Today brings the launch of a “first” for Lenovo and the ThinkPad brand. Enter the ThinkPad X100e: an 11.6-inch ultraportable with fewer compromises than a traditional netbook, powered by AMD processors and equipped with a new ThinkPad keyboard.
The X100e, along with the other new notebooks announced today, brings several firsts to the ThinkPad brand, so let’s dive in.
Specifications
Chassis
- 11.6-inch 1366×768 LED backlit display (200 nit)
- 11.1 x 7.4 x 0.59 – 1.16 inches (6-cell adds 0.82 inches to rear)
- 3-cell: 2.99 lbs, 6-cell: 3.3 lbs
- 6 row ISO full size “chiclet” style keyboard with UltraNav
- Midnight black and heatwave red exterior colors
Technology
- AMD Neo MV-40 1.6GHz (at launch)
- AMD Turion Neo X2 L335 1.6GHz, 512KB L2 / Turion Neo X2 L625 1.6GHz, 1MB L2 (1Q 2010)
- ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics
- Windows 7 & Windows XP preloaded and supported
- 2 SO-DIMM slots, 4GB max
- Gigabit Ethernet, Realtek b/g/n WiFi, optional Bluetooth, Gobi 2000 3G mobile broadband w/GPS
- 3 USB 2.0 (1 powered), VGA, 4-in-1 card reader, low-light webcam
- 160-320GB 2.5-inch 5400rpm HDD
- Stereo speakers, combo headphone/mic jack
- 3-cell 2.2Ah (2 hr runtime), 6-cell 2.6Ah (5 hr runtime)
- $449 starting price
ThinkPad “Firsts”
- New “chiclet” style keyboard (along with ThinkPad Edge)
- Exterior color choices (along with ThinkPad Edge)
- AMD processors
As was pointed out to me on a previous post about the X100e, technically the X100e isn’t the first ThinkPad with a color option. Certain 15.4-inch Z61m laptops, which introduced widescreen to ThinkPad, had a titanium top-cover shell. This is rather different from the new Edge and X100e though, as these models have a true color paint job rather than a metallic cover.
You could also count the $449 starting price as a first. Price is all relative to inflation, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that a sub-$500 MSRP is a first for the ThinkPad brand. While we likely won’t see any mega e-coupons run on the X100e, some discounts will pop up every now and then to reduce the entry price even more (or at least discount the higher end models).
The benefit for businesses
Businesses, like consumers, are all about the bottom line these days. Arguments about Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and roll cages only go so far. And since most office workers don’t need anything more than office productivity software and web browsing, businesses have been carefully considering low powered, low cost netbooks.
The problem with most netbooks is that corporate-level support like account management, spare parts inventory and specific technical problem resolution don’t exist. HP and Dell had attacked this space with “business” versions of their netbook designs, and Lenovo had a stopgap in the IdeaPad S10e.
The X100e not only brings full business-level support to an inexpensive, small form factor, but it also eliminates some of the main complaints about netbooks. A larger, high resolution screen, full-size ThinkPad quality keyboard and hopefully non-netbook performance from AMD’s platform should all make the X100e more attractive to businesses than other sub-$500 notebooks.
What about consumers?
The X100e actually opens up the ThinkPad brand to a whole new section of consumers by addressing three main areas: size, price and color. The size and price pain points make sense, but color? Bear with me.
I love ThinkPads and have since I bought my first T42 in college, but even my status as “technology know-it-all” among my friends and family couldn’t sell a ThinkPad to almost all of my female acquaintances. Even my fiancée insists she likes her pink bargain-basement Dell better. While a red color may not put the entire world in awe and shock, it is a step in the right direction.
What remains to be seen?
From a ThinkPad lover’s standpoint, the biggest unknown with the X100e is the keyboard design. Yes, Lenovo ****ed with the keyboard again. From what we’ve heard though, the chiclet design is the way of the future and while I can’t see a functional reason for the shift, I have faith that they wouldn’t change it for the worse. I mean, it’s not like they’ve ever messed with the keyboard before and had to fix it, right?
Performance is another concern. While the AMD processors should certainly out pace the standard Intel Atom, that isn’t exactly a high standard to beat. From where I’m sitting, it needs to handle multi-tasking (word processing, e-mail, multiple web browsers, music playback) and high res Flash video playback (Hulu, Netflix, etc).
How does the ThinkPad X100e rub you, right or wrong?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
It mostly looks good to me, though I’m skeptical of the thinkpad branding as it seems more like an ideapad. I wish they’d retained separate plugs for audio out and mic in. It looks like they’re using a different power plug than before. I’ve had pretty rotten lock with the Realtek ethernet chips on AMD servers, but at least it sounds like they didn’t use the Broadcom chip from the Ideapad S10/S12. Again my personal main concern is Linux compatibility, which won’t be an issue for that many users. I’m fine with the AMD processor and am delighted that there are two memory slots instead of just one like most netbooks.
I’m cool with the colors and if I buy one, I might go for the red one. I like that there’s higher screen resolution than the typical netbooks (I think of this unit as a netbook rather than a thinkpad). I’ll have to wait and see about the chiclet keyboard but it’s not necessarily so bad. All new Apple machines have chiclet keyboards and they are fine. But some other ones are awful.
Basically this X100e sounds much more attractive than an S12 and (despite the higher price and size) probably more attractive than the S10-2 and, and I might buy one if my X40 craps out before my finances improve. I don’t see it as that much of an upgrade over the X40. My upgrade path is probably still an X200s or its successor.
Oh, I just noticed that the cpu at launch is single core but there will be a dual core configuration in 1q2010 (that’s THIS quarter, folks). I guess I’ll hold out for the dual core.
I agree, the X100e is a much more attractive option than the S10/S12. The TrackPoint seals the deal for me, that is what I miss most when using any IdeaPad. Also the ATI graphics will likely get Flash acceleration support at some point, which there has been no talk about for Intel yet. Atom CPU’s can’t play high res Flash video and I doubt the AMD CPU can by itself either, but with the ATI graphics…
Actually, there are closing an important gap with this product. I am not so sure with teh other “edge” models:
- It is the only model in the current line up with x40/x60 footprint or smaller ( the x200 is quite a bit bigger in foot print)
- It is the only option in “very small and light” which has a track point.
On the other hand I would not mind a x100+ model with a classical thinkpad finish
Engadget has some hands-on photos and although the models shown there are pre-pre-production (see the “SIT” logo on the bezel), they do show a regular matte finish. Link
Wow, I would buy this right now if it had a digital video out (HDMI or DisplayPort). It’s so annoying not to have that one little feature – I can’t connect it to my TV, and if I connect it to my 24″ monitor over the VGA everything is fuzzy (I know, because I am stuck with this problem on my T400). Really, I don’t get it.
No argument here. Digital video output needs to be standard these days. If someone is on a projector constantly, there are plenty of adapters to be had.
> 3-cell 2.2Ah (2 hr runtime), 6-cell 2.6Ah (5 hr runtime)
5 hours runtime when Samsung and Toshiba are announcing 10+hours for cheaper is simply not acceptable.
Too bad being a hard core Thinkpad fan I was really expecting it …
That’s fair, but keep in mind you are giving up some processing power (and graphics power) by going with a Samsung or Toshiba netbook. Not quite apples to apples, everybody has their priorities.
I might buy one anyway because of the trackpoint.
But I really think that on this kind of machine battery life is more important than CPU.
John, do you know if this will come with any of the new Arrandale (i3,i5) Intel CPUs? The X100e with the 32nm, 1.06ghz (1.86ghz/2.13ghz w/ turbo boost) intel i5-520UM o ri5-620UM and their 18W TDP would be very interesting. I imagine it’d be even more power efficient plus powerful due to the die shrink. The only thing is the GPU – not sure if there are any Arrandale compatible ones equivalent at least to the HD3200.
Anything is possible for the future, but stepping up to an Intel chip (particularly the Arrandales) would drastically increase the cost of the machine. This is supposed to be low cost as well as ultraportable.
THE MASTER PLAN (what’s best for the x100e)
As soon as I order this with a Turion Neo X2, i’m immediately opening a new window and heading to newegg.com for a 80GB Intel X-25M SSD for about $284. That should improve things. With a super fast SSD and 4GB of ram, this could prove to be a wicked fast notebook……torn between red and black, both look good. I do like a low profile, so black maybe the way to go.
The HDD that comes with the laptop can be formated and used as an external 160GB.
This think is going to be SWEET!!!
hello
i want to see new model laptop
thanks
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