Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550 Review

Two steps forward, one step back. Lenovo replaces a standard CPU with a ULV processor in yet another ThinkPad. Thus, the Edge E550 sacrifices some performance in favor of power consumption and emissions. The inexpensive office laptop nevertheless makes an overall solid impression.

The manufacturer now introduces yet another scion of the lineup dubbed ThinkPad Edge E550 (also simply known as ThinkPad E550). The most significant modification is doubtlessly the change to Intel's Broadwell ULV platform in contrast to the precursor that was still based on standard voltage CPUs from the Haswell generation. The entry-level configuration at hand incorporates a Core i3-5005U alongside 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB HDD storage device. The matte, 15-inch screen has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. This model is available to students and pupils for around 550 Euros (~$583) in the frameworks of Lenovo's Campus program (no operating system). Standard configurations tend to be a bit more expensive. An overview of the alternative configurations is listed in the chart below.

The Edge E550 is one of the few ThinkPads of the 2015 generation where Lenovo visibly reworked the casing. Principally, the matte-gray chassis is still based on aplastic construction (PC / ABS) that does not have additional metal struts. Despite that, the display and base unit prove to be very rigid. The surface first yields noticeably when high pressure in places or excessive warping attempts are made. The manufacturer has obviously favored stiffness over mobility here. The 2.38-kilogram heavy and 27-millimeter thick E550 is not exactly portable.