thinkpad 在2005年以前是ibmpc事业部旗下的便携式计算机品牌，凭借坚固和可靠的特性在业界享有很高声誉。在lenovo收购ibmpc事业部之后，thinkpad商标为lenovo所有。thinkpad自问世以来一直保持着黑色的经典外观并对技术有着自己独到的见解，如：trackpoint（指点杆，俗称小红点）、thinklight键盘灯、全尺寸键盘和aps(active protection system，主动保护系统)。
“thinkpad”这个名称的灵感来自ibm的便笺簿。每一位ibm的雇员或到ibm训练中心受训的人，都会拿到一本便笺簿(“便笺簿”英文为“pad”)，上面印着企业的座右铭“think”。在一次讨论便携式电脑产产品名称的会议上，一名与会者随手将一本这样的便笺簿甩到半空然后落在了会议桌上，另一名与会者受此启发提出可以用“thinkpad”这个名称。起初ibm高层一度反对使用这个名称，因为以前ibm一直使用数字为标识产品型号。但是“thinkpad”这个名称受到广大雇员和客户的极大欢迎和喜爱，最终ibm高层妥协同意使用“thinkpad”作为产品名称。
thinkpad的设计灵感来自传统的日本饭盒
thinkpad最初的设计工作是由ibm位于日本的大和设计中心承担的。thinkpad纯黑色外观的灵感来自日本传统的一种漆器饭盒shōkadō bentō，它通体黑色且常用来装午饭。
ibm在1992年开始发布thinkpad产品，其中就包括thinkpad 700。最初的thinkpad并没有键盘，理应属于平板电脑（tablet computer）的范畴。它装配有黑白液晶显示屏（lcd）、替代硬盘驱动器的40 mb闪存（flash memory）、基于go的penpoint os操作系统和ibm研发的笔迹识别系统。ibm随后又发布了预装microsoft windows 3.1且带有键盘的thinkpad，售价us,350，重3 千克 (6.5 l磅)，尺寸是 2.2 × 11.7 × 8.3 英寸 (56 × 297 × 210 厘米)。它还装配了当时最大的10.4英寸(264毫米)液晶显示屏，25 mhz 386sx中央处理器，120 mb硬盘驱动器还有一个手感良好的带有trackpoint指点杆的键盘。明亮的红色trackpoint被安装在键盘上，没有了鼠标的累赘人们能够在飞机客舱托架上使用方便地便携式电脑。
尽管采用平版电脑设计的thinkpad在商业上并不成功，但是它和apple newton共同开创了人类使用pda（personal digital assistant,个人数字助理）和移动计算的时代。
thinkpad 系列分类
以下是thinkpad近年来所有系列的列表
thinkpad a系列: 取“all-in-one”的意思，重量重，体积大，总共拥有3个驱动器插槽，其中2个是可换的。部分型号以“p”结尾的机型是thinkpad中最先使用15英寸uxga“flxview”液晶显示屏技术的。该系列已于2002年停产。
thinkpad g系列: 台式机替代机型，使用台式机处理器，重量重，体积大，电池续航时间短。该系列已于2005年停产。
thinkpad i 系列: 价钱便宜的低端机型，由第三方厂商（如宏基、长城）在ibm的技术许可下代工生产。该系列已于2001年停产。
thinkpad r系列: i系列和a系列合流形成r系列，拥有两个内置驱动器，其中一个可换。低端机型继承i系列的传统继续走低价道路，其余机型设计成“移动工作站”来代替已停产的a系列。
thinkpad s系列: subnotebook，相当小且相当轻便，仅向日本市场销售。
thinkpad t系列: thinkpad的旗舰机型，相当轻薄，高端商务机型。拥有两个内置驱动器，其中一个可换。
thinkpad x系列: subnotebook, 异常轻便小巧，内置硬盘，无光盘驱动器，12英寸液晶显示屏。其中2005年7月发布的x41t属于平版电脑。
thinkpad z系列: 自2005年开始生产，lenovo收购ibmpc事业部后推出的首个系列，首个宽屏笔记本，首个专为娱乐而设计的thinkpad。
thinkpad 型号详细信息
thinkpad 235
2607型，即仅供日本的thinkpad 235型是一件很有意思的产品，它是ibm/ricoh rios的后续产品。 also known as clavius or chandra2, it contains unusual features like the presence of 3 pcmcia slots and the use of dual camcorder batteries as a source of power. features an intel pentium mmx 233 mhz cpu, support for up to 160 mb of edo memory, and a built-in 2.5 inch hard drive with udma support. hitachi markets chandra2 as the prius note 210.
thinkpad 300 series
the 300 series (300, 310, 350, 360, 365, 380, 385, 390 (all with various sub-series)) was a long running value series starting at the 486sx-25 all the way to the pentium iii 450. they were a bit large and slower than the more full featured models but offered a less expensive thinkpad.
thinkpad 500 series
the 500 series (500, 510, 560(e, x, z), 570(e)) were the main line of the ultraportable thinkpads. starting with the 486sx2-50 blue lightening to the pentium iii 500, these machines had only a hard disk onboard. any other drives were external (or in the 570's case in the ultrabase).
thinkpad 600 series
the 600 series (600, 600e and 600x) are the direct predecessors of the t series, and are legendary for their portability and sturdy construction. the 600 series packed a 12.1" svga or a 13.3" xga tft lcd, pentium mmx, pentium ii or iii processor, full sized keyboard, and optical bay into a package weighing roughly 2.3 kg (5 lb). ibm was able to create this light, fully featured machine by using lightweight but strong carbon fibre composite plastics.
thinkpad 700 series
the 700 series (700, 701, 730 (tablet), 750, 755, 760, 765, 770 (many with sub-models)) were the cutting edge intel-based thinkpads. they featured the best screens, largest hard drives and fastest processors available at the time.
701外号“butterfly”(蝴蝶)，因为它的键盘为了能够塞进较细小的空间而分成两部分。当它收藏时，会上、下移开塞进电脑内，到打开时又会左、右展开，就像蝴蝶展翅一样。
thinkpad 800 series
the power pc thinkpad series, (800/820/821/822/823/850/851/860) were unique in that they ran on the powerpc architecture, and not the x86 architecture. they all used the powerpc 603e cpu, at speeds of 100mhz, or 166mhz in the 860 model. the 800 may have used a 603, and it is unclear if the 800 was experimental or not. all units used scsi 2 instead of ide. the units are believed to have all been extremely expensive, as the 850 cost upwards of ,000 usd. the 800 series can run windows nt 3.5 (probably 4.0 as well), os/2, aix 4.14, solaris desktop 2.5.1 powerpc edition and possibly linux.
thinkpad transnote
the ibm transnote was a pen based pc in a notebook. data could be entered through the keyboard, trackpoint, paper notepad (with writing sensor below), or the screen via stylus. this thinkpad expanded on ibm's previous pen based notebooks (360p(e), 730t(e), and 755(p)).
thinkpad t2x series (t20, t21, t22, t23)
pentium iii mobile, sub-5 lb (2.3 kg) class machines. contained processors ranging from 0.18 micrometre piiim 700 mhz to 0.13 micrometre piiim 1+ ghz. typically had 14.1 inch xga screens, ultrabay 2000 optical drives, s3 savage/ix-mv graphics chip and cirrus logic cs 4614/22/24 sound chips; although variations along the line existed. introduced the thinklight, a led mounted inside the upper screen lip and illuminating the keyboard (activated with fn-pgup, the extreme diagonal keys); and titanium-reinforced screen lids. used minipci form factor cards, which could be modem and/or ethernet. with the t23, an internal wi-fi antenna became available, so wi-fi minipci cards could be used. did not contain the active hard drive protection, or touchpad & trackpoint combination pointing devices which appeared in later models. t series thinkpads were clad in black non-slip rubber with embedded glitter. the case lid had tabs along the edge that interlocked with depressions in the lower case when closed, to reduce case flexing. comparatively more stylish, functional, and rugged machines; and easy to disassemble for repair or upgrades.
thinkpad t3x series
solely includes the t30 model. features include an intel mobile pentium 4 processor ranging from 1.6 ghz to 2.4 ghz. graphics were provided by a radeon 7500 driver running on 16 mb of discrete video memory. the t30 was available with a 14.1 inch screen, with resolutions of 1024 x 768 and 1400 x 1050. features available include the imbedded security subsystem, ultranav touchpad, 256mb standard memory, a 20, 40 or 60gb hard disk, ultrabay plus drive, wireless, and bluetooth. the shell is titanium reinforced composite. the whole package was a bit heavier and thicker than the t4x series.
thinkpad t4x series
包括t40，t41，t42，t43以及其包含的“p”系列（高性能 "performance" 例如t43p）。 一台典型的t4x机器重约2.2kg （4.9磅），略比600系列小巧，而其特点是应用了intel pentium m（英特尔 奔腾m）处理器（从intel pentium m 1.3 ghz 到 intel pentium m 770 @ 2.13 ghz），14.1或15英寸lcd（液晶显示器）（xga，sxga+标准），型使用了集成显卡intel gma 900（intel graphics media adapter 900）或独立的显卡（ati radeon 7500，9000，x300，fire gl 9000，9600，fire gl t2及fire glv 32000，其硬盘有从30gb到100gb不等的容量，并应用了active protection system（活动保护系统，官方称为安全气囊技术）以保护硬盘（t41及以后的型号）。 "p" (mobile workstation) models are also available with a 14" sxga+ or a 15 inch uxga flexview display with wide viewing angle and high density ips technology with resolutions up to 1600x1200. these 15 inch display models weigh slightly more than their lesser brethren, with optical drive and battery, at 2.7 kg (5.9 lb). some t42 and t43 models feature a biometric security system with built-in fingerprint reader.
thinkpad t6x series
includes, as of 2006, the t60; intended as the next generation of the t4x series thinkpads; this is the first t series thinkpad to include the intel dual core "yonah" technology.
thinkpad x2x series (x20, x21, x22, x23, x24)
pentium iii mobile, sub-4 lb machines. contained processors ranging from piiim 500 mhz to piiim 1+ ghz. 12.1 inch xga screens, and ati rage mobility m1 (x20, x21) or radeon mobility m6 (x22, x23, x24) graphics chips. used minipci form factor cards, which supports modem and/or ethernet. with the x22 and later machines, provisions for wireless networking support are built into the chassis. ultrabay 2000 optical drive support can be fitted via the ultrabase portable docking station option, and extended batteries can give the series a 5 hour running time.
thinkpad x3x series (x30, x31, x32)
pentium iii mobile (x30) or pentium m (x31, x32), 12.1 inch xga screens, firewire, compact flash card slot. no built-in optical drive.
thinkpad x4x series
an example of the lightweight x series, weighing in at 1.2 kg (2.7 lb), 25% lighter than its predecessor, the x31.
thinkpad x6x series
includes, as of 2006, the x60; intended as the next generation of the x6x series thinkpads; this is the first x series thinkpad to feature intel "yonah" dual core technology.
lenovo ultrabay
ultrabay is lenovo's name for the swappable drive slot. introduced on the 750 series thinkpads, this technology has gone through redesigns with almost every new generation of thinkpad, possibly leading to some confusion that is hopefully cleared up here. the following table gives an overview of the different ultrabay types, in which models they occurred and what drives are available for them. note that the optical drive bay in g series thinkpads is not an ultrabay in that the drives are fixed and not removable.
on the media side different ultrabays relate to the form factor of the drives they accept; for example, early a, t and x series models can accept ultrabay devices up to 12.5 mm thick, whereas current t and x series machines are limited to devices no more than 9.5 mm thick.
其他
the touchpad, a virtually unchanging part of every generation of thinkpad.the thinkpad is the most popular laptop of developers of the open source operating system openbsd, and the t40 is one of the best supported laptop for the system.
ibm thinkpad 品牌在2005年被中国联想收购。目前已经生产至r61,t61,x61系列。