I own an E490, and the device really does feel cheap, like a smooth plastic and aluminum top. E-series do not have the premium rubberrized coating or palmrest texture that you may be used to on the T-series. I've used the L412 and the T420, and I feel that the differences are still about the same for the modern T and L series. The P, T, and X series are what I feel are premium computers. I wouldn't say that the computers would just break down, but the interfacing of the more premium ones is better, and would feel more study against light accidents. Answer from MinosOnMars on reddit.com
๐ŸŒ
Reddit
reddit.com โ€บ r/thinkpad โ€บ so whatโ€˜s the difference between all the thinkpad types? (t, p or x)
r/thinkpad on Reddit: So whatโ€˜s the difference between all the Thinkpad types? (T, P or X)
January 23, 2024 - No not really, they don't really have any of the features that make a Thinkpad a Thinkpad, other than a sticky lable. It's not so much they are bad, but there are so many other comparable laptops at that price. ... I believe the SL series became the E series, which was originally intended to be a consumer oriented ThinkPad, but has morphed into a cheaper alternative to the T-series.
๐ŸŒ
Skycomp Solutions
skycomp.ca โ€บ home โ€บ device we like โ€บ lenovo thinkpad series: e vs. p vs. x vs. t โ€“ which one is right for you?
Lenovo ThinkPad Series: E vs. P vs. X vs. T โ€“ Which One is Right for You? | Skycomp Solutions
February 25, 2025 - When it comes to business laptops, the Lenovo ThinkPad series stands out for its durability, reliability, and performance. With multiple models available, it can be challenging to determine which one best suits your needs. In this post, we explore the key differences between the ThinkPad E, P, X, and T series, helping you make an informed decision.
๐ŸŒ
Lenovo
lenovo.com โ€บ home
ThinkPad Models Comparison | Lenovo IE
What about the ThinkBook? Or our lesser known E and L Series? If you want to know more about the ThinkPad laptop line-up, you've come to the right place. So keep reading. There's so much that's good about each series, we could go on forever -- but we'll keep it short.
๐ŸŒ
Reddit
reddit.com โ€บ r/thinkpad โ€บ series differences (t vs x vs p vs e vs etc.)
r/thinkpad on Reddit: Series Differences (T vs X vs P vs E vs etc.)
April 2, 2018 -

I was just wondering what the differences were between the letters.

For example: T4xx vs T4xxS vs T4xxP vs X2xx vs E2xx vs L2xx, etc.

Thanks!

Top answer
1 of 1
32

T: mainstream business laptops with 14โ€ and 15โ€ screens.

X: (excluding X1) smaller buisness laptops and tablets with 11โ€,12โ€, and 13โ€ screens

P: mobile workstations targeted towards those who use graphically intensive software with 14โ€, 15โ€, and 17โ€ screens

L: higher efficiency and lower end business laptops with 13โ€, 14โ€, and 15โ€ screens

E: consumer grade laptops, lowest end, with 11โ€, 12โ€, 13โ€ , 14โ€ , and 15โ€ screens.

A(new): AMD based mainstream business laptops which merged into T series for the Tx9x models.

A(old): desktop replacement with 12โ€, 13โ€, 14โ€, and 15โ€ screens

R: lower cost business laptops commonly found in schools, predecessor to L series, with 13โ€, 14โ€, and 15โ€ screens in 4:3 and 16:10

W: mobile workstations, predecessor to P series, with 15โ€ and 17โ€ screens

SL: low end business laptops, lacking many features, with 13โ€, 14โ€, and 15โ€ screens

Z: high end laptops, with 14โ€ and 15โ€ screens with 16:10 aspect ratio

G: desktop replacements with 14โ€ and 15โ€ screens with 4:3 aspect ratio

S: subnotebooks, sold only in APAC, with 10.4โ€ screens in 4:3 aspect ratio

i: notebooks, no models have trackpads, with 10.4โ€, 12โ€, and 14โ€ screens all in 4:3 aspect ratio

Ending in S: slimmed down models

Ending in P: high performance models

Ending in T: tablet (convertible)

Ending in E: targeted towards education

Ending in i: lower cost models

Ending in U: ultrabook or ultraportable laptop

๐ŸŒ
YouTube
youtube.com โ€บ shorts โ€บ ycUVSuHaPeM
Best Business Laptops from ThinkPad - E, L, T Series Differences #thinkpad #lenovo - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
Published ย  April 2, 2024
๐ŸŒ
Reddit
reddit.com โ€บ r/thinkpad โ€บ how is the quality of e series vs t series and p series?
r/thinkpad on Reddit: How is the quality of E series vs T series and P series?
December 17, 2023 -

Hi all, I plan to buy a Thinkpad. Problem is I am not sure which series to pick: E, L , P, T. I have an old T420 so i know how T series feel. But what about modern laptops?

I'm looking at the E14 Gen 4 AMD, but in my country, E Series is marketed as "for those on budget". So in the long run, it would just break down?

๐ŸŒ
Trafera
trafera.com โ€บ home โ€บ blog
Lenovo ThinkPad E, L, & T-Series Explained: Best Models for Work, School, & More
August 27, 2025 - Lenovo has made a handful of updates to the 2024 ThinkPad E, L, and T series, focusing on features that enhance everyday use and longevity. Hereโ€™s what stands out: The 2024 models, particularly in the T series, now feature improvements like the โ€œCommunications Bar,โ€ which includes a 5-megapixel camera and noise-canceling microphones for better video conferencing experiences.
๐ŸŒ
Real IT
realit.com.au โ€บ home โ€บ blog โ€บ lenovo thinkpad x, t, p series. what is the difference?
Lenovo ThinkPad X, T, P Series. What is the difference? - Real IT
January 28, 2020 - P52 is first VR-ready certified workstation. ThinkPad L Seriesโ€“ These are mid range Thinkpads, in terms of build quality and range in size from 13in to 15in. they are above the E series but not as good as the flagship T/X/P series.
Find elsewhere
๐ŸŒ
Reddit
reddit.com โ€บ r/thinkpad โ€บ thinkpad l, t, e, p series - how to understand series?
r/thinkpad on Reddit: ThinkPad L, T, E, P series - how to understand series?
February 19, 2025 -

Hi,

According to Wikipedia:

"P series are the most advanced ThinkPad products offered by Lenovo"

So I was chasing P, as I wanted to buy one with only Ryzen processor. My target: 14", 2021+ model (gen2+), I need workhorse good performing laptop. I would love 15" or 16" but to me latest versions are screwed regarding ergonomy --> touchpad on very left side. Rather than making a bit wider casing, they decided to make keyboard on the edges, so the result is not much space to rest left hand on casing, so I've picked 14".

Then I realized the fact that most of my targeted "P" has RAM soldered. I'm not looking for troubles, soldered CPU is bad enough. I do prefer RAM in slots so I can do cheap eco repairs in case of problems rather than scrapping whole board.

So I was scratching my head why in top P series RAM is soldered like in cheap junk rather than in slots?

So I went on T page:

"The T series is officially the flagship ThinkPad product, offering high-performance computers aimed at businesses and professionals." But found RAM soldered as well.

Okay, so I assume in here P as a top top, while T as a flagship, okay, both RAM soldered.

So I gave up and started to read about budget stuff, L series:

"L series has an added focus on economy and value, they are the entry-level range for enterprise use, and are also used by students." To me it sounds like really budget entry level cheap lower quality laptop, but hold no: surprisingly 2021 "L" model (gen2) with 2 RAM slots, while "higher" T and P same year models has soldered RAM.

Does it means: ignore series as they have no clue what they're doing really regarding marking series logically?

Or I'm just the biggest nerd in here and no one else is paying attention if RAM is soldered on board or in slot?

EDIT:

SORTED! SOUNDS LIKE BRILLIANT COMMUNITY IN HERE!

Thank you for brilliant info!

I just bought L14 gen2 for now (Ryzen gen5 5650U with good single thread performance, socketed RAM), as really needed to upgrade to carry on with my day-to-day work more efficient way, but by majority notes sounds like T14 / P14s is best bet for RAM socketed version with good Ryzen CPU and nice options while keeping good ergonomic thing (centered touchpad), in second hand market currently.

Definitely I'll watch listings/marketplaces and upgrade my L14 when I spot T14 / P14s one in good condition. Then it will be just matter of swapping SSD between, especially I'll run Debian. I don't need to worry now if it will be next week, month or in few months time because for now L14 in here, well, not delivered yet but on the way. Thank you all :-D

๐ŸŒ
Medium
medium.com โ€บ swlh โ€บ your-guide-to-thinkpads-6a66ad4c20ab
Your Guide to the ThinkPad procut lineup | The Startup
July 27, 2020 - The vast number of different ThinkPad models can be confusing to newcomers. This guide is ThinkPad products explained. What series is best for what?
๐ŸŒ
Lenovo
lenovo.com โ€บ home
Compare Different ThinkPad Models | Lenovo South Africa
What about the ThinkBook? Or our lesser known E and L Series? If you want to know more about the ThinkPad laptop line-up, you've come to the right place. So keep reading. There's so much that's good about each series, we could go on forever โ€” but we'll keep it short.
๐ŸŒ
Tom's Hardware Forum
forums.tomshardware.com โ€บ home โ€บ laptops and mobile devices โ€บ laptop general discussion
Question - Understanding difference between T-series and P-series Thinkpads | Tom's Hardware Forum
December 5, 2024 - I'm thinking about buying a new Thinkpad. I've had a T14 for several years and been pretty happy with it. I'm finding it a little hard to choose between similarly speced T14 and P14s. T-series is supposed to be the core business model, while P-series is the mobile workstation. However, P-series...
๐ŸŒ
Lenovo
lenovo.com โ€บ home
ThinkPad T Series โ€“ Best Business Laptop for Professionals | ...
Discover the Lenovo ThinkPad T Series: premium business laptops delivering enterprise grade performance, advanced security, and rugged durability-ideal for professionals working remote or onsite.
๐ŸŒ
Reddit
reddit.com โ€บ r/thinkpad โ€บ a/e/l/p/t/x , what's the difference ?
r/thinkpad on Reddit: A/E/L/P/T/X , What's the difference ?
May 20, 2019 -

Hello World ! This is my first post on Reddit so ne gentle please !

I've for a question about the different series of Thinkpad.

I have a E580 and I spend a lot of time comparing the different Thinkpad but I can't find the reason why there is so much difference between the price of the different series.

And the price of the component too, for exemple

Ram 8+8 DDR4 2 400 MHz SoDIMM E495 --> 67.85Chf E490 --> 95.21Chf Windows 10 Pro E495 --> 30.16Chf E490 --> 46.71Chf

Is there an explanation ? (I'm sure there is one)

Thank you and keep dreaming !

Top answer
1 of 5
18
T: Main, traditional, flagship ThinkPad. When people talk about ThinkPads, they usually mean this line. X: Same class as T, but ultraportable. P: Workstation/Desktop replacements. A: AMD versions of T/X. From this year, they're T/X series with a 5 at the end (T495). L: Cheaper material and design, budget alternative for T/X series. E: Consumer grade laptop with a trackpoint and ThinkPad logo. Apparently they're better than before, but they have a reputation for being "fake" ThinkPads. How I view it: T490: flagship ThinkPad. T590: flagship ThinkPad with a bigger screen and number pad. T495: AMD version of T490. Previous generation was called A485. X390: ultraportable companion to the T490. L390: cheaper alternative version of the X390. E490: budget alternative to the T490. Edit: I also believe I read somewhere that the ThinkPad E series isn't designed by the same team as "real" ThinkPads. Not that they're necessarily bad machines, just that they aren't representative of the premium quality ThinkPads are known for.
2 of 5
4
Hey Kroustiii, this guide at ThinkWiki (Linux-centric Thinkpad Wiki) has a good rundown of the different models. I have no idea what determines pricing. Sales are frequent, so if you're buying a single machine it's always beneficial to wait for one. In short: A - retired series, replaced by the R-series, which I think was replaced by the L series E - Formerly Thinkpad "Edge" - small-business machines that drop some enterprise management stuff and are built to reduce cost so sacrifice some features/durability versus other models L - this series used to emphasize legacy compatability with things like VGA ports and older model docks, but now emphasizes low power consumption and slightly lower cost than the T series P - "professional" or "powerful" laptops that have workstation graphics chips and higher-end CPU and screen options, superceds the W series X - thin and light. Usually 12" road-warrior models emphasizing battery life, they moved to a 13" screen with the X390. The X1 is a weird case because it's basically a testbed for new Thinkpad features in a thin 14-15" design but pulls the obnoxious Apple approach where you have to refer to it by generation to understand what hardware is being discussed.
๐ŸŒ
Quora
quora.com โ€บ What-is-the-difference-between-the-keyboard-in-Thinkpad-E-Series-and-T-Series
What is the difference between the keyboard in Thinkpad E Series and T Series? - Quora
Answer: We have both series of laptops and do not find any appreciable difference as far as maintenance or longevity is concerned. Both keyboards are easy and inexpensive to replace. The prime difference is in the users - some swear by one, some the other. Suggest you try both and see which feels...
๐ŸŒ
Trafera
trafera.com โ€บ home โ€บ blog
Comparing Lenovo Windows - V, E, T, P, and M Series
August 28, 2025 - Step up one level and youโ€™ll find the E Series. Think of it as the โ€œvalue plusโ€ lineup. Itโ€™s still approachable in price but adds in stronger performance, a more polished design, and Lenovoโ€™s signature ThinkPad durability.
๐ŸŒ
Thinkpads Forum
forum.thinkpads.com โ€บ viewtopic.php
Thinkpad E vs L vs T - Thinkpads Forum
I know this has been said multiple times but when going with a newer Thinkpad (440 and newer) what makes the E, L, and T series different? what would make someone go for one or the other if price isn't a deciding factor?