ThinkPad Edge 13.3″ Review. ThinkPad for Small Business, Emerging Markets, & You?

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A compelling new lightweight laptop for small business and emerging markets, the ThinkPad Edge is a wonderful opportunity to get ThinkPad quality and performance at a price affordable for people on a tight budget – the Edge starts at $549.

<– Learn More about the ThinkPad Edge

The machine is currently only available with a 13-inch display, but Lenovo will introduce 14″ and 15″ in the second quarter of 2010. There are many new features which make the ThinkPad Edge stand out, so let’s take a look at some of them.

Lenovo gives us a choice of processor with the ThinkPad Edge, and we get to choose from either Intel or AMD. The AMD Athlon Neo X2 dual-core processor equipped ThinkPad Edge starts with a L325 (1.5GHz) processor with more options likely. Intel versions currently have the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo SU7300 1.30GHz 800MHz Processor.

Whilst the Edge is not customizable there are plenty of pre-built options and colors. Choose between 2GB, 3GB or 4 GB of DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz and up to a 320GB 7200rpm Hard Drive.

This version of the ThinkPad Edge has a 13.3″ WXGA-resolution glossy display with 16:9 screen ratio with 14″ and 15″ options following later is the year. The screen has good color and contrast and images display well. Of course the Edge is HD capable so watching movies was a pleasure although some colors looked slightly washed out.

Graphics come courtesy of an ATI Radeon HD 3200 IPG graphics card or the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD. I think our choice would be to go for the AMD chipset which in our opinion ensures higher quality video great rendering of 3D graphics, complex images, color and sharpness.

As with every other business and personal machine from Lenovo, the ThinkPad Edge comes with an integrated webcam so you can keep in touch anywhere you need to.

Lenovo holds on to its reputation for build quality with the keyboard on the ThinkPad Edge, which, although it is lower in cost, maintains a strong and durable undercarriage to ensure years of operation. In a nod to growth of smart phones and touchscreens, the TouchPad on the ThinkPad Edge is equipped with “gesture-enabled” technology that allows users to use two fingers to zoom, rotate and scroll through pages and screens. And of course, there’s a center-mounted TrackPoint on the keyboard.

ThinkPad Edge Keyboard

Let’s just clear up the keyboard issue, because it is different, being ‘chicklet’ or ‘island’ style, which is a huge departure for ThinkPad. Let’s say right from the outset that this is a superb keyboard and Lenovo have done a great job in implementing it. Keystroke action and feedback are excellent with no flex or bounce normally associated with this type of keyboard. Its very satisfying to type on, we like it.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge can connect to the rest of the world virtually anywhere. There are integrated Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi cards, optional GPS equipped WWAN and optional WiMAX.

For a 13-inch machine, there are a surprising number of ports, inputs and outputs for peripherals and additional connectivity. For starters, enjoy wireless peripherals with the integrated Bluetooth chip. Should you want to connect to larger displays, there are both VGA and HDMI outputs. To access all of your favorite media, there’s even a 5-in-1 card reader and for additional device connectivity there are three USB 2.0 ports.

The six-cell battery in the ThinkPad Edge should give you 6 to 7 hours of use

What really makes the ThinkPad Edge unique – apart from its price – is the design. Never before has Lenovo offered such a stark, and many say inspired, break from the traditional box-shaped matte black case. The Edge, however, has supremely supple lines that call out to be touched, and the case is available not only in glossy black, but also in Heatwave Red.

A great machine for the price, the ThinkPad Edge can even compete with machines in higher cost brackets. Aimed at small businesses, the ThinkPad Edge won’t replace the more advanced ThinkPad classic series. In fact, it’s more likely to whet the appetite for the rest ThinkPad line.

Understanding the Edge.

To really ‘get’ the ThinkPad Edge, you have to understand where Lenovo came from when they set out to bring this notebook to market. The ThinkPad Edge is not meant to compete with the traditional ThinkPad “Classic” range, nor is the Edge meant for the rough and tumble of corporate life. The ThinkPad Edge was conceived as a machine that would take the ThinkPad brand into whole new and emerging markets.

The ThinkPad Edge is a notebook that will appeal to the 258 million Small Business owners in China and other cost conscious users around the Globe. Users who are aware of the ThinkPad reputation, but cannot afford a full blown ThinkPad T500 for instance.

We can also expect to see the ThinkPad Edge range in retail outlets like Best Buy, so now if you are a corporate ThinkPad Classic user, you can finally outfit your spouse and kids with a ThinkPad!

Lenovo have translated the ThinkPad image really well into the Edge. Build quality is good, the keyboard is excellent, and performance is good enough to handle all the everyday work stuff you can throw at it. And the Edge does compare very well against the other budget brands out there. OH, and let’s not forget the famous ThinkPad Global support which starts with a Free 1 year Global Warranty

If you are a classic ThinkPad user and you’re looking for a low cost second notebook, or you’re a corporate ThinkPad user and want to bring the ThinkPad brand into your personal life then the ThinkPad Edge 13″ is a great little notebook that will serve you well. Recommended.

ThinkPad Edge Video Review