500MHD
One 2.5" SATA Drive
Gigabit Ethernet Wi-Fi Half Mini PCIe Card Optional BT 2.1 Module Optional WWAN Mini PCIe Card (exclusive)
1366×768
M(6)
Edge 13 (AMD)
2010
1.64 kg (3.6 lb)
AMD Athlon Neo X2 L325
AMD M780G
8 GB DDR2 — 667 MHz (2 slots)
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200
One 2.5" SATA Drive
1366×768
M(6)
14"
Edge 14 (Intel)
2010
2.14 kg (4.7 lb)
Intel Pentium or 1st Gen Core i3 or i5
Intel HM55
8 GB DDR3 — 1066 MHz (2 slots)
Intel HD Graphics
One 2.5" SATA Drive One DVD Drive
Gigabit Ethernet Wi-Fi Half Mini PCIe Card Optional BT 2.1 Module Optional WWAN Mini PCIe Card (exclusive)
1366×768
M(6)
Edge 14 (AMD)
2010
2.17 kg (4.8 lb)
AMD Athlon II or Turion II
AMD RS880M
8 GB DDR3 — 1066 MHz (2 slots)
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
One 2.5" SATA Drive One DVD Drive
1366×768
M(6)
15.6"
Edge 15 (Intel)
2010
2.561 kg (5.65 lb)
Intel Pentium or 1st Gen Core i3 or i5
Intel HM55
8 GB DDR3 — 1066 MHz (2 slots)
Intel HD Graphics
One 2.5" SATA Drive One DVD Drive
Gigabit Ethernet Wi-Fi Half Mini PCIe Card Optional BT 2.1 Module Optional WWAN Mini PCIe Card (exclusive)
1366×768
M(6)
Edge 15 (AMD)
2010
2.5 kg (5.5 lb)
AMD Athlon II or Turion II
AMD RS880M
8 GB DDR3 — 1066 MHz (2 slots)
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
One 2.5" SATA Drive One DVD Drive
1366×768
M(6)
Gen 2 (2011)
Edge E220s, E320, E325, E420, E420s
The ThinkPad Edge E220s and E420s were released in Spring 2011, as an updated, "more premium" line of the ThinkPad Edge.[23] These newer series are significantly thinner, and include more of the traditional ThinkPad line of features such as the integrated 720p web-cam. Also notable is the return to use of metallic hinges versus the less durable plastic seen on earlier Edge models. Both the E220s and E420s can be configured with up to an Intel Core i7 processor, which offers a higher level of performance than other notebooks of this size category. The surfaces have been accented with a chrome finish around the exterior, and the addition of the "infinity glass" screen, which features edge-to-edge glass paneling on the display. Many design aspects of the E220s line have been seen in the recently unveiled ThinkPad X1, including the keyboard and touchpad design.
Edge E520, E525
The ThinkPad Edge E520 was launched at the same time as the E420. It is the first 15.6" ThinkPad to feature a numeric keypad.
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Edge 13" (E330, E335)
Edge E330 is the 13 inch version of the third generations of the ThinkPad Edge series. It's available with the 2nd gen and the 3rd gen Intel processors ranging from Celeron, Pentium, and the Core i-series (i3, i5, and i7). It uses Intel HD Graphics as the video accelerator. A higher-end NVIDIA GeForce 610M option was available in the different but similar model, the L330. The ThinkPad Edge E335 is the AMD version of the E330 and it uses AMD APUs and uses Radeon HD Graphics. They also features a pair of 2 watts speaker system with Dolby® Advanced Audio v2 sound technology.
Edge 14" (E430, E430c, E431, E435)
The E430 is powered by second and third generation Intel Core processors with Intel HD Graphics or Nvidia Graphics. Battery life is increased with Nvidia's Optimus power management technology. Dedicated keys for controlling audio and video functions, Dolby Advanced Audio rated speakers, and an optional 720p camera were added to improve the experience for users of VOIP. The E430 makes use of USB 3.0 to improve data transfer speeds.[32]
Edge 15" (E530, E531, E535)
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Model
Dimensions (mm)
Weight (min)
CPU
Chipset
Memory (max)
Graphics
Storage
Networking
Display
Battery
Other
11.6"
E130
1.54 kg (3.4 lb)
Intel Pentium, or 2nd or 3rd Gen Core i3
Intel HM77
8 GB DDR3L — 1600 MHz (2 slots)
Intel HD Graphics, HD Graphics 3000, or HD Graphics 4000
Intel HD (Pentium) Intel HD 3000 (2nd Gen Core) Intel HD 4000 (3rd Gen Core) Option + Nvidia GeForce GT630M (2 GB DDR3) or Nvidia GeForce GT635M (2 GB DDR3)
One 2.5" SATA Drive One DVD Drive
Gigabit Ethernett Wi-Fi + Optional BT Half Mini PCIe Card Optional WWAN Half Mini PCIe Card (exclusive)
Intel HD (Pentium) Intel HD 3000 (2nd Gen Core) Intel HD 4000 (3rd Gen Core) Option + Nvidia GeForce GT710M (1 GB DDR3) or Nvidia GeForce GT740M (2GB DDR3)
One 2.5" SATA Drive One DVD Drive
Gigabit Ethernett Wi-Fi + BT Half Mini PCIe Card Optional WWAN Half Mini PCIe Card (exclusive)
AMD Radeon HD Graphics Option + AMD Radeon HD 7670M (1 GB GDDR3)
One 2.5" SATA Drive One DVD Drive
Gigabit Ethernett Wi-Fi + Optional BT Half Mini PCIe Card
1366x768 TN
M(6)
Gen 4 (2013)
Like the parallel T-series models (T440/T540), Gen4 E-series do not have a touchpad\trackpoint physical buttons.
Edge 11" (E145)
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Edge 14" (E440)
The ThinkPad Edge E440 was released in 2013, as an update to the ThinkPad Edge E430. The new E440 includes new Intel 4th Gen Haswell Processors and 1920x1080 FHD Screen options.
Edge 15" (E540, E545)
The ThinkPad Edge E540 was released in 2013, as an update to the ThinkPad Edge E530. The new E540 includes new Intel 4th Gen Core (Haswell-MB) processors, 1920x1080 FHD Screen options, and Nvidia Graphics
The ThinkPad Edge E545 was released in 2013, as an update to the ThinkPad Edge E535. The new E545 includes new AMD Richland Series APUs and AMD Graphics
The ThinkPad Edge E450 was released in 2015, as an update to the ThinkPad Edge E440. The new E450 includes new Intel 5th Gen Broadwell low power processors, 1920x1080 FHD Screen options, and new AMD R7 Mobile Dedicated Graphics.
The ThinkPad Edge E455 was released in 2015, as a new 14" ThinkPad with AMD Mobile APU Processors. The new E455 includes new AMD Kaveri Processors, 1920x1080 FHD Screen options, and new AMD Graphics.
15.6" (E550, E555)
The ThinkPad Edge E550 was released in 2015, as an update to the ThinkPad Edge 540. The new E550 includes new Intel 5th Gen Broadwell low power processors, 1920x1080 FHD Screen options, and new AMD R7 Mobile Dedicated Graphics.
The ThinkPad Edge E555 was released in 2015, as an update to the ThinkPad Edge 545. The new E555 includes new AMD Kaveri Processors, 1920x1080 FHD Screen options, and new AMD Graphics.
The E480 and E485 have a 14-inch display and optionally come with a Windows 10 64-bit system. USB type-C is used for charging for the first time in the ThinkPad E series. The USB-C port can also connect to most USB-C docks allowing 4K display output, additional USB ports, networking, and charging from a single cable.
The E480 uses Intel Core processors (up to i7-8550U), and is equipped with the integrated intel UHD 620 graphics card or optionally the AMD RX550 2 GB discrete graphics card. The E480 did not have adequate cooling system on the higher end models, especially those with the dedicated AMD RX 550 graphics card, leading to unit overheating.[46] Lenovo released a firmware update that addressed the problem, but substantially limited the performance of the graphics card.[47]
The E485 is similar to the E480 but it uses an AMDRyzen processor. The AMD Ryzen processors use Radeon Vega integrated graphics which outperforms similar Intel integrated graphics.
The Intel models were announced in October 2019. The AMD ones in May 2020.
14" (E14)
The E14 has a 14.0-inch display and optionally come with a Windows 10 Home or Pro 64-bit operating system. It uses 10th Generation Intel Core or 3rd-gen Ryzen Mobile CPUs.
15" (E15)
The E15 has a 15.6-inch display and optionally come with a Windows 10 Home or Pro 64-bit operating system. It uses 10th Generation Intel Core or 3rd-gen Ryzen Mobile CPUs.
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2020)
^"Engadget". Though the 1.2-inch thick Edge isn't as thin as some other modern ultraportables, like the inch-thick ASUS UL30A and ThinkPad X200, at 3.5 lbs it feels extremely light in a hand and it slipped nicely into a backpack for a weekend trip.
^"Engadget". Performance-wise, we've got nothing to complain about, as the Edge compares favorably to other CULV laptops we've reviewed. With a 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive our $899 version ran Windows 7 Pro without a hiccup and didn't lag when we had Firefox, Microsoft Word 20078, GIMP, TweetDeck and iTunes all open and running.
^Cheng, Cisco. "PCMag". PC Magazine. The Edge 13 is one of the few laptops that are not launching with Intel's latest "Arrandale" platform, which will have processor names like Core i7, Core i5, and Core i3. Instead, it uses a previous generation CULV platform, complete with an Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 (1.3 GHz), 4GB of RAM, and integrated graphics.
^Cheng, Cisco. "PCMag". PC Magazine. With CULV laptops, battery life is the biggest claim to fame. Although the Edge 13's 63WH (6-cell) scored almost 7 hours (6:58) in MobileMark 2007 tests, it came up well short against the ASUS UL30A-A1 (10:27) and ACER A3810T (8:39).
^"Laptop-Review". Yesterday Lenovo launched their two newest noteboosk for SMBs (small and medium sized businesses). They are called ThinkPad Edge 14 and 15, and as the names suggests, the displays measure 14 and 15.6 inches, respectively.
^"Notebook Review". 27 January 2022. Build quality is above average compared to consumer notebooks, but a step below business-grade ThinkPads. The screen hinges are noticeably smaller than what you might find on a standard ThinkPad; they are plastic-faced, not metal. ThinkPads have been known for strong screen hinges that last throughout the notebook's life without wearing out.
^"Notebook Review". 27 January 2022. Unlike more expensive ThinkPad models, the Edge 14 doesn't have an internal rollcage, but Lenovo still managed to keep the notebook pretty strong. The palmrest, touchpad and keyboard have no discernable flex under strong pressure and the frame doesn't flex if you carry it by the corner of the palmrest.
^ ab"Notebook Review". 27 January 2022. The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 15 offers the same features as smaller Edge models, but falls short when it comes to build quality in the larger 15-inch chassis.
^"Notebook Review". 27 January 2022. What makes the keyboard unique is that it's the first Chiclet keyboard I have found that's very comfortable and easy to type on.
^"Notebook Review". 27 January 2022. Overall, the touchpad was pleasant to use, with a fast response time and no discernable lag. Sensitivity was excellent and no adjustment was needed out of the box.
^Cheng, Cisco. "PCMag". PC Magazine. The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 15 has several things working in its favor. For one, it's a cheap small business laptop for those who are looking to buy several at a time. Second, the user experience and feature set are among the best in this category.