Getit25 wrote:
as far as design goes i can understand people who have owned thinkpads before would want to keep with the style that hasnt changed much at all in recent years for a comfort thing.
I don't like the "classic" ThinkPad styling for reasons of comfort. I like it because it I like having a computer that looks more like a work tool than something marketed to college kids. I like having a computer that doesn't look out of place in a serious meeting; one that doesn't distract with shiny, flashy, gaudy trim.
thats when i saw these new Edge models that are coming out soon, so going with you 'materials' line this is what im interested in. as far as i can tell they use the same cpu,motherboard,graphics cards, ram, ssds, usb 3.0 etc. So what materials are of cheaper quality in the Edge's
The chassis. Look, here's the long and short: ThinkPads have a good rep for durability and reliability due to things like the use of high-grade composite materials and the inclusion of an internal magnesium alloy skeleton. They're designed with business use in mind, and are well-equipped to the rough handling that a laptop can get when, say, it's taken on flights all over the country and around the world.
The "ThinkPad" Edge series has none of that. No advanced materials. No "reliability first, looks second" design. No internal support frame. Just the usual malleable plastic and chrome-like trim. It's designed to look "cool" (i.e. the same as other gaudy, shiny consumer laptops) and be cheap.
Now if you don't care about durability or professional appearance that's OK. In that case, the Edge might be fine for you (as would any random ODM box). But if you want a ThinkPad for all the reasons that makes geeks recommend them, you don't want an Edge.
Finally, since car analogies are all but required:
A real ThinkPad is like a classic black sedan. Reliable, safe in a crash, powerful engine, etc. It's a serious car, but not a terribly show-worthy one.
The Edge series is a Honda Civic painted red with a plastic spolier and "carbon fiber" decals driven by a 17 year-old with a "Thug 4 Life" T-shirt.
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