Prime Notebook Computer Review

The ThinkPad X120e is the latest “netbook alternative” for business from the team at Lenovo. A new wave of AMD Fusion processors aimed at 11.6-inch ultraportables is making its way into Netbook-size laptops, promising a new generation of tiny, well-powered budget super-Netbooks. Stick one into a ThinkPad design, and you have the ThinkPad X120e, an update to last year’s ThinkPad X100e (which had AMD’s Neo processor).

The same platform already proved to be pretty awesome in HP’s Pavilion dm1z with an almost perfect blend of power, graphics, and endurance, but does the X120e reap the same benefits? At $399 ($579 for our review unit), is the perfect, affordable ThinkPad ultraportable finally here? Has Lenovo finally gotten it right? And how does it compare to the other new Fusion affordable ultraportables or notbooks, as we’ve taken to calling them? We’ve got those answers alright – hit the break for our full review.

These laptops regularly combine solid build quality, excellent keyboards, precision TrackPoints (that red dot in the middle of the keyboard) and fantastic warranty support. Matte black, solid, and unassuming, the ThinkPad X120e’s design emulates the look of most ThinkPads. It screams professional, but it’s hardly something that will turn heads. Being more than an inch thick doesn’t help, but the tapered front end helps slim the look and offers a lip for easy pick-up on coffee tables. The X120e hasn’t changed a bit compared with the ThinkPad X100e, and that includes the unfortunate bulging battery on the back end. With a laptop that’s not exactly svelte, we’re surprised that the battery couldn’t have been better integrated.

The ThinkPad X120e is powered by AMD’s dual-core 1.6GHz E-350 processor, though it has 4GB of RAM compared to the HP’s three gigs. (There entry level $399 X120e will have a single-core E-240 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and three-cell battery.) The benchmarks below prove much of what we already knew about AMD’s Fusion Zacate – it absolutely wrecks the previous Neo platform and Intel’s Atom on performance, while handily beating Intel’s integrated graphics. Those high numbers also translated to really peppy everyday performance.

Noise levels were average during normal daily use. The default fan speed seemed to pulse between off and on at a low setting. The fan didn’t get as loud as the fan on the old X100e, probably because of the lower heat output from the E-350 APU. Bottom line, the external temperatures of the X120e are quite “lap friendly” for regular use while traveling. All temperatures shown below are listed in degrees Fahrenheit.

The X120e with AMD E-350 APU delivered 5 hours and 53 minutes of battery life with the screen set to 70% brightness, wireless active and continuously refreshing a website, and Windows 7 set to the “balanced” power profile.

It’s a good thing we believe in second chances, eh? The X120e is without a doubt an improvement over the X100e in terms of battery life, thermals, and performance, and considering we’ve always loved its classic looking chassis and amazingly comfortable keyboard, we’re obviously pretty taken with the affordable little laptop. But the real question: do we like it better than HP’s dm1z, which is priced around $450? That’s a tough one, but when it comes to value, there’s no doubt that HP’s dm1z is the better choice – it has virtually the same specs as the ThinkPad (okay, one less gig of RAM and Windows 7 Home Premium), but comparable performance and battery life for $100 less. We assume for that reason alone many will snatch up the HP, however, if you’re looking for something a bit more professional looking combined with some great ergonomics, the X120e may just be worth the extra cash.