{"id":277727,"date":"2021-06-17T21:00:21","date_gmt":"2021-06-17T18:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2021-06-17T21:00:21","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T18:00:21","slug":"too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#Too Boring and Expensive to Compete \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3650fd2e8a9\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3650fd2e8a9\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#Heres_What_We_Like\" >Here&#8217;s What We Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#And_What_We_Dont\" >And What We Don&#8217;t<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#A_Familiar_but_Dated_Design\" >A Familiar but Dated Design<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#Speedy_and_Expensive_Hardware\" >Speedy (and Expensive) Hardware<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#Ports_and_Expansion\" >Ports and Expansion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#Using_the_Laptop\" >Using the Laptop<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#Just_Doesnt_Stack_Up\" >Just Doesn\u2019t Stack Up<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#Heres_What_We_Like-2\" >Here\u2019s What We Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete-review-geek\/#And_What_We_Dont-2\" >And What We Don&#8217;t<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Too Boring and Expensive to Compete \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<div class=\"single-review-card\">\n<div class=\"review-card-heading\">\n<div class=\"rating\">Rating:<br \/>\n<strong>5\/10<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong class=\"more-info-hover\">?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong class=\"rating-info\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 &#8211; Absolute Hot Garbage<\/li>\n<li>2 &#8211; Sorta Lukewarm Garbage<\/li>\n<li>3 &#8211; Strongly Flawed Design<\/li>\n<li>4 &#8211; Some Pros, Lots Of Cons<\/li>\n<li>5 &#8211; Acceptably Imperfect<\/li>\n<li>6 &#8211; Good Enough to Buy On Sale<\/li>\n<li>7 &#8211; Great, But Not Best-In-Class<\/li>\n<li>8 &#8211; Fantastic, with Some Footnotes<\/li>\n<li>9 &#8211; Shut Up And Take My Money<\/li>\n<li>10 &#8211; Absolute Design Nirvana<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/strong>\n<\/div>\n<p>Price: <strong>$1050<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage alignnone wp-image-84645 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/e7e44edc-5.jpg?width=1200\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 closed on colorful bench\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"type:primaryImage review-card-body-inline\">\n<div class=\"type:primaryImage text\">\n<div class=\"type:primaryImage pros\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_What_We_Like\"><\/span>Here&#8217;s What We Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Comfy keyboard<\/li>\n<li>IR camera and fingerprint sensor<\/li>\n<li>Diverse port selection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_What_We_Dont\"><\/span>And What We Don&#8217;t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Too expensive<\/li>\n<li>Too bukly<\/li>\n<li>Poor battery life<\/li>\n<li>Attracts fingerprints and scratches<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>I\u2019ve always been a fan of ThinkPad laptop designs. But with more than a dozen different base variations on sale at any given time, some will inevitably be better than others. The ThinkPad E14 falls into the latter category. While its older, more conventional design and some extra expansion options will <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>eal to some, most buyers will find it less appealing than a comparable T or X <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a>, especially since it costs almost as much as one.<\/p>\n<p>That isn\u2019t to say that the E14 is a bad laptop. It isn\u2019t. It just isn\u2019t good enough to stand up to the competition from other suppliers, or even from the similar machines in Lenovo\u2019s own laptop line. That\u2019s especially true considering its price, at least if you opt for the Intel-powered version. Unless you absolutely must have an extra hard drive bay, look elsewhere.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Familiar_but_Dated_Design\"><\/span>A Familiar but Dated Design<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Some critics of Lenovo\u2019s ThinkPad design language say that these laptops look like something out of the past. That\u2019s sometimes unfair, especially with the exotic materials and features of the X series. But with the E14, you wouldn\u2019t be unreasonable if you guessed that it was a five-year-old design. A bog-standard clamshell\u2014no convertible touchscreen, no interesting hinge, not even a flush screen\u2014make this something of a \u201cstealth\u201d design, ideal for blending into a corporate office or schoolroom setting.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s a shame, because there are a couple of points to the design that are noteworthy, if not necessarily interesting. First and foremost is the keyboard, which is standard Thinkpad through-and-through. That means it\u2019s among the best that you\u2019ll find on any laptop, with plenty of key <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>, an intelligent layout (<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/45460\/one-little-button-keeps-me-from-loving-the-thinkpad-trackpoint-keyboard-ii\/\">except for the FN button, which you can swap with Ctrl in the BIOS) and of course, the signature TrackPoint mouse-type-thingy. You\u2019re more than welcome to ignore the last part\u2014I do\u2014 but fans of the feature will be glad to see it, even if the pointer is a little more shallow than on other ThinkPads.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84646 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/dee711d2.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 from the front\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>What else is unique about the E14? Well, it has an infrared camera for Windows Hello facial recognition, and the standard 720p webcam beside it can be manually covered with a sliding shutter. That\u2019s fast becoming a standard feature of nearly all Lenovo laptop designs. There\u2019s a fingerprint reader (also compatible with Windows Hello) built into the power button, which is an upgrade option that really should just be built-in by now.<\/p>\n<p>And, um, that\u2019s about it, in terms of external design. The 1920\u00d71080 screen feels dated, both in its 16:9 aspect ratio and its low 250-nit brightness. While writing this review in the city park, I had to strain my eyes, even with the screen at maximum brightness in the shade. The laptop has a MIL-SPEC tested body, but its external panels are all dull grey aluminum. The wide base of the rear rubber feet makes it extra sturdy on a table or a lap. Other than that, and without opening it up, there\u2019s very little to distinguish the E14 from any budget laptop made in the last ten years.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Speedy_and_Expensive_Hardware\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_SpeedyandExpensiveHardware\">Speedy (and Expensive) Hardware<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In terms of actual power, the E14 is reliable, if not cutting-edge. Our Gen 2 review unit came with the latest 11th-gen Core i5 processor running at 2.4GHz, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. Lenovo\u2019s actual prices are hard to nail down, thanks to hiked-up MSRPs and near-constant, over-dramatic discounts on the online store. But for today\u2019s \u201csale\u201d price, this configuration is approximately $1000. The base model makes do with a Core i3 processor, a step down from Intel Xe to UHD graphics, just 4GB of RAM, and oddly, doubled 1TB SSD storage. It also cuts out the fingerprint reader, for a base \u201csale\u201d price of $620.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84647 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/c378786c.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 keyboard\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Here are the full specs on our review unit:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Display<\/strong>: 14-inch 1920\u00d71080 IPS, 450 nits (non-touch)<\/li>\n<li><strong>CPU<\/strong>: Intel Core i5 11th-gen Processor, 2.4Ghz quad-core<\/li>\n<li><strong>RAM<\/strong>: 16GB DDR4<\/li>\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>: 256 GB SSD<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ports<\/strong>: USB-C Thunderbolt 4, USB-A (two), HDMI, Ethernet headphone jack<\/li>\n<li><strong>Biometrics<\/strong>: Fingerprint reader, IR camera<\/li>\n<li><strong>Connectivity<\/strong>: 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.1<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dimensions<\/strong>: 0.70 x 12.75 x 8.66 inches<\/li>\n<li><strong>Weight<\/strong>: 3.51 lbs<\/li>\n<li><strong>MSRP<\/strong>: $1249-2199 ($1850 as reviewed)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of power on display with Intel\u2019s latest CPU and integrated GPU. Hooking the E14 up to a triple-display dock, it was able to handle my somewhat ridiculous triple-monitor desk setup, albeit chugging a bit when I tried to use the laptop\u2019s screen as well. But for my regular web, chat, and Photoshop-heavy workflow, it handled itself like a champ, with the occasional graphical hiccup from my (admittedly unreasonable) pixel load. It had to activate the cooling fan on a regular basis, but it wasn\u2019t any worse than, say, a Surface Pro.<\/p>\n<p>I was also surprised to see just how much graphical power the Xe integrated GPU had. I was able to play through several\u00a0<em>Overwatch<\/em>\u00a0games at 1080p at 60 frames per second. Not immediately\u2014I had to bump the settings down a bit\u2014but it\u2019s easily the best performance I\u2019ve seen out of integrated graphics so far. Of course, it handled 4K streaming video with no problem, even while doing some fairly intense work on other screens.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ports_and_Expansion\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_PortsandExpansion\">Ports and Expansion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The E14\u2019s port selection seems designed to keep you from needing a dongle, which is helpful, since it\u2019s not exactly the most portable 14-inch laptop around. On the left side, you get USB-C (doubling as power input), USB-A, HDMI, and the usual combined headphone\/microphone jack. On the right is a second USB-A port and\u2014a rare find\u2014a fold-down RJ45 Ethernet port, plus a slot for a Kensington lock.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84649 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/db4a2ffa.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 \" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Left side ports: USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, headphone jack. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I can\u2019t complain about the flexibility of the ports on offer; it\u2019s certainly more than you\u2019ll find on most 14-inch laptops. But given the size of this machine, I could have hoped for a second USB-C port on the right side, the better to recharge in a tight, limited travel space, and there\u2019s certainly room for a MicroSD ( or even full sized SD) card reader.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84648 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/c9c310c4.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 right side ports\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Right side ports: Ethernet jack and another USB-A. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But beauty is only skin deep, right? (The E14 had better hope so.) Loosen seven Philips screws from the bottom panel and you\u2019ll find surprisingly easy access to its removable components: a single standard SO-DIMM RAM slot covered by a metal protector, one 40mm M.2 storage slot (filled with the 256GB drive in our review unit), and one empty 80mm M.2 slot, ready to be filled with cheap storage.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84650 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/08a09a45.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 internal motherboard\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1239\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The E14 has a user-accessible RAM slot and two M.2 slots: 42mm (filled on our review unit) and 80mm. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Non-soldered RAM and an open storage drive mean the E14 has more expansion options than most laptops in this size range. If you\u2019re prepared to buy the cheapest model and upgrade it on your own, there\u2019s a lot to be saved versus other laptops, especially if you want tons and tons of storage.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Using_the_Laptop\"><\/span>Using the Laptop<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Using the E14 is extremely comfortable, with the notable exception of the dim screen. (The expensive touchscreen upgrade adds just 50 nits.) The extra-wide base makes it easy to use on a lap, which isn\u2019t always true of today\u2019s thinner and lighter designs.<\/p>\n<p>And yes, there are many both thinner and lighter than the E14. At 3.5 pounds, 12.5 inches wide, and 0.7 inches thick, this model is the size and weight of something you\u2019d expect in a gaming laptop. Once you\u2019re in place it\u2019s not a problem, but unlike some 14-inch T and X ThinkPad laptops, this one couldn\u2019t fit into the (13\u2033 MacBook-sized) sleeve of my Peak Design bag, and I had to resort to the main pocket.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84651 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/212a4c53.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 with power cord\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That extra heft might be justifiable if the hardware makes up for it. But the rather uninspired design boasts only that user accessible RAM and double storage. There just isn\u2019t anything here to justify that extra bulk. Lenovo couldn\u2019t even be bothered to find a way to make the tinny speakers sit on the top of the keyboard deck, even though there\u2019s plenty of room\u2014they have to bounce off your desk or table, or sometimes, just be muffled by your jeans.<\/p>\n<p>Battery life, too, is unspectacular. I found the E14 draining in a little over five and a half hours under Chrome-heavy writing and browsing. Some of that might be because I tended to blast the screen at full brightness. But any way you slice it, the 45-watt-hour battery is well below par for a 2021 laptop design, and doubly disappointing for something this large.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84652 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/ad147cf1.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 power button\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Fans of ThinkPad\u2019s traditionally spare software load won\u2019t be happy here, either. In addition to the usual Microsoft and Lenovo pack-ins, the E14 came with Norton Anti-virus, Office 365, and OneNote pre-installed. If this were my personal machine, I\u2019d wipe it and install a fresh build of Windows 10.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84653 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/6ee84f3d.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 cover with fingers\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The aluminum cover is fragile, attracting smudges and scratches. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is a purely aesthetic note, but the aluminum cover of the laptop is uninspiring. Both because it\u2019s dull (a ThinkPad staple) and it\u2019s fragile: it seems to attract smudges and fingerprints easily, and I managed to scratch it on the laptop\u2019s own USB-C power cord. Buffing with a microfiber cloth wasn\u2019t enough to get it looking decent for these photos.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Just_Doesnt_Stack_Up\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"moka_anchor_JustDoesntStackUp\">Just Doesn\u2019t Stack Up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Despite plenty of processor power and memory, the ThinkPad E14 feels like a budget design, even in its Gen 2 revision. If you stick to the cheapest versions of this design and upgrade it with your own hardware (especially taking advantage of those two M.2 storage bays), it makes sense. If you load it up with upgrades, you start to rub up against sleeker and more capable designs in the ThinkPad lineup in terms of price.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s ignoring cheaper and similarly powerful 14-inch laptops from Dell, Acer, Asus, and even Lenovo\u2019s IdeaPad lineup. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.anrdoezrs.net\/links\/100317643\/type\/am\/sid\/84065\/https:\/\/www.dell.com\/en-us\/shop\/dell-laptops\/inspiron-14-laptop\/spd\/inspiron-14-5402-laptop\">This Inspiron 14<\/a>, with a faster processor, double storage, and only 4GB less memory is $200 less than our review unit, and it managed to find room for a MicroSD card slot. You could use your savings to swap out the storage with a massive M.2 and upgrade the RAM, negating more or less all the advantages of the E14 while still being smaller, sleeker, and cheaper.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-84654 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/da014233.jpg\" alt=\"ThinkPad E14 open with keyboard\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At this point, it\u2019s worth pointing out that this is one of two major variants of the ThinkPad E14 gen 2. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lenovo.com%2Fus%2Fen%2Flaptops%2Fthinkpad%2Fthinkpad-e-series%2FThinkPad-E14-Gen2-AMD%2Fp%2F20T6CTO1WWENUS0%2Fcustomize%3F\">There\u2019s also a version with AMD guts<\/a>, starting with a respectable (but not very recent) Ryzen 5 4500U processor. These models start at about the same price as the newer Intel version, with a version equivalent to our review unit costing $825 at the time of writing. I don\u2019t know if it will stay that cheap, since Lenovo\u2019s discounts are quite fluid, and I can\u2019t speak to the AMD version\u2019s performance or battery life. But it\u2019s undeniably a better deal, and much more competitive on the current market.<\/p>\n<p>Note again that Lenovo\u2019s online store prices are ever-shifting. If you see this laptop at hundreds of dollars more than the prices mentioned here, wait a few days and it\u2019ll be discounted again; under no circumstances should you pay the $1630 \u201cretail\u201d price. Secondary sellers of ThinkPad hardware tend to be in line with the sale prices.<\/p>\n<p>With a somewhat high price, dull design, dim screen, poor battery life, and only upgrade options and great typing to set it apart, the ThinkPad E14 just can\u2019t compete with other laptops at\u2014or even below\u2014its price tag. Unless you absolutely must have dual user-accessible storage, give it a pass.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single-review-card border\">\n<div class=\"review-card-heading\">\nRating: <strong>5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Price: <strong>$1050<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"review-card-body\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_What_We_Like-2\"><\/span>Here\u2019s What We Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Comfy keyboard<\/li>\n<li>IR camera and fingerprint sensor<\/li>\n<li>Diverse port selection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_What_We_Dont-2\"><\/span>And What We Don&#8217;t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Too expensive<\/li>\n<li>Too bukly<\/li>\n<li>Poor battery life<\/li>\n<li>Attracts fingerprints and scratches<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1137093656460433');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/84065\/lenovo-thinkpad-t14-review-too-boring-and-expensive-to-compete\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Too Boring and Expensive to Compete \u2013 Review Geek&#8221; Rating: 5\/10 ? 1 &#8211; Absolute Hot Garbage 2 &#8211; Sorta Lukewarm Garbage 3 &#8211; Strongly Flawed Design 4 &#8211; Some Pros, Lots Of Cons 5 &#8211; Acceptably Imperfect 6 &#8211; Good Enough to Buy On Sale 7 &#8211; Great, But Not Best-In-Class 8 &#8211; Fantastic,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":277728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/05\/e7e44edc-5.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-277727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277727"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277727\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/277728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}