X100e vs. Edge?

[jamesrhino]

Hello,

I am debating between X100e and Edge.

I already have T61, but would like something smaller / lighter to carry around on my trips (mainly for MS Office, web surfing and etc.).

I do not want a Netbook, but thought that X100e or Edge would fit the bill.

I am leaning towards X100e, but my concern with it is whether the screen size would be too small to work on Excel spreadsheets or Powerpoint.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[comptechexpert]

In my opinion if you can afford it I would go for either an X200 or something like that but if not I would probably say the X100 e because it is a more solid machine and a more sturdy professional laptop in my mind whereas the ThinkPad Edge is more of a style shiny laptop.

Hope this helps!

[jamesrhino]

Thank you. Very helpful!

[comptechexpert]

Good I love to help. Will you keep us updated on what you end up on and I will answer any more questions!

EDIT:You get more for your money such as blue tooth and a bigger hard drive witht the X100e but to me the X100e seems like more of a "ThinkPad" thinkpad if you know what I mean pplus the edge has about 2 inches bigger screen size.

[jamesrhino]

Will do!

Thanks!

[ThinkRob]

I'd also second the recommendation of getting an X200 if you can.

Neither contain the same durability-related features that the X200 does -- features such as the roll cage and carbon/glass fiber panels are missing on these budget "ThinkPads". If you're careful with your machine I wouldn't worry too much about that, but if you're buying a ThinkPad for reasons of reliability/durability, you might be better off with the X100's "big brother".

[comptechexpert]

Yes I would agree with that advice and you should go with an X200 model if you can, but if not I would go for the X100e.

Also if you are using it for it's portability a lot and only use it on a desk plugged in sometimes I would maybe think about installing a windows7-Ubuntu dual boot setup so when you are traveling and need a quick start up boot up Ubuntu but when you just want to use it plugged in properly on a table boot Win7.

What do you think you are going to go with?

[schmaud]

you might want to wait for the dual core x100e, if you have the time.

The screen is small, but with decent resolution, thus excel should not be a problem if you have good eyes.

for x100e/ x200: they have quite different sizes. I know that the x200 is quite a bit bigger than a x60 series, and teh x100e is a tad smaller than the x60.

If you in ahurry, I woudl consider a refurbished or used x6x(s) with soem warenty left. I am happy with my x60s.

cheers

r.

[domi]

Hello,
I am leaning towards X100e, but my concern with it is whether the screen size would be too small to work on Excel spreadsheets or Powerpoint.

The resolution is the same, so you will see exactly the same amount of info on both the X100e and the Edge. I recently purchased an X100e and I have no problem with the display size (my main system is an X60s)

[domi]

In my opinion if you can afford it I would go for either an X200 or something like that but if not I would probably say the X100 e because it is a more solid machine and a more sturdy professional laptop in my mind whereas the ThinkPad Edge is more of a style shiny laptop.

How can you make any comments on the relative sturdiness of these new machines if you haven't seen either? I can compare the X100e to an X60s, because I have both of them in front of me. I can't say anything about the Edge because I haven't seen one yet up close.

[domi]

for x100e/ x200: they have quite different sizes. I know that the x200 is quite a bit bigger than a x60 series, and teh x100e is a tad smaller than the x60.

The form factors (X100e vs. X60) are different, so it's difficult to compare them. It also depends on the battery you have: my X60s has the smallest battery of all (4-cell?), whereas my X100e has the protuding 6-cell battery. The protuding battery actually makes the X100e slightly deeper than the X60s. The X100e is of course wider than the X60s. Their thickness is about the same, but the pattern is different: the X100e has the same thickness all over, whereas the X60s is thinner in front and thicker in the rear. The X100e (again, with the 6-cell battery) is about 200 grams heavier than the X60s.

[archer6]

How can you make any comments on the relative sturdiness of these new machines if you haven't seen either? I can compare the X100e to an X60s, because I have both of them in front of me. I can't say anything about the Edge because I haven't seen one yet up close.

Well said, I agree! In my opinion, until one actually owns and _uses_ the_ laptop, any comments are pure guesswork. Reading or reviewing articles does not make one an expert.
.
Cheers...

[archer6]

The form factors (X100e vs. X60) are different, so it's difficult to compare them. It also depends on the battery you have: my X60s has the smallest battery of all (4-cell?), whereas my X100e has the protuding 6-cell battery.

Of the wide variety of new ThinkPads I've purchased over the years, one of my absolute favorites, is my X60s w/4cell. I continue to use it frequently, as it's such a great, small ThinkPad. I've been thinking of buying the X100e. How do you like yours?
.
Cheers...

[jayexel]

I would recommend a X60 or X61. I'm sure you can pick up a new one for the same price as the x100e. While it's older hardware, it still performs better than the x100e. It will also last longer than the x100e.

In the end i'm a not fan of either system Lenovo released. 100e is a super netbook and for people who want new things. In terms of computing performance older Lenovo laptops in the same weight class outperform this. I used the 100e and I turned back to my x61s before upgraded to the X301. The edge is a consumer class machine that leverages the thinkpad brand to make more money on the cheap netbook platform. I cannot comment on usage, but spec wise this machine is weak. If you like a netbook and you are in love(talking about Apple-like love) with the thinkpad design then this machine is for you.

[jvarszegi]

I would recommend a X60 or X61. I'm sure you can pick up a new one for the same price as the x100e. While it's older hardware, it still performs better than the x100e. It will also last longer than the x100e.

The X60/X61 are a little long in the tooth. You have no way of predicting how long one will last (or do you? What's the basis of your statement, just owning and liking an X60???). You have no way of predicting how long a new x100e will last either-- but the main difference is you can buy one new with Lenovo support. Can you do that with an x60? Am I smoking crack here?

[ZaZ]

Reading or reviewing articles does not make one an expert.

Neither does owning one. Some opinions that owners would give are preferences, which means it works for them because of their tendencies, but may not for you. Some owners may be new to a product/brand and won't have the experience to give an informed answer. When you've seen many ThinkPads, I don't think drawing inferences from past experience and strong brand knowledge is akin to guesswork, even if you haven't owned the particular model. Saying the X200 series Thinkpad, which sells for twice as much as the X100e, offers better quality the X100e is hardly a stretch. If only those who owned a notebook were allowed to give opinions this forum would be much less busy and you'd be leaving a wealth of knowledge off the table.

[jayexel]

The X60/X61 are a little long in the tooth. You have no way of predicting how long one will last (or do you? What's the basis of your statement, just owning and liking an X60???). You have no way of predicting how long a new x100e will last either-- but the main difference is you can buy one new with Lenovo support. Can you do that with an x60? Am I smoking crack here?

There is no way of predicting, but I can confidently say build quality-wise the x60 was better than the x100e. Why look at the supplier reports for each generation. Check out the components they use ie board level components.

[ThinkRob]

The X60/X61 are a little long in the tooth. You have no way of predicting how long one will last (or do you? What's the basis of your statement, just owning and liking an X60???).

It's a safe bet that the X60/X61 will be a better long-term buy (as of this moment) than the X100e. They have much faster processors, more upgrade options, and better build quality. Heck, the X100e doesn't even ship with a dual-core CPU, let alone an low-voltage one!

You have no way of predicting how long a new x100e will last either-- but the main difference is you can buy one new with Lenovo support. Can you do that with an x60? Am I smoking crack here?

New? No. But you can get them in exceptionally good condition with several years left on the warranty. IIRC given the discontinuation date (early 2009) and the maximum possible warranty (5 years) it is quite possible to find fairly "young" machines warrantied through the start of 2014.

[jvarszegi]

I can confidently say build quality-wise the x60 was better than the x100e. Why look at the supplier reports for each generation. Check out the components they use ie board level components.

Sorry, it's just a little hard for me to join you in your leap of faith.

[jvarszegi]

It's a safe bet that the X60/X61 will be a better long-term buy (as of this moment) than the X100e. They have much faster processors, more upgrade options, and better build quality. Heck, the X100e doesn't even ship with a dual-core CPU, let alone an low-voltage one!

Er, no. Take a look around and you will find claimed "like new" used X6x laptops-- some which even come with a year or less on the warranty!-- for similar or more money. And I guess if I were concerned that much with performance, I'd save up a bit more and get a new X20x series that will come with better, newer components and 3-4 year support.

The fact is, as most people tend to forget, that for the vast majority of computing tasks that people actually do to be productive, quite low processing power will do the trick. But a broken off-warranty machine generally won't.

New? No. But you can get them in exceptionally good condition with several years left on the warranty.

I'm seriously interested to see this stock of like-new machines with 3+ years left on the warranty. In what parallel universe does this humongous stockpile exist?

IIRC given the discontinuation date (early 2009) and the maximum possible warranty (5 years) it is quite possible to find fairly "young" machines warrantied through the start of 2014.

Where is this max-warranty machine you speak of? Someone had better scarf it up! Because there sure ain't multiple ones kicking around from what I've seen (in fact I haven't seen any). And how does it make an older X6x series machine a better buy for the whole world?

What's really going on here is a bit of pique that a new, cheap machine offers what most people want in a Thinkpad: durability, reliability, and useability. And all in an ultraportable size.

[ThinkRob]

I never said there was a vast stockpile of brand new, warrantied X61s out there. I simply stated that it's not impossible to find one with a warranty. It's not even hard -- a quick search of eBay turns up a couple as of my initial post.

Where is this max-warranty machine you speak of? Someone had better scarf it up! Because there sure ain't multiple ones kicking around from what I've seen (in fact I haven't seen any).

Actually, any machine that's still in warranty can have the warranty extended to the maximum term. So really you just have to find an X60/X61 that's still in warranty -- and that's not hard.

And how does it make an older X6x series machine a better buy for the whole world?

Depends on your needs really. If you're after the best performance and battery life for your buck, the X100e isn't your best pick IMO. If, on the other hand, you value a new machine more than a fast or flexible one, it might be. It's all a question of priorities. As far as performance is concerned, the X60/X61 is so far ahead of the X100e that it's likely that it will be able to handle "modern" applications for longer than the X100e; it was on this basis that I stated that the X6x would be a "better buy".

[jvarszegi]

I never said there was a vast stockpile of brand new, warrantied X61s out there. I simply stated that it's not impossible to find one with a warranty. It's not even hard -- a quick search of eBay turns up a couple as of my initial post.

Yep, I quickly found a couple of used machines with around a year or less left on the warranty.

Actually, any machine that's still in warranty can have the warranty extended to the maximum term. So really you just have to find an X60/X61 that's still in warranty -- and that's not hard.

Okay, that sounds like a decent option. Of course it will make the machine more expensive. How much does it cost to extend a remaining one year next-day on-site warranty for two more years? I'm betting it's quite a bit. Just going from three to four years at time of initial purchase generally costs a bundle. I'd rather have a new X200 for similar money.

If you're after the best performance and battery life for your buck, the X100e isn't your best pick IMO.

Best performance for your buck gets you a Dell. Best battery life for your buck gets you a netbook. Best peformance and battery life for your buck gets you a Dell or something similar.

The X100e obviously isn't intended to be a high-performance machine. It's intended to be a business machine with robust reliability, usability and support. It seems to have hit an untapped vein in the market, if you go by the current backlog of orders. It's not what it's not; but it's not somehow unusable, easily breakable, etc. just because it's not a higher-end Thinkpad, as some here would advise in knee-jerk reaction to an entry level Thinkpad.

The X60/X61 is so far ahead of the X100e that it's likely that it will be able to handle "modern" applications for longer than the X100e; it was on this basis that I stated that the X6x would be a "better buy".

Your statement astounds me. Did you know that word processing and most other computing tasks that make people productive in the business world have not increased in basic requirements for many years now? For someone who needs to do such tasks and does not need to do movie editing, heavy photo processing, etc. high-end processing power is overkill, wasted money. And if someone does have such needs, an X60/X61 wouldn't be the best choice either.

[raven3]

The edge looks like any other piece of crap computer out there. That silver lining around the sides is so hideous. looks like an HP or dell to me.

As far as the x100e goes, it's really solid. See the "performance and upgrades" thread for my videos and reviews.

[jvarszegi]

The edge looks like any other piece of crap computer out there. That silver lining around the sides is so hideous. looks like an HP or dell to me.

As far as the x100e goes, it's really solid. See the "performance and upgrades" thread for my videos and reviews.

I have to admit that I didn't even consider the Edge after seeing the look of it. I would have been embarrassed to use it in front of other people. I'm not a hater, but it's not my cup of tea at all.

[ThinkRob]

Your statement astounds me. Did you know that word processing and most other computing tasks that make people productive in the business world have not increased in basic requirements for many years now?

In theory, you're right. Practically, software bloat means that the hardware requirements for "office tasks" today are substantially greater than those five years ago.

Now do you need to upgrade? No. Heck, Office 97 would still work great for most people's needs! But try explaining to the average business user that "No, you don't need to use the newest Office/Windows combo", etc. Easier said than done...

For my non-coding tasks, my hardware requirements are basically what they were almost a decade ago. My e-mail client, browser, IRC client, Usenet client, etc. would all run just great on a mid-range machine from 2001. Then again, I don't use Windows or any proprietary software, so I'm not locked in to the "latest and greatest" upgrade cycle...

I'm going to pick up an X100e as soon as it ships with a low-voltage or ultra-low-voltage chip. It looks like a decent netbook, and the only thing stopping me from buying one to put through its paces is the lack of a decent CPU. (IMO, a single-core, power-hungry budget chip is not acceptable.)

[jvarszegi]

Practically, software bloat means that the hardware requirements for "office tasks" today are substantially greater than those five years ago.

Now do you need to upgrade? No. Heck, Office 97 would still work great for most people's needs! But try explaining to the average business user that "No, you don't need to use the newest Office/Windows combo", etc. Easier said than done...

I can report that Office 2007 runs fine (still using the stock drive as my cheapo SSD hasn't arrived yet), at least using Word and Excel. I will try Powerpoint shortly, though I don't use it that often. I also have an older copy of Visio that I may install, but so far I don't expect any problems.

Whatever the X100e is, I don't think it's a netbook. I consider it to be a somewhat underpowered laptop compared to most options today. Netbooks are known for their terrible performance and great battery life, and usually for less than stellar useability. The X100e has adequate performance, middling battery life and stellar useability. It's a different beast.

The keyboard is growing on me even more. I hope that my next smaller Thinkpad has something similar. I was mightily worried about the "chiclet" keys, but without any real reason as it turns out. If I had my druthers, there would be just a smidge more key travel, but I think the keyboard will encourage me to type more softly over time, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I think the screen is just fine. Like my previous Thinkpads, this one is a no-frills machine that's pleasant to work on.

I have never had an X200, but a machine just like the X100e with a dual-core low-voltage Intel (non-Atom) chip would be perfect for me, since I could probably do personal stuff like Photoshop editing a little easier on it (I haven't loaded PS yet but may do it out of curiosity). I just don't know if they will ever make something like that, because too many people would probably pick it over an X200 for the cheaper price.

In the end, if it weren't for wanting something small to slide into my bag right now and wanting to save money, something would have changed: I would have picked an X200 for $400-500 more, or I would have waited to see what developed regarding processor choices for the X100e. (I would not have personally picked an X61 even with a support upgrade, even if money were no object. I love touchpads and hate the trackpoint, even though before the X100e, my first wide-screen, I would have always preferred a 4:3 screen.) But in the end, the X100e is fast enough to be my small workhorse (work pony?). It does seem to be roughly as fast as an X41 to me; I had one with a 1.6 Pentium M that was pretty well specced for its day and would probably do all right for the same productivity tasks today.

The processing power is not the drawback-- it's the battery, really. Doing some light surfing and office work got me about 4:20 before I plugged back in; this was in power-source-optimized processor mode and about 50-55% screen brightness. I expect the SSD to give a minor improvement, maybe 20 minutes. I am sort of afraid to try loading 20-30 MB Westlaw pages for a few hours of intensive research, but it will happen soon enough.

[jayexel]

I use a Dell x300 as my netbook. Picked it up used for $200 (12" Pentium M, 2lbs), and it's more useful than my roommates Dell mini (10 Atom, 2lbs). You can definitely find older technology that is better than new products.

[Amika]

i tried the x100e before, the only problem i seem to face was while trying to type something, my palm always seem to touch the touchpad area and selected the background application instead of the application i'm typing on.. i wonder if this is my own problem or does anyone else have this problem?

[jvarszegi]

If your palm is brushing against the touchpad, I think you are holding your hands in a quite unusual typing position. Are you sure it's not one or both thumbs that's causing the problem? If so, you will probably find that this happens with most or all touchpads, until you learn to avoid it by holding your thumbs away from the touchpad. This is a drawback of using touchpads on laptops that you have to get used to. (You can also disable the touchpad and get used to using the trackpoint.)

[yvonnet1960]

The edge looks like any other piece of crap computer out there. That silver lining around the sides is so hideous. looks like an HP or dell to me.

As far as the x100e goes, it's really solid. See the "performance and upgrades" thread for my videos and reviews.

Saw the edge at bestbuy the other day. The feel of the keyboard is not bad but the look is no longer "thinkpad"-ish.
Should really be called Ideapad Edge or something like that.