If you’re looking for a reliable workhorse of a laptop, you’ve come to the right place. In this Lenovo ThinkPad E580 review, we’re going to take a deep dive into understanding everything there is to know about this device. As some of you might remember, the ThinkPad is the name given to a line of business-oriented laptops and tablets.
They come in the instantly recognizable black and boxy design that’s supposedly inspired by Japanese bento boxes. In the past, IBM was the company that produces the entire lineup, but that eventually changed. By 2005, they sold their PC business to Lenovo, a Chinese multinational tech company that has carried on the ThinkPad lineup.
Fast forward to 2017, and Lenovo released the ThinkPad E580, from the eighth generation of the ThinkPad E series. This laptop stays true to the spirit of ThinkPad as it offers excellent performance tailored specifically for business users. It packs a lot of value in this sleek laptop, especially when you consider how affordable it is for the performance that it offers. Overall, these factors make it ideal for new entrepreneurs and small or medium businesses.
Typically, any laptop you might consider to be ‘affordable’ will only offer a small screen that makes it hard for users to be productive. Instead, the E580 provides a 15.6-inch display, not too small or too large but ideal for most uses. Plus, the built-in HD laptop allows users to make video calls and host remote meetings comfortably.
In terms of computing power, the ThinkPad E580 comes packed with an Intel Core i5-7200U 2.5 GHz processor, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, and 500 GB of hard disk space. That’s pretty impressive for a business laptop! But even more impressive than that are the security features Lenovo has included in it, like a touch fingerprint scanner, Kensington lock slot, and Discrete Trusted Platform Module (DTPM) 2.0 chip (which helps secure your hardware).
All of that sounds great (and it is!), but of course, the laptop might not be for everybody. So, in the next few sections, we will look at what kind of users the Lenovo ThinkPad E580 will serve the best. Then we’ll also explore the pros and cons of this excellent laptop.
Who’s It For?
The Lenovo ThinkPad E580 is a versatile laptop, and many users will find it useful. Among them are:
- Startups, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and small businesses with already limited budgets: That’s not a problem with the affordability of the E580 ThinkPad. Plus, they’ll get more than just excellent performance to help their productivity. They’ll also have a fair bit of built-in security with this laptop to protect their work.
- Programmers: Several independent reviewers have commented on how the ThinkPad E580 is suitable for programmers and coders, and we have to agree. We’ll chalk it up to the laptop’s performance, of course, but let’s be a bit more specific. For this group of users, it’s the 7th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-7200U Processor and the 4 GB DDR4 2400 MHz RAM, in particular, that’ll serve them the most.
- Home or online workers: More and more, people are choosing to work remotely or from home. That applies to both freelancers and full-time company employees as well. In either case, the Lenovo ThinkPad E580 makes for a reliable workhorse; great to have as a separate ‘work laptop’ so you won’t have to depend too much on your devices. As mentioned previously, the built-in webcam and sufficient screen size are incredibly valuable when having online meetings and video calls.
- Some video or photo editors: Okay, so the E580’s performance is excellent, but is it good enough for the likes of video and photo editors? Well, sort of. This ThinkPad might be suitable for editors and designers looking for an affordable laptop with just enough power to get the job done. But make no mistake, it’s not ideal. If you’re used to faster, more powerful systems, this laptop might frustrate you a little bit. Still, it’ll do its job reasonably well.
Who it might not be for:
Even when it comes to laptops, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Here are some users who might NOT find the Lenovo ThinkPad E580 handy :
- Gamers: Unless you’re a gamer playing Solitaire or browser-based flash games, this ThinkPad might not be what you want. With the Integrated Intel® HD Graphics 620 on this ThinkPad, gamers wishing to play AAA titles will not have a good time with it.
- People doing heavy video or photo editing: As mentioned previously, some light editing is possible with the E580. However, it’s not going to have enough computing power to handle more serious video and photo editing jobs. Rendering graphics on this laptop might take much longer than you’ll be comfortable waiting.
- Users wanting a more aesthetically pleasing laptop: Even the aesthetics of the Lenovo ThinkPad E580 isn’t for everyone. It might have all the necessary specs, but some users would instead prefer not to carry around a black, boxy laptop like this one.
What We Like About Lenovo ThinkPad E580
There’s plenty to like and love about the Lenovo ThinkPad E580, but out of all of them, the top three things we love about it are the fantastic keyboard, extra-long battery life, and high-grade security features.
Keyboard
If there’s one thing that all ThinkPads are well-known for, it is their unique keyboard. Still, in particular, the one on the E580 stands out among other ThinkPad models, namely because of the responsiveness of the keys. You get an excellent audible click and tactile feedback with each keystroke, thanks to the 1.8 mm distance the keys travel every time.
For regular users, that might not seem like a big deal. But power users will tell you that these traits contribute to faster typing speeds, and quicker typing means higher rates of productivity.
Part of that fast typing speed also comes as a result of the dedicated Numpad. Having a numeric keypad means not having to type in numbers above the QWERTY line awkwardly. So, whether you’re calculating a budget or filling spreadsheets, you’ll do it much more swiftly with this ThinkPad.
Battery life
Some people might not care too much about battery life. Still, it’s important to remember that you won’t always have a plug point near you. Some coffee houses and even airports have scarce power points where you can plug in your laptop to work, so you’ll need to rely on your battery eventually. If you’re on the ThinkPad E580, that won’t be a problem at all. The battery lasts up to about 13 hours in total. That’s more than half a day of non-stop use!
imagine what that might mean for you. If you work in an office, you could be sitting at your desk from 9-5 using only the battery, and you’d still have some battery life leftover when you head home.
Security Features
Also, the ThinkPad E580 has several security features that any business user will appreciate. For starters, it comes with the Discrete Trusted Platform Module (DTPM) 2.0 chip which secures your device and reduces its vulnerability to cyber-attacks.
On the other hand,
The Kensington lock slot protects it physically by allowing you to lock the device locked down onto your workspace, wherever that might be. So, it’s going to be difficult for someone to snatch your laptop away. Lastly, the touch fingerprint reader will ensure that you, and only you, can biometrically access the computer, even if you forget your password.
What We Don’t Like About Lenovo ThinkPad E580
As we go through this Lenovo ThinkPad E580 review, it’ll also become clear that there are some things that we feel Lenovo could improve upon. Among them are the dim display, underperforming WiFi, the lack of a touch screen option, and the sub-par speakers.
Display
It’s quite unfortunate that the ThinkPad E580’s display is one thing that holds it back. The screen is quite dim, for starters, when you compare it to almost any other laptop available on the market. That’s not good for the eyes, especially if you’re going to use this for hours on end as your primary work computer. Plus, it’ll reduce your ability to see things clearly if you’re doing light editing work on photos or videos.
Second, we agree with plenty of other reviewers out there that the color reproduction on this laptop is mediocre at best. Again, it pains us to say this. But with all the many positive traits of this laptop, it’s sad that the display is its Achilles heel.
Read Related Topic: Lenovo Flex 5 vs Lenovo Yoga 720: Which One is Best?
WiFi
Unfortunately, the WiFi connectivity on the E580 isn’t as seamless as one would expect. The laptop doesn’t always connect with the WiFi hotspot automatically, even though it’s a familiar one that you use daily. Plus, that connection has a habit of dropping from time to time for seemingly no reason at all. A quick search online shows that some people work through this issue with driver updates, but overall this tends to be a common problem with the E580.
No Touch Screen
A touch screen seems like a standard option these days, yet Lenovo didn’t include it with the ThinkPad E580. That seems like a waste, considering how far that would go for users who prefer a more tactile interaction with their laptop. Had they included it, users would stay highly productive even if they were standing and holding their computer without a desk.
Speakers and Sound Quality
Lastly, the speakers and sound quality on this laptop leave a lot to be desired. Lenovo boasts that they’re using stereo speakers with Dolby® Advanced Audio™. Despite that, you’re not going to be able to watch videos comfortably if you’re relying on the built-in speakers.
Why might this matter? Well, two reasons. One, if your job involves viewing or editing audiovisuals all day. And two, if you’re a traveling worker who relies on the E580 for entertainment on the go. In either case or anything similar, you’d be better off using headphones with this laptop.
PROS
- Long battery life: 13-hour battery life on a laptop is pretty awesome in itself. But on a work laptop like this one, it means that you can work non-stop without having to worry about charging up.
- Exceptionally good keyboard and typing experience: As mentioned before, Lenovo designed the keyboard in such a way that you’ll increase your typing speeds, productivity, and enjoyment overall.
- Excellent design with a durable outer case: If you’re into black bento-like design, then you’ll love this ThinkPad. Plus, Lenovo built it for durability, so you don’t have to worry about too much damage should you drop it.
- Multiple security features: Encryption, biometrics, and the Discrete Trusted Platform Module (DTPM) 2.0 chip make this laptop much more secure than many other models out there.
- Great performance: Many things’ll slow you and your business down, but this laptop is not one of them. That’s thanks to the impressive processor, plenty of RAM, and an abundance of hard drive space.
CONS
- Lackluster display: They made this laptop so you’ll use it throughout the day to complete work tasks. Yet, the screen is dim, and the colors aren’t as good as they should be, making all-day working more challenging than it should be.
- Unimpressive sound quality: You may find yourself disappointed with the sound this laptop generates. Best to invest in some good headphones and use them instead.
What’s Included?
Typically, when you buy a new laptop, you’d expect to find lots of stuff inside. Depending on the brand and model, you’d usually get printed manuals, warranty guides, installation CDs, and of course. Lenovo doesn’t include too much of that stuff with the ThinkPad E580. Instead, all you get are:
1. A small printed user booklet2. A power adapter3. The laptop itself
It might seem underwhelming, but rest assured that’s a good thing. These days, computer manufacturers like Lenovo are well aware of the waste they generate, so they only include the bare necessities alongside the laptops they ship out.
Overview Of Features
So, this is the part of the Lenovo ThinkPad E580 review where we get down to brass tacks. Let’s explore the exact features that make this laptop as great as it is.
Overall design and durability
You have the option of getting the E580 either in black or a dark-silver color, depending on availability. The device weighs in at 4.7 pounds either way, though it doesn’t take up too much space at 14.5 by 9.9 by 0.8 inches. That’s not exceptionally thin or light, but it’s easy enough to carry around in your backpack or even a handbag if need be.
Lenovo claims that they built the laptop to be long-lasting and durable. While we didn’t do a shock test of our own, it’s easy to tell just by holding it that the outer shell is pretty tough.
Security
We’ve mentioned the high security of this laptop quite many times already. That increased security comes thanks to three features in particular. First is the fingerprint reader, which allows you to limit access to the device using biometrics. On top of that is the earlier-mentioned Discrete Trusted Platform Module (DTPM) 2.0 chip which provides highly secure encryption to protect the device and its contents.
Lastly, there’s the Kensington lock slot. If you’re in an office all day, you might not use this feature much. But if you’re ever working on-site or on the move, you’ll have the ability to secure your laptop to the table or chair so no one can snatch it away.
See Related Article: Lenovo vs Dell
Display
The Lenovo ThinkPad E580 has a 15.6-inch display offering a 1920 x 1080 resolution, which sounds great. Unfortunately, this is one area where the laptop is lacking much. To put it simply, the screen lacks brightness, so you’ll have trouble seeing minor details either while you work or when you’re trying to enjoy a movie.
On top of that, the color reproduction is also lacking, which means that you won’t get the vibrant visuals on the E580 that you may prefer seeing on other displays.
Computing Power
On the plus side, one of the best parts of this laptop is its computing power. It carries the Core i5-7200U processor, paired with at least 4GB of DDR 4 RAM and a 500 GB hard drive. Again, that might not be enough for heavy-duty video editing or gaming, but that’s still plenty of power to get the job done in a business setting. Spreadsheets, word documents, and even video presentations will be a breeze when you prepare them using this laptop.
Audio
Here’s another source of disappointment for the Lenovo ThinkPad E580: the audio. As mentioned before, Lenovo boasts putting stereo speakers in this laptop with Dolby® Advanced Audio™, but the sound quality makes it difficult to enjoy any entertainment off of it. Had they improved on this element and the display, this laptop would’ve been very close to perfect.
Input
Last but not least, let’s talk about the input devices, namely the keyboard, touchpad, and the signature Trackpoint pointing stick (the little red dot on the keyboard that you use as a mouse).
We can only describe the keyboard as being top of its class. It has responsive keys with 1.78 mm of travel, providing you with lovely tactile feedback and that satisfying clicking sound often found on more expensive keyboards. The trackpad is also very responsive, though if that’s not your preference, you could always use the Trackpoint to control the cursor more precisely, all while your hand stays on the keyboard.
Review Summary
So, let’s sum it all up. The Lenovo ThinkPad E580 comes from a long line of ThinkPads with stellar reputations. Those reputations come from the fact that pretty much all ThinkPads make for excellent business-use workhorses. Overall, it’s easy to see that this ThinkPad does that lineage proud!
Firstly, its affordability allows for it to get into the hands of those who are just starting. Small businesses, startups, freelancers, and the like can get a durable, secure, and highly-performing laptop without hurting their limited budgets.
The value that they get in exchange is abundant. Despite the lack of brightness, the laptop does come with a decent-sized display and a built-in webcam. These will facilitate any video calls or meetings, especially when you’re part of a team that works remotely. The only downside in this context will be the audio if you rely on the built-in stereo speakers. Not to worry, though; you can plug in headphones as an easy way to work around the audio limitations.
More importantly, the Lenovo ThinkPad E580 satisfies businesses’ need for security. Physical security comes from the fingerprint scanner and lock point, while the laptop enjoys encryption thanks to the Discrete Trusted Platform Module (DTPM) 2.0 chip onboard.
What else does a business need? It needs high productivity. The keyboard (with its dedicated number pad), the trackpad, and the Trackpoint pointing stick make using the laptop super easy and enjoyable. Combined, you’ll enjoy hours of high productivity that you wouldn’t get with a clunkier machine.
This ThinkPad isn’t going to be much fun for gamers, heavy-duty video or photo editors, or even animators. But those are clearly not Lenovo’s target markets for this particular laptop. Instead, it’s an excellent device for business users who need a reliable and durable machine that they can spend long grueling hours working on without it frustrating them. So, what’s the bottom line? If you fit into that category and you’re looking for a laptop to help you get the job done, the Lenovo ThinkPad E580 is precisely what you need.
