Lenovo is the first big name to send us a notebook based on Intel's third generation Intel Core CPU. It's not in one of the company's flagship ThinkPad models, but instead in a ThinkPad Edge E530. This is a 15.6in, 2.5kg notebook that's suited for home and small business use. It's a plain-looking, yet attractive notebook, but with a build quality that is reminiscent of a budget machine that should cost well under £1000. It doesn't have niceties such as a backlit keyboard, but it does feature a useful set of ports and it sports a configuration that should earn the respect of most power users. See also Group test: What's the best high-end laptop?
Specifications and performance
With an Intel Core i7-3612QM CPU at the helm, the ThinkPad Edge E530 has more than enough grunt to tackle office applications and tough tasks such as media transcoding with ease. It has a standard clock speed of 2.1GHz, four cores and Hyper-Threading, which means you can multitask heavily without noticing too much of a slow down in performance. Visit Group test: what's the best laptop?
In our Blender 3D rendering test, a time of 22sec is all it took to complete our workload; to put it in perspective, it's identical to the time recorded by the Toshiba Qosmio F750, which uses a second generation Core i7-2670QM CPU that runs at a slightly faster standard speed of 2.2GHz. While the third gen CPU wasn't faster in this test, it's an indication of better efficiency, being able to perform the same task at an equal time, with a slower speed.
It was a few seconds faster in our iTunes MP3 encoding test, where it recorded 48sec compared to the Qosmio's 55sec, a noticeable gain. Using AutoGordianKnot to convert a test DVD file to an Xvid file, it took 41min, which is a time that's even better than what a traditional powerhouse laptop such as the ThinkPad W520 achieved in this test. Using Arcsoft MediaConverter 7 to convert a test DVD file to an MKV file, a time of 8min 28sec was achieved, which is another very good showing.
The new CPU also includes Intel's integrated HD 4000 graphics, which provide almost double the performance of Intel's previous generation HD 3000 graphics — in common benchmarks such as 3DMark06, at least. The ThinkPad Edge E530 recorded a score of 7139 in this benchmark when using its integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics, a great result. Laptops with HD 3000 graphics get a result between 3000 and 4000.
That's not enough for Lenovo though: the company has also included a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M graphics adapter. This is a new value/mid-range adapter that provides a little more speed than the HD 4000 can produce, and makes the ThinkPad Edge E530 a little more versatile when it comes to all-round computing. With the NVIDIA adapter, a score of 9445 was recorded. In Battlefield 3, running at the native resolution of the screen and with automatic image detail, the game ran consistently between 26-30 frames per second and was very playable.
You could use the ThinkPad Edge E530 as a gaming machine quite easily, unless you're a hardcore gamer with higher-end 3D performance expectations. Switching technology allows the ThinkPad Edge to use the integrated graphics when the notebook is on battery, and the discrete graphics when it's plugged in. Applications can also be customised to use whichever adapter you choose.
The rest of the Lenovo's configuration consists of 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM, a 1TB, 5400rpm hard drive, a 1366x768-resolution LCD panel, a built-in DVD burner and plenty of useful connectivity. You'll find Gigabit Ethernet (using a Realtek chip), dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi (using a Broadcom 2x2 a/b/g/n Wireless LAN PCI Half Mini Card Adapter), four USB ports (two of which are USB 3.0-capable), a VGA port, an HDMI port, a combination headphone and microphone jack, and an SD card slot. There is also a webcam and Bluetooth.
The hard drive, with its 5400rpm spin speed, produced decent transfer rates in CrystalDiskMark; it read at a rate of 99.86 megabytes per second (MBps) and wrote at 97.79MBps. In our own transfer tests, where we duplicate data from one location on the drive to another, it recorded a more modest 37.85MBps. We would have liked a faster drive in this unit, perhaps even an SSD. In saying that, the 1TB capacity is definitely a drawcard and still reasonably quick thanks to its high data density.
Battery life
Considering it's a large laptop with a 15.6in screen, a high-end processor and lots of RAM, it performed very well in our battery rundown test. It has a comparably strong 62 Watt-hour battery that lasted 3hr 36min in our test, in which we disable power management, enable Wi-Fi, maximise screen brightness and loop an Xvid-encoded video until the laptop dies.
Many mainstream notebooks, such as the aforementioned Qosmio, last just over two hours in this test. Even notebooks such as the Core i3-based, 15.6in Medion Akoya E6228, which has a similar battery rating, last only just over three hours. The last iteration of the Lenovo ThinkPad T420, which is a 14in laptop with a 57 Watt-hour battery, lasted 3hr 30min, so the Edge 530 is better than that notebook, too. Basically, its battery life is impressive for a such a big unit with so much power under the hood.
Design and build quality
Unlike other ThinkPad models, the ThinkPad Edge E530 doesn't have a screen-mounted light that can shine down on the keyboard, nor does it have a backlight for its keyboard. However, it still retains Lenovo's dual-pointing devices, using Synaptics-based drivers for its TrackPoint and TouchPad. Whichever device you use is entirely up to you and we had almost no problems using either of them. The touchpad is 93x67mm and has buttons that are located under the pad itself. Unfortunately, right-click-and-drag operations failed every time and this is something we have experienced with other touchpads that have a similar design, such as the one on the Toshiba Satellite U840 Ultrabook. Apart from that, the touchpad, which also has little bumps on it that sometimes tickle, wasn't a problem for us; it reacted accurately to three-finger flicks and two-finger scrolling gestures.
If there's one thing that Lenovo does consistently well, it's comfortable notebook keyboards. We love the keyboard on the ThinkPad Edge, which has full-sized keys that feel soft and responsive. It's a keyboard that's very comfortable to use for long typing sessions. A full-sized number pad makes it easy to crunch lots of numbers and there are shortcut buttons that allow you to quickly bring up the Calculator application, the My Computer folder, the Windows search box and the Windows lock/log-in screen.
The main functions of the F-keys are to change brightness and act as media controls, but these can be swapped around in the BIOS so that if you're used to hitting F5 to refresh a Web page, you won't all of a sudden bring up the webcam application. Likewise, the position of the Fn and left Control keys can be swapped around so that the Ctrl key is the one right on the corner. There is a dedicated Print Screen key, which we like, and clearly marked Home, End, Page Up and Page Down keys. The arrow keys are a little cramped, but that's a minor quibble.
The overall build quality of the ThinkPad Edge isn't great, and our test model creaked a lot at the front where the bottom and top pieces of the chassis come together. Furthermore, the side that has the optical drive bends a lot and clicks can be heard when the notebook is picked up from this side; these clicks are the chassis colliding with the front bezel of the DVD burner. Basically, it feels like a budget computer system, despite the modern, cutting-edge CPU that it houses.
While using the discrete graphics for gaming, the base can get very warm. Due to the location of the heat sink and the vent area on the left side of the notebook, this heat also travelled up through the WASD keys. It made for a slightly uncomfortable experience. That said, if you're using this notebook for gaming, you'll probably hook up an external keyboard and mouse anyway.
The notebook's hinges are strong and they hold a 15.6in screen that's good for use in rooms with lots of lights. Its matte finish isn't prone to reflecting room lights and glare is minimal. As is the case with most notebook screens on the market though, its vertical viewing angles are shallow and contrast is lost when viewing it from too high or too low. We found its colour reproduction to be adequate for viewing photos and presentations, although we would have liked a little more saturation.
Speakers are located on the front of the laptop and they are merely of passable quality. Don't expect a full range of frequencies out of them, especially on the low end. Furthermore, if you use the notebook on your lap while listening to music through them, they will be muffled. Plug in some headphones or speakers for serious listening and just use the built-ins for YouTube.
Conclusion
All up, this is a fast and very capable notebook. It's perfect for office work, multimedia work, and you could even use it for gaming unless you're hardcore. The build quality of the unit isn't great, and we noticed lots of creaking, but it's a notebook that houses a decent amount of features, including USB 3.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi, and its battery life is great.
Editor's note: at the time of writing, a price for this specific model was not available. However, a model with the same CPU, 6GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive could be purchased for $899 from Lenovo's Web site, a great price, albeit with a waiting time of two to three weeks.
Comments
Matt Egan said: No I just dont want you making unsubstantiated accusations on this site I dont think a discussion about the ethics of Toms Hardware or CNET is adding anything so Im just going to delete your previous post
pseudonym said: Wait you are an editor of a hardware review site and you dont remember this controversy How old are you While it wasnt recent it certainly isnt new and it was a huge deal at the time Toms went from being the big kid on the block to being almost completely ignored by people actually involved in the IT industry I certainly wouldnt trust a review from them When I get a chance later tonight I will find the links to the stories for you But you might want to think about that a bit You seem quite defensive over Toms and CNET Are you sure you want me to dig up these old issues with those two sites and then post them here for the world to see again
Matt Egan said: Prove or withdraw those accusations against Toms Hardware and CNET or Im deleting your comment Im seriousIll let you defame us Youre scrappy and I like that But I dont fancy having to use our libel insurance to defend your teenage rantsWhat can I say We tested a product and it was fine You have a very different experience Our readers can take both pieces of information on board before making a purchasing decision Thats a good thing right
pseudonym said: Are you not aware of the controversy in the hardware industry over paid reviews on sites Tom Hardware was the most well known but I believe CNET was caught as well Toms was THE most respected hardware review site on the net and they were on the take for years before anyone found out about it I didnt have a single bad experience I have 2000 of them I manage a major deployment of these devices I am not some home user with a single laptop and a grudge I have thousands of users on these things and the extra cost due to build issues is considerable The ethernet jack for instance The connection to the PCB is terrible an thechassisdoesnt line up correctly with the port This means that you have to force the ethernet jack in to even get a good connection and that causes the jack to fail sometimes with-in days That is an example of very poor attention to detail and build quality When my users are turning in their E530s desperate to get an E520 you know you have a bad device Just a comparison between it and the E520 its directpredecessorshows how low the quality has fallen The keyboard ischintzyand stiff with poor feeling I have had a number with stuck keys right out of the box The track pad is overly large and the lower buttons are horrible If you rest your fingers on them it causes the track pad not to work It is nearly impossible to type on this device without issues with the track padYou are comparing devices but it would seem that you are missing information When system managers with major deployments come to you and say This isnt an accurate reflection of my experience with this device then what service ARE you providing and to who Your review should be reflective of what a user or manager can expect and I can tell you from experience that it is not
Matt Egan said: It just seems odd to call yourself pseudonym in that case No matter Of course you can see the tests - they are in the review Unless you havent read the reviewYou are my friend confused I dont think giving a four star rating to a very very poor device is ethical in any way I fail to see where ethics comes into it - we tested a product in good faith and gave it a rating based on its test performance in comparison to other similarly priced products In fact to do anything else would be unethical It wasnt very very poor when we had itIn our tests we didnt notice any amazing lack of build quality again read the review I regret that youve had a bad experience but fail to see how we could have anticipated that or react to it given that our experience is different We can judge only by what we experience in our test labs And - with respect - your rather vague comments along the lines of the ethernet jack is simply not acceptable dont make me worry about our testing processesNo matter This is the critical point You say Paying tech sites for good reviews is standard practice in the industry and doesnt defame anyone You are 100 wrong on both countsNo reputable tech site would accept payment directly or indirectly in return for a positive review Whats more no reputable tech company would make the offer It would be unethical on both sides and it simply doesnt happen To suggest we have taken money for this review is simply libellous I hate to use that term because it makes me look like a bully and of course we have no interest in taking action against you - Id simply delete your comment if I thought people would believe itAnd this sentence Dont think that just because you didnt get a cheque you didnt get paid is frankly risable To the best of my knowledge we havent taken any advertising revenue from Lenovo in the past couple of years But the critical point is I dont know Im the editor of a commercial website - the product we sell to advertisers is an audience of people reading an independent expert product Frankly Lenovo couldnt pay us enough to sacrifice our good name And yes we do get products before they go to market - although not often from the tier-one laptop makers But that is because we have more than 5 million readers If PR companies started withholding review samples from sites that gave them an honest test youd soon know about it trust meYou are entitled to your opinion on the value or otherwise of our content and the products we review Im glad to hear them But if you want to throw around ill-informed accusations then we are entitled to hope you make good on your original promise and get your kicks elsewhere
pseudonym said: I would like to see those tests They cant have been very complete These issues were obvious from the first moment that I unpacked this device It is our standard issue laptop to all our clients I have over 2000 of them currently in the field I know the issues with this device very VERY well including the amazing lack of build quality for a ThinkPad banded product The ethernet jack is simply not acceptable We have to send these back on almost a daily basis to have the motherboard replaced Of course theopportunitycost because of this is massive as is the disruption to the user As your site is used by professionals who are going to use your review to make major buying decisions I dont think giving a four star rating to a very very poor device is ethical in any way If it is then your testing is deficient and ineffective Paying tech sites for good reviews is standard practice in the industry and doesnt defame anyone Payments are rarely cash very seldom are but rather you are paid in early access to review new products and get more add revenue you are paid in gear and you are paid in access Dont think that just because you didnt get a cheque you didnt get paid If that isnt the case then I doapologizefor the comments however if that IS the case then you need to do some serious work on your reviews You missed every single issue with this device andbasicallygave it a whitewash which is not reflective of the quality of the device And yes I know I gave you my real email address Why would I not That is why you have Disqus after all
Matt Egan said: Pseudonym and by the way you gave us your actual email when you posted this diatribe you are 100 entitled to your opinion Clearly your opinion differs from our reviewers and thats also fine And while we will miss you if you wish to never visit this site again theres not much we can do about that so that is also okay Good luck to you But please PLEASE dont accuse us of taking payment to write a positive review That defames not us and Lenovo the worlds largest tech media company and the worlds largest PC maker It simply doesnt happen And throwing around accusations of corruption just makes you look juvenile We test things and write reviews based on those tests Thats it
pseudonym said: wow you gave this POS device FOUR stars How much did Lenovo pay you Either that or you have never actually used it The touchpad is much too large making the device difficult to type on The keyboard is cheap and stiff the build quality is terrible with bits sticking out and clams shells that dont close properly The hardware was built by micky mouse The ethernet jack generally needs to be replaced after about 3 months of service This is hand down the WORST lenovo I have ever used This device has significantly reduced the value of the ThinkPad brand The fact that you gave it four stars is astonishing I sure wont ever be using your site for consumer information You are obviously already bought and sold
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