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Review Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145 Notebook

Successful Kabini update. Lenovo upgrades their little ThinkPad Edge (11.6-inches) with a Kabini APU and a considerably brighter display. Otherwise, the newbie and the predecessor model are exactly alike. Will users benefit from the upgrades? Read our review to find out.

For the original German review, see here.

Lenovo's ThinkPad Edge line is conceived as a series of inexpensive notebooks that still offer ThinkPad quality. Lenovo has been successful in this endeavor, at least to some extent. As the newest member of the family, the ThinkPad Edge E145 is also intended to fulfill this role. The computer will look familiar to many readers, as its build is identical to that of its predecessor -- the ThinkPad Edge E135 (AMD E2-1800, Radeon HD 7340) -- and of its Intel counterpart, the ThinkPad Edge E130. We recently reviewed two members of the line: the ThinkPad Edge E130 NZUAXMB (Core i3-3227U, HD Graphics 4000) and the ThinkPad Edge E130 NZU5FGE (Pentium 977, HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)). Can the Edge 145 hold on to the same good rating as its predecessor? Our review holds the answer.

To position the notebook relative to its competition, we'll discuss how it compares to the Acer Aspire V5-131-10172G50akk (Celeron 1017UHD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)) and the Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch (Pentium 2127UHD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)).

Because the ThinkPad Edge E145 is structurally identical to the Edge E135 and E130, we won't elaborate on its case, input devices, connectivity or speakers. You can find information about those components of the device in our reviews of the Edge E135Edge E130 NZUAXMB and Edge E130 NZU5FGE.

Operating System

Windows 7 Pro (64-bit) runs on our test device. There are currently two versions of the Edge 145 on the market. The first model comes with the operating system FreeDOS. The second model has a preinstalled version of Window 7 Pro. This computer also has a Windows 8 Pro recovery DVD (including COA) so that it can be updated to Windows 8.

Display

Like its siblings, the Edge E145 is also equipped with a matte 11.6-inch display. The display has a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels and a good average brightness of 266.1 cd/m². At that value, the E145 clearly outstrips its three siblings. The Aspire (194.4 cd/m²) comes in considerably far behind the ThinkPad Edge. The IdeaPad (238.4 cd/m²) can't quite keep up either.

253
cd/m²
260
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
285
cd/m²
294
cd/m²
277
cd/m²
253
cd/m²
264
cd/m²
253
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N116BGE-L32 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 294 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 266.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 294 cd/m²
Contrast: 330:1 (Black: 0.89 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.14 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 11.48 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
40.51% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
58.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.1
ThinkPad Edge E145 vs. sRGB
ThinkPad Edge E145 vs. sRGB
ThinkPad Edge E145 vs. AdobeRGB
ThinkPad Edge E145 vs. AdobeRGB

The display's contrast (330:1) and black value (0.89 cd/m²) leave something to be desired. The IdeaPad (260:1, 1.01 cd/m²) offers even less; the Aspire's numbers (444:1, 0.43 cd/m²) are at least acceptable. The ThinkPad Edge can't cover the AdobeRGB or sRGB color spaces. It covers about 52% of the sRGB color space. Color spaces play a role in professional image processing.

The average DeltaE 2000 deviation is 11.14. The deviations in dark tones, the grayscale and reds and blues exceed this number. No color falls within the target (DeltaE less than 5). The display also has a blue cast.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation

Outdoor use is definitely possible with the E145. Thanks to its good brightness and matte surface, the display is still easily visible out in the sunshine.

The device's viewing angle stability is no different from the majority of inexpensive notebooks. If you change the vertical viewing angle, the image quickly degrades. There's more room to play around with the horizontal angle: It's easy to read the screen's content from the side, though the image grows darker at greater angles.

The ThinkPad Edge E145 in outdoor use.
The ThinkPad Edge E145 in outdoor use.
Viewing angles ThinkPad Edge E145
Viewing angles ThinkPad Edge E145

Performance

The ThinkPad Edge 145 models are very mobile and hardy 11.6-inch notebooks. If you're looking for a device to use on the go -- or in the home or office -- for writing texts, surfing the internet (you'll need a 3G or 4G stick) or watching videos, you'll get what you need with the Edge 145. The computer can play videos in up to Full HD resolution. The Radeon graphics card is equipped with the necessary decoder for Full HD videos. During Full HD video playback, the DXVA Checker tool records an average CPU and GPU load of 11 and 93% respectively.

Our test device currently costs about 460 Euros (~$625). Without the Windows operating system, the notebook can be purchased for a low 350 Euros (~$475). As was true of its predecessor, Lenovo offers the Edge E145 with either a red or a black display lid. The company provided us with both color options for our review. Anyone who would be satisfied with the performance level of the 145's predecessor can still opt for the Edge E135. The older model currently costs about 290 Euros (~$395) without the Windows operating system.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
System Information Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145

Processor

Lenovo installs the AMD E1-2500 APU in their Edge 145. This APU is part of the new Kabini generation. The CPU component of the APU is a dual-core processor with a speed of 1.4 GHz. There is no turbo. The whole APU has a TDP of 15 watts, which is a little lower than those of Intel's ULV processors.  But in terms of CPU performance, the AMD APU can't keep up with these Intel CPUs. The direct predecessor of the E1-2500 APU, the E1-1200 (Zacate generation), works at the same clock frequency.

The CPU runs the Cinebench benchmark's CPU tests at full speed (1.4 GHz). The Edge E145 can't quite keep up with the Aspire (Celeron 1017UHD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)) and the IdeaPad (Pentium 2127UHD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)). However, we didn't expect anything more of our test device's CPU, as the AMD CPU lies at least one performance class below those of the Intel processors. However, the E1-1200 APU -- at work in the IdeaPad S206, for instance -- comes in considerably far behind ours. The E1-1200 APU's computation results prove to be an average of about 20% worse than those of our AMD APU. AMD managed to significantly improve their lower class APU's performance -- even at the same clock frequency.

Lenovo installed an E2-1800 APU (1.8 GHz; Zacate generation) in the predecessor of the Edge 145, the Edge E135. The Edge E145 exceeds the Edge 135's results by a moderate margin. Compared with other notebooks equipped with the E2-1800, the Edge E145's results are only minimally stronger. With its Kabini architecture, AMD reaches the same CPU performance as the 400 MHz faster E2-1800 APU. Our ThinkPad Edge dominates the Cinebench R11.5 GL tests: Among the three competing devices, it clearly has the strongest GPU.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
1052
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
2016
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
2198
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
1266 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
2391 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
2124 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.35 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
0.66 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
10.81 fps
Help
Cinebench R11.5 - OpenGL 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
10.81 fps
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
5.02 fps -54%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZU5FGE
HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge), 977, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142
6.55 fps -39%
Lenovo Ideapad S206 M898UGE
Radeon HD 7310, E1-1200, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
7.53 fps -30%
Acer Aspire V5-131-10172G50akk
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 1017U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
8.21 fps -24%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
8.64 fps -20%
Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch 20257
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 2127U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
9.38 fps -13%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
9.59 fps -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZUAXMB
HD Graphics 4000, 3227U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
13.09 fps +21%
Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
0.66 Points
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
0.37 Points -44%
Lenovo Ideapad S206 M898UGE
Radeon HD 7310, E1-1200, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
0.52 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
0.59 Points -11%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1.02 Points +55%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZU5FGE
HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge), 977, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142
1.08 Points +64%
Acer Aspire V5-131-10172G50akk
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 1017U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1.3 Points +97%
Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch 20257
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 2127U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1.51 Points +129%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZUAXMB
HD Graphics 4000, 3227U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1.89 Points +186%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
Lenovo Ideapad S206 M898UGE
Radeon HD 7310, E1-1200, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Lenovo B575e
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, WDC Scorpio Blue WD5000BPVT-00HXZT3
Cinebench R11.5
-22%
-9%
-6%
CPU Multi 64Bit
0.66
0.52
-21%
0.59
-11%
0.64
-3%
CPU Single 64Bit
0.35
0.27
-23%
0.33
-6%
0.32
-9%
Cinebench R10
-19%
-4%
0%
Rendering Single 32Bit
1052
888
-16%
1110
6%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
2016
1682
-17%
2092
4%
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
1266
984
-22%
1209
-5%
1210
-4%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
2391
1887
-21%
2319
-3%
2270
-5%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-21% / -20%
-7% / -6%
-3% / -2%

System Performance

Our impression of the overall system is somewhat weakened by its hard drive. The drive's high access time, combined with its sometimes below average transfer speeds, cause the system to start programs somewhat sluggishly. The Edge E135 had a considerably faster hard drive. Still, the E145's PCMark results prove to be respectable. The slow hard drive can't stop the E145 from doing a better job than its predecessor. The E145 can't keep up with the IdeaPad (Pentium 2127U, HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)) and the Aspire (Celeron 1017U, HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)). Both are equipped with stronger processors.

The installation of a Solid State Drive rids the Edge E145 of its problem with sluggishness. We tried it: The system starts up more quickly and runs fluidly. The improved PCMark scores also testify clearly to this. Our Solid State Drive (Crucial RealSSD C300 - 64 GB) increased the PCMark 7 results by about 67%, to 2092 points. The PCMark Vantage score rose by 45%, to 3412 points.

3.7
Windows 7 Experience Index
Processor
Calculations per second
3.7
Memory (RAM)
Memory operations per second
5.2
Graphics
Desktop performance for Windows Aero
4.6
Gaming graphics
3D business and gaming graphics
6
Primary hard disk
Disk data transfer rate
5.9
PCMark Vantage Result
2352 points
PCMark 7 Score
1254 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated
1418 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated
2338 points
Help
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
1254 Points
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
640 Points -49%
Lenovo Ideapad S206 M898UGE
Radeon HD 7310, E1-1200, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
896 Points -29%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1114 Points -11%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1232 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZU5FGE
HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge), 977, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142
1540 Points +23%
Acer Aspire V5-131-10172G50akk
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 1017U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1973 Points +57%
Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch 20257
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 2127U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
2144 Points +71%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZUAXMB
HD Graphics 4000, 3227U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2470 Points +97%

Storage Devices

HD Tune
HD Tune
CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark

Our test device is equipped with a hard drive from the Travelstar-Z5K500 series by Hitachi. It has a capacity of 500 GB and runs at 5400 revolutions per minute. CrystalDiskMark records a read speed of 96.9 MB/s. HD Tune shows an average transfer rate of 77.3 MB/s. These numbers are reasonable for a 5400 rpm hard drive. At 22.1 ms, the access time is a little too high. The 4k read/write results also leave something to be desired. Many comparable hard drives offer better results. These numbers are relevant, as most files are stored in 4 kb-sized blocks. The Edge E135 could be upgraded with the installation of a considerably faster 7200 rpm hard drive. We expected one of these higher models in the E145.

Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
Transfer Rate Minimum: 3.5 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 117.3 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 77.3 MB/s
Access Time: 22.1 ms
Burst Rate: 229.1 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark 3.0 - Read 4k (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
0.102 MB/s
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
0.317 MB/s +211%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
0.452 MB/s +343%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
0.298 MB/s +192%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZU5FGE
HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge), 977, Seagate Momentus Thin ST320LT007-9ZV142
0.428 MB/s +320%
Acer Aspire V5-131-10172G50akk
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 1017U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
0.469 MB/s +360%
Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch 20257
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 2127U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
0.32 MB/s +214%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZUAXMB
HD Graphics 4000, 3227U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
0.424 MB/s +316%

Graphics Card

The Radeon HD 8240 graphics core takes care of graphics tasks. It runs at a speed of 400 MHz and supports DirectX 11.1. In terms of performance, the GPU falls between Intel's HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) and HD Graphics 4000 graphics chips. This is verified by the 3DMark benchmarks. The ThinkPad Edge always scores best when the CPU has very little influence on the result, as we see in 3DMark 2011 and 3DMark Fire Strike, for example. In the rest of the 3DMark benchmarks, the IdeaPad (Pentium 2127U, HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)) comes in ahead, due to the fact that it possesses the strongest processor. The Aspire (Celeron 1017U, HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)) is on par with the Edge E145 in the rest of the 3DMark benchmarks.

The HD 8240 core can boldly compete with the Radeon HD 7310 and Radeon HD 7340 GPUs (at work in the E1-1200 and E2-1800 APUs respectively). It achieves considerably better results than its predecessors.

3DMark 05 Standard
5118 points
3DMark 06 Standard Score
2636 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
1377 points
3DMark 11 Performance
464 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
18212 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
1501 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
272 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
464 Points
Acer Aspire One 725-C7Xkk
Radeon HD 7290, C-70, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
226 Points -51%
Lenovo Ideapad S206 M898UGE
Radeon HD 7310, E1-1200, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
290 Points -37%
Acer Aspire V5-131-10172G50akk
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 1017U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
356 Points -23%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
366 Points -21%
Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch 20257
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 2127U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
393 Points -15%
Acer Aspire V5-122P-61454G50NSS
Radeon HD 8250, A6-1450, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
466 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZUAXMB
HD Graphics 4000, 3227U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
596 Points +28%

Gaming Performance

The built-in APU lies in the lower segment of the performance scale and simply offers sufficient performance for everyday tasks. Modern 3D computer games don't belong in that category. Still, it's possible to play a game here or there at low resolution and low quality settings. Some of the playable titles include the popular StarCraft 2 and World of Warcraft. With APUs from the A series and Intel processors, a second working memory module can tickle a few more frames per second out of the device. The working memory would then run in dual-channel mode, where the integrated GPU can be used to its full potential. With the second module, the average frame rate rises by between 5 and 20% -- depending on the game. This effort would be fruitless in the case of the E135, as the built-in memory controller only supports single-channel mode.

low med. high ultra
World of Warcraft (2005) 46.7 33.7
Trackmania Nations Forever (2008) 59.8 18.5
Racedriver: GRID (2008) 30 23
Sims 3 (2009) 92.1 35.4
Resident Evil 5 (2009) 18.1 13.3
Risen (2009) 29.9 13.3
Mafia 2 (2010) 10.1 9.7
Civilization 5 (2010) 12.9
Total War: Shogun 2 (2011) 31.7 8.4
Dirt 3 (2011) 25 16.8
Deus Ex Human Revolution (2011) 28.7 13.3
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) 14.8 11.1
Anno 2070 (2011) 29.7 13.2
Diablo III (2012) 28 18.6
Sleeping Dogs (2012) 16.4 15.6
Counter-Strike: GO (2012) 21.1 19.2
F1 2012 (2012) 12 12
Fifa 13 (2012) 36.6 27.1
Hitman: Absolution (2012) 7.4
Dead Space 3 (2013) 34.2 14.9
Tomb Raider (2013) 21.8 11
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) 46 18.5
BioShock Infinite (2013) 20.8 10.5
Metro: Last Light (2013) 6.4
GRID 2 (2013) 18.7 12.6
Company of Heroes 2 (2013) 5
Dota 2 (2013) 12.3 10.1
Fifa 14 (2013) 28.6
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
Radeon HD 8240, E1-2500, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
Acer Aspire V5-131-10172G50akk
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 1017U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
Radeon HD 7340, E2-1800, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch 20257
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), 2127U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
Anno 2070
-61%
-11%
-3%
1024x768 Low Preset
29.7
11.1
-63%
29
-2%
28.4
-4%
1366x768 Medium Preset AA:on
13.2
5.5
-58%
10.6
-20%
13
-2%

Emissions

System Noise

In idle mode, the E145's fan doesn't have much to do and remains stationary most of the time. As a result, the only potentially audible component is the hard drive. The sound pressure level lies between 30 and 31.4 dB. The numbers we recorded for the IdeaPad (30.7 to 31.4 dB) and the Aspire (29.8 to 31 dB) are on par with those of our review device. Under medium (3DMark06 running) and full load (stress test, Prime95 and Furmark all running), the ThinkPad Edge's pressure level rises to 32.8 dB and 35.1 dB respectively. Under full load, the Aspire (32.3 and 32.6) and the IdeaPad (32.4 and 32.5 dB) both prove to run more quietly.

Noise Level

Idle
30 / 30 / 30 dB(A)
HDD
31.4 dB(A)
Load
32.8 / 35.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

The ThinkPad Edge E145 in the stress test.
The ThinkPad Edge E145 in the stress test.

The Edge 145 is remarkable for its low heat development. For idle to full load, the temperatures on the outer surfaces of the notebook never even reach 30 °C (86 °F). In this discipline, the Aspire and IdeaPad can't keep up with the ThinkPad Edge. Both competing devices only reach moderate temperatures, but under full load they cross the 40 °C mark (104 °F). The Edge E145 surpasses its direct predecessor -- the Edge E135 -- as well: On average, the older model's case temperatures are about 10 °C (18 °F) higher.

The CPU performs the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark running for at least one hour) at full speed (1.4 GHz) both in AC power and battery mode. The graphics core runs the stress test at full speed (400 MHz) in AC power mode, but in battery mode it throttles down to 300 MHz. The latter can be altered in the driver menu so that the GPU also processes at 400 MHz in battery mode. The CPU temperature leveled off at about 68 °C (154.4 °F) in AC power mode.

Max. Load
 27 °C
81 F
28.3 °C
83 F
24.6 °C
76 F
 
 28.4 °C
83 F
28.2 °C
83 F
25.2 °C
77 F
 
 26.8 °C
80 F
26 °C
79 F
25.2 °C
77 F
 
Maximum: 28.4 °C = 83 F
Average: 26.6 °C = 80 F
27 °C
81 F
27.5 °C
82 F
27.2 °C
81 F
27 °C
81 F
27.4 °C
81 F
27.2 °C
81 F
26.5 °C
80 F
27.2 °C
81 F
26.1 °C
79 F
Maximum: 27.5 °C = 82 F
Average: 27 °C = 81 F
Power Supply (max.)  32.7 °C = 91 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 26.6 °C / 80 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 28.4 °C / 83 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 27.5 °C / 82 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.1 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.8 °C / 80.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (+1.5 °C / 2.7 F).

Energy Management

Power Consumption

At 4.2 to 6.3 watts, the Edge 145's power consumption in idle mode proves to be very low. Neither the Aspire (4.5 to 7.3 watts) nor the IdeaPad (5.8 to 8 watts) can quite keep up here. Under medium load (3DMark06 running) and full load (stress test, Prime95 and Furmark running), the ThinkPad Edge only needs 14.9 and 20.1 watts respectively. The Aspire (20.3 and 24.7 watts) and the IdeaPad (23.7 and 27.6 watts) require more energy. One ought not to forget, however, that both of the competing devices are equipped with CPUs with considerably stronger performance. The Edge E145 beats out its predecessor -- the Edge E135 -- in this area as well. It needs significantly less energy both in idle mode and under load.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.2 / 5.9 / 6.3 Watt
Load midlight 14.9 / 20.1 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Power Consumption
Idle Minimum (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
4.2 Watt *
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
7.7 Watt *
Idle Average (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
5.9 Watt *
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
9.1 Watt *
Idle Maximum (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
6.3 Watt *
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
10.1 Watt *
Load Average (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
14.9 Watt *
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
23.7 Watt *
Load Maximum (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145
20.1 Watt *
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE
29.5 Watt *

Legend

 
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145 AMD E1-2500, AMD Radeon HD 8240, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
 
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135 NZV5YGE AMD E2-1800, AMD Radeon HD 7340, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The ThinkPad Edge presented itself as a device with a lot of stamina: In idle mode, the E145's battery keeps chugging on for 19:43 h. The Aspire (12:15 h) and especially the IdeaPad (5:51 h) have much shorter runtimes here. Here too, the E145 clearly surpasses its predecessor (9:27 h). We determine the computer's runtime in idle mode using the Battery Eater Reader's test. The display is set to the lowest brightness setting, the energy-saving profile is active and the wireless modules are turned off. Under load, the E145 runs out of steam after 4:01 h. The Aspire (3:49 h) can keep up here; the IdeaPad (1:19 h) falls far behind. The E145 overtakes its predecessor (3:04 h) here again. We calculate the battery life under load with the Battery Eater Classic test. Here the display runs at full brightness, the high-performance profile is active, and the wireless modules are turned on.

The E145 concludes the WLAN test after 8:19 h. As you may have expected by now, this runtime is once again much longer than that of the Aspire (5:52 h), the IdeaPad (3:29 h) and its predecessor (6:08 h). During this test, the computer automatically loads websites every 40 seconds. The energy-saving profile is active and the display brightness is set to about 150 cd/m². The ThinkPad Edge E145 has the battery with the largest capacity (ThinkPad Edge: 63 Wh, Aspire: 56 Wh, IdeaPad: 36 Wh) and simultaneously requires the lowest amount of energy, so it's not surprising that it offers the best battery life.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
19h 43min
WiFi Surfing
8h 19min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 01min

Verdict

The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145.

We can call the Kabini update a success. The ThinkPad Edge E145 offers acceptable application performance and scores a lot of points for its very long battery life. It needs little energy, runs quietly and barely warms up at all. In addition, it's outfitted with a very good keyboard. The display's maximum brightness is high, and it has a matte surface. Unfortunately, the contrast is bad and the display has a blue cast. The hard drive is the only component that really leaves something to be desired. We recommend switching it out for an inexpensive Solid State Drive.

Directly compared with the ThinkPad Edge E135, the advantage of purchasing the E145 is clear: With the Kabini APU, Lenovo succeeded in offering substantially higher GPU performance, even with the same CPU performance -- and that with lower energy consumption. That results in quieter processing and a considerably longer battery life (at the same battery capacity).

The Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch should be interesting for users who are looking for a touchscreen and consider CPU performance more important than battery life. The Acer Aspire V5-131 offers a good compromise between CPU performance, long battery life and a reasonable price. The Aspire is currently available for 250 Euros (~$340).

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In Review: The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145, courtesy of Lenovo.
In Review: The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145, courtesy of Lenovo.

Specifications

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145 (ThinkPad Edge E145 Series)
Processor
AMD E1-2500 2 x 1.4 GHz, Kabini
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon HD 8240, Core: 400 MHz, 12.105.4.5000
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3, Single-channel, Two memory banks (one occupied)
Display
11.60 inch 16:8, 1366 x 768 pixel, Chi Mei N116BGE-L32, TN LED, glossy: no
Mainboard
AMD Yangtze
Storage
Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 432 GB free
Soundcard
AMD Kabini - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Audio combo, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Broadcom BCM43228 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 23 x 287 x 212 ( = 0.91 x 11.3 x 8.35 in)
Battery
63 Wh Lithium-Ion, 11.1 V, 5600 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD-Webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Microsoft Office 365 (trial version), Norton Internet Security (trial version), 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.54 kg ( = 54.32 oz / 3.4 pounds), Power Supply: 233 g ( = 8.22 oz / 0.51 pounds)
Price
459 Euro

 

The ThinkPad Edge E145 is available with either a red or a black lid.
The ThinkPad Edge E145 is available with either a red or a black lid.
The lid is rubberized.
The lid is rubberized.
Left side: VGA output, 2x USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, Audio combo
Left side: VGA output, 2x USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, Audio combo
Right side: Memory card reader (SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro), HDMI, USB 2.0, Power plug, Kensington lock
Right side: Memory card reader (SD, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro), HDMI, USB 2.0, Power plug, Kensington lock
There is a large maintenance hatch on the underside of the notebook.
There is a large maintenance hatch on the underside of the notebook.
Just loosen three screws...
Just loosen three screws...
...and you can open the hatch.
...and you can open the hatch.
There are two working memory banks.
There are two working memory banks.
Switching out the hard drive isn't a problem.
Switching out the hard drive isn't a problem.
The fan is partially accessible.
The fan is partially accessible.
Good: There are two WLAN antennae.
Good: There are two WLAN antennae.
The BIOS battery can be replaced.
The BIOS battery can be replaced.
There is an expansion slot for an SSD or 3G/4G modem, although it is unoccupied.
There is an expansion slot for an SSD or 3G/4G modem, although it is unoccupied.
The battery weighs about 320 grams...
The battery weighs about 320 grams...
...and offers a capacity of 63 Wh.
...and offers a capacity of 63 Wh.
The power supply weighs 233 grams...
The power supply weighs 233 grams...
...and offers a maximum of 65 watts.
...and offers a maximum of 65 watts.
The hinges...
The hinges...
...hold the lid tightly in position.
...hold the lid tightly in position.
The stereo speakers are located on the underside of the computer.
The stereo speakers are located on the underside of the computer.
The notebook is equipped with a very good keyboard.
The notebook is equipped with a very good keyboard.
The keys have a medium-length travel.
The keys have a medium-length travel.
A touchstick serves as a replacement for a mouse...
A touchstick serves as a replacement for a mouse...
...and a clickpad that reads multitouch input.
...and a clickpad that reads multitouch input.
The ThinkPad Edge E145 outdoors.
The ThinkPad Edge E145 outdoors.

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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Price Comparison

Pros

+Very good battery life
+Very easy access for maintenance
+Matte, bright display
+Very good keyboard
+Case remains quite cool
+Stable lid
+Matte, easy-to-grip surfaces
+Dual-pointing
 

Cons

-Sluggish hard drive
-Display has a blue cast
-Only 12-month warranty

Shortcut

What we like

The long battery life and great keyboard. The low energy consumption is also worth mentioning.

What we'd like to see

A quicker hard drive. The predecessor's hard drive would have topped off the Edge E145.

What surprises us

The Kabini APU is impressive. It offers more performance overall than the E2-1800 at work in the E145's predecessor model, the ThinkPad Edge E135. One ought not to forget that the CPU in the E2-1800 APU works 400 MHz faster.

The competition

Acer Aspire V5-131-10172G50akk, Lenovo IdeaPad S210 Touch, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E135, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZUAXMB, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E130 NZU5FGE, Acer Aspire V5-122P, Acer Aspire One 725-C7xkk, Acer Aspire One 756-B847x, Asus X201E, Asus VivoBook S200E, Lenovo IdeaPad S206.

Rating

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E145 - 05/03/2014 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
85 /  98 → 87%
Keyboard
88%
Pointing Device
85 / 35-78 → 100%
Connectivity
62%
Weight
69%
Battery
92 / 87 → 100%
Display
72 / 91 → 79%
Games Performance
40%
Application Performance
35 / 91 → 38%
Temperature
96%
Noise
94%
Audio
40%
Camera
24%
Average
68%
78%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average
Sascha Mölck, 2013-10- 7 (Update: 2019-04-30)