The E580 not only looks strikingly similar to the E480, it is also identical in almost every single way. As such, it differs immensely from its own predecessor, the E570, with its completely different case design.

From a design perspective, the transformation from notebook to Ultrabook has most certainly paid off. The black case is significantly slimmer and more compact than before, thanks to its narrower display bezels. Unlike the E480, the E580 lacks the “chin” underneath the display and looks much more sophisticated. Just like on the E480, the rounded corners had to yield to a boxy design.

Touch and feel are much more high-quality compared to the E570, among others, thanks to the aluminum display lid and the coated palm rest. The case’s rigidity is also superior to last year’s model despite its slimmer profile - the lack of a user-replaceable battery and a DVD drive have certainly helped. Like on the E480, the metal reinforced palm rest is as stiff as a metal rod and does not bulge even a bit. The smaller model was more rigid around the keyboard where the E580 shows a little bit of flex. That said, it does require more force than is normally applied to the keyboard when typing. The base warped slightly under torsional forces, and just like on the E480 the display lid is even more flexible. Intense force applied to the back of the display lid results in visible distortions on the panel itself.

One of the things we criticized about the E570 was its build quality, e.g. around the display cover. The E580 is much better in this regard, but unfortunately it is still not perfect. The area between the base and the palm rest was palpable and somewhat sharp-edged.

The display is secured by a single wide mono drop hinge. Unlike the smaller E-series ThinkPads it cannot be opened one-handed. In general, the hinge did a great job of holding the display safely in place. For the first time since the ThinkPad Edge E520 a 15.6-inch E-series ThinkPad’s display can be opened to a full 180 degrees.