Lenovo ThinkPad X100e Ultraportable Review
Summary and Conclusion
Performance Summary: In our SiSoftware Sandra tests, the Lenovo ThinkPad X100e managed to hang tough with some supposedly more powerful platforms, and in most every regard, the Athlon Neo MV-40 performed well above what we expected from a netbook / ultraportable platform. Unfortunately, these nice benchmarks, speedy boot-up times and satisfactory multi-media scores led to lackluster battery life and a good deal of heat, which were the two main drawbacks on an otherwise stellar machine.
If you hadn't noticed, we really like the Lenovo ThinkPad X100e. The classic ThinkPad cues that you're used to are all here (save for the blue Enter key), and while the port selection left some things to be desired (an ExpressCard slot, FireWire port, eSATA or HDMI socket would've been nice), the overall value cannot be overlooked with a starting price of under $500. It's built extremely well; it's rugged, tough, solid and rigid. There was no keyboard flex to speak of, which is nearly unheard of at this price point.
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The overall design is excellent. The classic ThinkPad look seems to be even more appealing at a small size, and the fantastic keyboard layout made typing for long periods really easy. The trackpad and left/right click buttons were also outstanding (among our favorites), and the inclusion of a multi-touch gesture pad really took things up a notch. We weren't really pleased with the battery life, but we think it's a fair trade for the outstanding performance put out by the AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 processor and Radeon IGP. Even still, the ThinkPad X100e gets our recommendations without hesitation; if you're in the market for an 11.6" ultraportable, do yourself a favor and check this machine out. It performed way better than similarly priced netbooks, the anti-glare screen is a rarity in this space, and build quality it top notch.
If you hadn't noticed, we really like the Lenovo ThinkPad X100e. The classic ThinkPad cues that you're used to are all here (save for the blue Enter key), and while the port selection left some things to be desired (an ExpressCard slot, FireWire port, eSATA or HDMI socket would've been nice), the overall value cannot be overlooked with a starting price of under $500. It's built extremely well; it's rugged, tough, solid and rigid. There was no keyboard flex to speak of, which is nearly unheard of at this price point.
;)
Click To Enlarge
The overall design is excellent. The classic ThinkPad look seems to be even more appealing at a small size, and the fantastic keyboard layout made typing for long periods really easy. The trackpad and left/right click buttons were also outstanding (among our favorites), and the inclusion of a multi-touch gesture pad really took things up a notch. We weren't really pleased with the battery life, but we think it's a fair trade for the outstanding performance put out by the AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 processor and Radeon IGP. Even still, the ThinkPad X100e gets our recommendations without hesitation; if you're in the market for an 11.6" ultraportable, do yourself a favor and check this machine out. It performed way better than similarly priced netbooks, the anti-glare screen is a rarity in this space, and build quality it top notch.
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