Smallest ThinkPad

Ultra-portable notebook ThinkPad X100e was officially presented to the press last week and is already available for sale at a price of 16 to 20 thousand rubles. This price tag makes it the most affordable ThinkPad notebook. It differs from the classic series of laptops, such as the ThinkPad X200, with an updated look and a new keyboard design. And, perhaps the most important change: for the first time a ThinkPad notebook is built on the AMD platform, not Intel.

However, the main features of ThinkPad notebooks are preserved in x100e. The keyboard is full-sized and comfortable, and with the new design the same key design is used as in the classic notebooks of the series. The case is strong, with reliable metal fastenings of the halves of the laptop. The screen is matte, and this, I think, will appeal to many. The proprietary software is also in place, starting from the utility for power management and ending with a full backup system. And, of course, the laptop has a proprietary red trackpoint, without which the ThinkPad is no longer a ThinkPad!



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The ThinkPad X100e is not the only laptop with a new design, but this year it also introduced the ThinkPad Edge notebook line. These models were designed specifically for small businesses, hence the affordable price. Classic ThinkPad laptops with a conservative design, a decent price and a body of tricky metal alloys are not going anywhere. By the way, the line of light and powerful notebooks ThinkPad X201, built on the basis of Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, has just been updated.

Appearance



The new design of the ThinkPad X100e as a whole retains the usual approach: the appearance is strict, there is not a single glossy detail. However, now ThinkPad is also available in a bolder red color.



The keyboard has undergone the most noticeable changes: the buttons are separated from each other, much the same way as in modern laptops from other manufacturers. But there are differences. The keys have a slight tilt "towards the user" and are slightly concave. The rarely used buttons disappeared: the SysRq key and the context menu button in Windows.



The keys "up" and "down" are located close to each other. Buttons Page Up and Page Down are recessed into the case. This is convenient: they are always at hand, but you cannot accidentally press them.



Fn and Ctrl buttons. The new ThinkPad, including the X100e, has a BIOS setting that allows you to swap these keys - this will be convenient for those who are used to having the Ctrl key to the left of Fn.



The classic trackpoint is enhanced by a MultiTouch touchpad. At the disposal of the owner of the laptop is a double set of mouse buttons. After a month of using the laptop, I came to the conclusion that the trackpoint is more convenient than the touchpad, if the laptop is used on the go. The touchpad is recessed into the case, and the buttons are located on the very edge. On the one hand, this is not very convenient - you can accidentally press a button with your hand or elbow. On the other hand, the touchpad keys are instantly located blindly.



A notable innovation was the reduction in the number of indicators to a minimum. In the laptop, the power button is illuminated, two indicators (battery + sleep mode) are located on the front end, another LED indicates that the webcam is on.



Features ThinkPad X100e following:
Processor : AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 1.6 GHz
RAM : 2 GB DDR2 (up to 4 GB)
Hard Drive : 250 GB 5400 RPM
Display : 11.6 inches, 1366x768 pixels, built-in webcam
Operating system : Windows 7 Starter, Home Premium or Professional
Connectors : 3xUSB, VGA, SD / SDHC card reader, Gigabit Ethernet, combined headphone and microphone jack
Wireless modules : WiFi 802.11b / g / n, Bluetooth 2.1, optional 3G modem
Battery : 3-cell (up to 2 hours of battery life) or 6-cell (up to 5 hours)
Dimensions : 282x189x29,5 mm with 3-cell battery
Weight : 1.33 kg with 3-cell battery, 1.5 kg with 6-cell battery

I note a few interesting points. First, the laptop can be purchased with the corporate version of Windows 7 Professional, which is not available in less productive netbooks. Secondly, all ThinkPad X100e are prepared to install a 3G modem. The tested model was equipped with such a modem, which is also equipped with a GPS-receiver. I will tell about it in a separate material - the device is very interesting. The laptop, like other ThinkPad, is equipped with Active Protection System - a motion sensor that allows you to protect the hard drive in the event of a fall. Finally, the ThinkPad X100e comes with a Broadcom WiFi module with support for the 802.11n standard.

Performance

The capabilities of the X100e in various synthetic tests and real-world programs have already been sufficiently explored in several online publications. I will not repeat, just give the links:

Review on Retera.ru
Review on Hi-Tech.mail.ru
Review on Mobi.ru

In short, the AMD Athlon Neo processor is about 30% more productive than Atom solutions. In addition, the laptop is equipped with an ATI Radeon HD3200 integrated graphics card with support for DirectX 10. The video chip supports hardware accelerated high-definition video and even allows you to play games. Not in Crysis, of course, but my beloved Far Cry (first) and Half-Life 2 work well with minimal settings and at the native screen resolution. Such a nice addition to a business notebook.

Display

The screen in X100e is matte, it almost does not reflect the light of lamps in office conditions, which allows
set the minimum brightness values. The resolution (1366x768) is high enough for a diagonal of 11.6 inches, as a result - the image is very smooth. At maximum brightness, the text can be read even in bright sunlight.

Autonomous work

ThinkPad X100e 6-cell battery provides up to five hours of operation without charging. In practice, battery life depends on how you use the laptop. In a typical test run time, when playing a standard-definition video, the X100e lasted 2 hours and 32 minutes. With the included wireless module and active networking, the laptop worked 2 hours and 38 minutes.

To achieve maximum battery saving, you can use the proprietary utility Power Manager. If you reduce the brightness of the display and turn off the wireless modules, as well as set the "minimum" mode of processor power, the battery life will increase significantly. In this mode, the laptop worked 4 hours and 33 minutes.

On sale, the laptop is available with a three-cell battery that does not protrude from the case. It makes sense to buy such a modification if you need the lightest laptop possible. The battery life is only two hours, with a heavy load - just over an hour. 6-cell battery provides at least two hours of battery life in any mode.

Software

On corporate software in the media reviews pay less attention, but in vain. A set of programs that come bundled with the ThinkPad X100e is the same as that of the "adult» ThinkPad. For example:

Power Manager 3

It’s hard to find a more convenient power manager. It is built into the Windows taskbar, so you are always aware of how much time is left before the battery is discharged. “Predictions” are quite accurate: after changing the power supply parameters, the program takes about a minute to correctly evaluate the changed conditions.



In Power Manager, absolutely all power settings are available: for the processor (four different modes), screen brightness, and so on. Battery Stretch's special mode allows you to add a few minutes of battery life due to total power savings: switch to a simple Windows theme, mute and turn off the display after 30 seconds of waiting.



The program also allows you to see detailed information about the installed battery: the estimated and current capacity, temperature, number of charge-discharge cycles (I got 26 in a month). By the way, the laptop quickly (in about two hours) charges the battery to 97-98%, after which charging stops. This prevents the battery from overcharging in the event of heating and, accordingly, prolongs the battery life.

System Update 4

This program automatically downloads updated drivers and firmware versions from the Lenovo website. With it, you can install and missing drivers and utilities in the system.



Rescue and Recovery 4.3

Ready backup solution - buying and installing additional software is not necessary. The backup copy can be saved on the hard disk of the laptop or on external media, you can set up scheduled copying.



On the hard disk of the laptop there is an additional section with a “factory” copy of the operating system and programs. The image of the system can be recorded using the built-in software for 3 DVD-discs or, which is much more convenient, to a USB flash drive, from which you can later boot to restore.

findings

It so happened that for a month already the ThinkPad X100e is my main laptop, and during that time I had already met him enough to share my impressions of actual use, and not “the company's official point of view”. For me, the X100e turned out to be the most affordable laptop with a full-sized keyboard. This is one of my most important requirements for a mobile computer, and from this point of view, the ThinkPad X100e is one of the best in its price and “weight” categories.



The next most important selection criterion is performance. Most of the time office programs, a browser and Skype work on a laptop. With this set - no problem. Listening to music in the background - please. Had to perform on a laptop and more complex tasks: convert audio, process photos in the "lightroom". We cannot say that x100e copes with such tasks quickly, but in “field conditions”, when there is no more powerful computer at hand, it can be used for that.

ThinkPad X100e fits well into the niche between netbooks and 13-inch thin laptops. Paying a fairly small amount, compared with 10-inch netbooks, you get a full keyboard, high-resolution screen and better performance. And, not least, you will receive a corporate level of support for ThinkPad notebooks: a large set of additional programs, availability of drivers for Windows XP, Vista and 7, with all software and drivers, as well as BIOS - updated regularly.