R series ThinkPad

ThinkPad R series
DeveloperIBM (2001–2005)
Lenovo (2005–2010)
(2018[1]-present[2] only for Chinese Markets)
TypeMid-range Laptop,
budget Laptop
Release dateOctober 2001; 23 years ago (2001-10)
Operating systemMicrosoft Windows
PredecessorThinkPad 300 series
SuccessorThinkPad E series,
ThinkPad L series,
ThinkPad SL series
This article is part of a series on the
ThinkPad
IBM lines:

Lenovo lines (former/current):

Current lineup

The ThinkPad R Series is a line of budget to mid-range laptop computers released as a successor to the ThinkPad 300 Series originally developed by IBM from 2001 until 2005 when they sold their consumer PC division to Lenovo in 2005. It was then developed by Lenovo from 2005 to 2010 it was discontinued in favor of having multiple different models for the different market segments that the R series originally occupied.

IBM originally released the Thinkpad R Series (Starting with the R30) as the mid-range mainstream model of the ThinkPad brand. It was conceived as a laptop "for the business executive working on a budget - a road warrior with an office network whose out-of-office work rarely goes beyond running PowerPoint shows or demonstrating spreadsheets".[3] A laptop created as the T series but lower end, the R series computers had IBM make sacrifices in materials and construction (notably the lack of a magnesium roll cage and rubberized lid) which higher end models of ThinkPad like the T series had. This, along with lower performance configurations when compared to the T series.

Despite having a cheaper build when compared to the higher end T series of its time, it still received favorable reviews. In a review on the ThinkPad R40, CNET gave the laptop a score of 8.2,[4] writing in their summary statement that "Good performance, along with great design and battery life, make the ThinkPad R40 a trusted friend for the traveler and the desk jockey".[4] Starting from the R50, it became completely based on the T series (instead of just looking similar) with the same concessions as before. Though the R series did include a Firewire port which was not brought to the T series until the ThinkPad T61.

In 2010, the R Series was discontinued in favor of the L, SL, and the E series of Thinkpads.

In 2018, it was brought back as a more premium version of the ThinkPad E Series in China only where it was just the E series with an aluminum lid.[5]

Battery configuration

Main M(x) Main hot-swappable
(max.cells) 		Secondary U Ultrabay removable
u Ultrabay unremovable
M(x) Main removable
(max.cells) 		m(x) internal
(max.cells)
"PowerBridge"
m(x) Main internal
(max.cells) 		S Slice battery
Laptop color codes

Laptop storage combinations (excluding WWAN slot)

Level PCIe 4.0 x4 PCIe 3.0 x4 PCIe 3.0 x2 M.2 SATA mSATA 1.8" SATA 2.5" SATA 1.8" IDE 2.5" IDE
2019
Not yet
(laptops) 		2013 2013 2013 2009 2003 2003 1991 1988
3 2
4
3 1
2 2
3 2
3
2 1
4
3 1
2 2
2
1 1
3
2 1
1
2
1 1
2 1
4
1
1 1
3
1
1 1
1 1
1 1
2
3
1
1
2
1
1

Laptop memory

Amount LPDDR5X LPDDR5 DDR5 LPDDR4X LPDDR4 DDR4 LPDDR3 DDR4 DDR3L DDR3 DDR2 DDR SDR EDO FPM
dual channel < dual channel dual channel < dual channel dual channel < dual channel dual channel < dual channel
2022
(laptops) 		2019
(laptops) 		2020
 2017 2014 2014 2012 2014 2010 2007 2003 1998 1993 1993 1987
max memory = 512 GB N/A N/A 512 GB N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
max memory = 256 GB N/A 256 GB (4 slots) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
max memory = 128 GB 128 GB 128 GB N/A N/A 128 GB (4 slots) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
64 GB ≤ max memory < 128 GB 64 GB N/A N/A 64 GB N/A 64 GB (2 slots) 64 GB (4 slots) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
32 GB ≤ max memory < 64 GB 32 GB 32 GB 32 GB N/A 32 GB 32 GB (2 slots) 32 GB (4 slots) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
16 GB ≤ max memory < 32 GB 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB (2 slots) 16 GB (4 slots) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
8 GB ≤ max memory < 16 GB 8 GB 8 GB 8 GB 8 GB 8 GB (2 slots) 8 GB (4 slots) N/A N/A N/A
4 GB ≤ max memory < 8 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB (4 slots) 4 GB (4 slots) N/A
2 GB ≤ max memory < 4 GB 2 GB (8 chips) 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB N/A
1 GB ≤ max memory < 2 GB 1 GB (1 chip) dual channel min dual channel min N/A single channel min 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB (4 slots)
512 MB ≤ max memory < 1 GB N/A N/A N/A single channel min single channel min N/A dual channel min half channel min 512 MB (8 chips) 512 MB (8 chips) 512 MB 512 MB
256 MB ≤ max memory < 512 MB N/A N/A N/A 256 MB (1 chip) 256 MB (1 chip) N/A single channel min 256 MB (1 chip) N/A single channel min N/A single channel min 256 MB
128 MB ≤ max memory < 256 MB N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 128 MB (1 chip) N/A N/A half channel min N/A half channel min
64 MB ≤ max memory < 128 MB N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 64 MB (1 chip) N/A 64 MB (1 chip)
max memory < 64 MB N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
  1. ^ "E480 and R480 User Guide" (PDF). lenovo.com. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Thinkpad R14 Gen 6、Thinkpad E14 Gen 6 和 Thinkpad E16 Gen 2 intel平台设置指南" (in Chinese). lenovo.com.cn. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  3. ^ Kapica, Jack. "IBM ThinkPad R31". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b "ThinkPad R review: ThinkPad R". CNET. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  5. ^ "R Series". ThinkWiki. Retrieved 8 November 2024.