Help me choose a portable Thinkpad: X series or Edge?

Hi,
I am looking for a Thinkpad that is not too heavy or expensive, but could be used for most office-tasks (eg: powerpoint, web browsing, document processing, skype, Excel, occasional movie/songs) and would last long.

While the X130e with AMD processor looks nice, I found cheaper models in the E series that have Intel i3 processors. This made me feel if it was a good idea to go for the E series machines. I would like to hear from you on the arguments for and against E series or X130e machines.

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

I would avoid the E series if you want something that will last... Just my own experience. I find it sad that they carry the ThinkPad name IMO.

 

I believe the X130e is made for kids and more rugged than your typical $500 notebook. I think from a performance perspective, the AMD is fine. Andrew did a nice write up of the X130e here if you want to have a look. Obviously the rock star of the ultraportable world is the X220, but it's more expensive. Lenovo is offering it for $720 right now. Plus $50 for the IPS and you're good to go. That's $200-300 more than the X130e, but it's a better notebook.

 

I have an E420 for two yrs and love it, it is not as sturdy as Txxx but is certainly lighter and better than many other notebooks I have used. However the battery only lasts 3 hours.

 

We saw conflicting replies from users. I would like to know what are the basic differences that make the E Series notebooks with Intel processors cheaper than X series notebooks with AMD processors?

Also, @ZaZ: I understand that Lenovo marketed the X130e as a kids' notebook, but is it that bad? I mean, is it not suitable for daily use by adults?

Thanks again for all your replies.

 

I had an E420 for a short while. My general thoughts are that is was pretty nice, and the E430 actually solves the main issue I had with the machine. The case on the E420 had a sharp edge around the palm rest and a sharp seam, both of which would dig into my wrists when typing. After 10 minutes it would get really uncomfortable. For me, the rounded palm rest alone made the T-Series worth it. For the new models (E430), they've resolved this; the seam is gone and the top of the palm rest has a slight slope to it. Obviously, I wasn't the only one who had issues with it.

While people like to throw around the "real Thinkpads are more reliable", I think it's best to quantify what the differences are and whether or not it's worth it to you. The T-series have the magnesium roll cage, which is good if you're frequently carrying the laptop with one hand, tossing it in an overhead compartment or traveling with it a lot or generally treating it harshly. Secondly, the plastics seem to have a higher-end "feel" to them with the textured plastic case vs. the matte case. In terms of durability, that's about the only differences. The components otherwise are pretty much the same.

So, comparing the E430 to the T430 or 420, it'll depend on whether or not the more durable chassis is really worth it to you. When compared to the low-voltage models like the X130E, it'll depend on what you're using it for. If you're doing anything which involves any crunching of data or multiple files, the processor will be noticeably slower.

 

I think it's fine to use for an adult. It's made extra durable because kids tend to be a bit more rough with their notebooks.

 

Thanks for your reply- it was useful. It will be sometimes used for heavier tasks, but not always. In fact, I wanted a portable laptop that would not be too bad for occasional tasks requiring a little high end. I had started the search with the Acer Aspire one, but because of durability and quality concerns, I wanted to take a Thinkpad later. If I keep stretching like this, I could go on and buy a full fledged T-series laptop, but my main objective is not that. The confusion between E series and X130e was mainly because of a higher end processor and lower price in E-series. Any explanation about how E series comes at that price?

I understand now, thanks