R50e's have fewer features...

[underclocker]

Informational posting;

R50e's have fewer features than typical modern ThinkPads. I'm posting this so others can make informed decisions prior to purchasing an R50e. For other "e" models, like R51e, R52e, R60e, expect fewer features, too - maybe not the same reductions, but fewer features than the non-"e" models.

The R50e is still a fine machine for the right application, in fact it may get longer battery life, weigh less, and be more reliable (less things to break) due to the reductions. Their relatively lower selling price is due to these reductions.

Some R50e motherboards did not have (specifically, the Celeron CPU models);

-mini-PCI slots
-wifi antennas

All R50e motherboards (both Pentium M and Celeron CPU models) were functionally limited as compared to T4x motherboards these ways;

-support for only one PC Card slot
-no dock/port replicator connector
-no internal microphone
-mono speaker output
-no S-video out port (TV out)
-no ifrared port
-no touchpad support
-no hot swappable optical drives or eject lever (not an UltraBay, but drive is cold swappable)
-no support for the UltraBay slim battery (no internal connector)
-no IBM Active Protection System (no motion sensor)

[agarza]

This go way back to the A2x series laptop, my first Thinkpad was a A22e which featured only one speaker, no video out, celeron processor but very happy overall

[carbon_unit]

Actually you can remove the optical drive without removing the keyboard. Just open the tray pull it out to the end and gently pull on it while wiggling it side to side. It comes right out.

[ms5133]

I believe there is a catch that needs to be released at the back of the drive before it can be removed( at least in my R50e there was)

To get at the release the keyboard has to be removed..no biggy but not really something you would want to do every day.

[underclocker]

Update. I picked up an R50e. Beautiful condition. Very nice with surprising performance with a 1.4GHz Celeron M (1MB cache version), 768 MB RAM and a 4200 rpm drive.

I was able to pop out the CD-ROM drive by removing the keyboard, holding the eject lever to one side and pushing the drive out with a small screwdriver. There didn't appear to be any internal catch (but there may have been manufacturing changes along the way?) I was also able to remove it by holding the eject lever to the side and pulling gently on the open drive tray, this technique is mentioned above.

The R50e does weigh less than an R51, mine weighs 5 lbs. 10 oz., with 14" LCD, WiFi, CD-ROM drive, two memory sticks and a 6 cell battery.

My R51, with similar specs., weights exactly 6 lbs. - which is six ounces more.

By way of comparison, my T43 weighs 5 lbs. 5 oz. - only five ounces less than the R50e.

My T40 weighs exactly 5 lbs.

[FRiC]

A few points to add.

R50 and R51 are quite different (different chipsets, CPU, etc.), but the reduced priced versions of both systems are called R50e. The R51e based on ATI X200 chipset and is quite different from the regular R51. The graphics on the X200 is much faster than Intel's 910 series.

There's no R52e.

[underclocker]

R52e clarification - I do not believe there are R52e's either, but a search at Lenovo's web site produces a couple of hits that reference R52e's.

Maybe they had/have plans, but none have been released to date.

There's no R52e.