By SUBASHINI SELVARATNAM
intech@thestar.com.my
The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 is not fancy looking or feature rich but it functions well.
The ThinkPad Edge 11 is a thin and light notebook that weighs about 1.55kg. It is small and slim enough to slip into almost any bag.
This being a Thinkpad, the design is not eye-catching or fancy. It's mostly black with a bit of silver and grey here and there. Still, the simple and sleek design of the Edge 11 may appeal to some users.
Also, the build quality of the notebook is impressive and it looks really sturdy.
A peek inside
The Edge 11 is powered by an Intel Core i3-380UM processor which runs at 1.33GHz. The i3-380UM is a low-voltage microprocessor that is designed for ultraportable and light notebooks. It's not a speedy processor but one that is not thirsty for battery juice.
The notebook comes with an 11in screen with a resolution of 1,366 x 768-pixels. The screen size is just slightly larger than most netbooks which usually have 10in screens.
The 11in screen is still big enough to get work done and the contrast and brightness was pretty good.
Also, the Qwerty keyboard was quite comfortable to use. The only snag were the arrow keys because they are just too small. I have small fingers and I still had a problem using them - I almost always hit the larger Shift key located above the arrow keys. This can become quite annoying after awhile.
NIGGLY PROBLEM: One of the things that bother us is the tiny arrow keys on the Edge 11 keyboard.
There is also a row of function keys at the top of the keyboard. The function keys, although small and crammed together closely, are still easy and handy to use. There are the standard buttons for adjusting brightness, volume and more.
Also, the notebook has a pointing stick which is unique to the Thinkpad. However, if you are not used to it, you are better off using the standard touchpad which is pretty good.
The notebook has a 320GB hard disk drive which is ample space for storing your documents and multimedia files.
Like most notebooks of its size, the Edge 11 lacks an optical drive. This isn't really a big deal anymore as most stuff can be transferred using the Net or a flash drive.
Speedy notebook
Although the notebook only uses a Core i3 processor, it starts up amazingly fast. Most times, it only took one minute to boot up.
The notebook can also handle HD movies. We played several 720p movies using KM Player and the notebook could handle most of them. However, some videos didn't play very well and the audio went out of sync.
NO DRIVE: The Edge 11 lacks an optical drive, but this isn't really a big deal anymore as most stuff can be transferred using the Net or a flash drive.
Watching a movie on a ThinkPad Edge 11 is obviously not as exciting as watching it on a larger screen. The good news is that you can connect the notebook to a HDTV via the HDMI out.
Speakers on the Edge 11 were not too bad but for a better movie watching experience, a pair of headphones is a must.
We were not impressed with the notebook's battery life. When used for watching short videos, surfing the Internet, listening to music, and word processing, the battery lasted about 3.5 hours.
Conclusion
Overall, the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 is a decent notebook that just works. It's great for surfing the Net, getting work done and playing light games. It also starts up really fast which is always an advantage when you need to use the notebook on the go.
There isn't much to dislike about the Edge 11. We were only bothered by the short battery life and the rather tiny arrow keys.
The price is also reasonable. For RM2,099 you will be getting a sturdy business-class notebook with decent specifications.
Overall, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 is a pretty good notebook without bells and whistles.
Pros: Sturdy; faster start-up time.
Cons: Short battery life; tiny arrow keys.
ThinkPad Edge 11
(Lenovo)
Ultra-portable notebook
Processor: Intel Core i3-380UM (1.33GHz)
Memory: 2GB RAM
Display: 11in
Graphics: Intel integrated graphics chip
Storage: 320GB
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11bgn, 10/100 Ethernet port
Ports/slots: Three USB ports, SD card, HDMI slot, VGA port, headphone jack
Battery: Lithium-ion 6-cell (5,200mAH)
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium
Other features: Built-in webcam
Dimensions (w x d x h): 28.4 x 21.1 x 2.95cm
Weight: 1.55kg
Price: RM2,099
Rating: 3.5
Review unit courtesy of Lenovo Malaysia, 1-800-18-2388