A hinge assembly is mounted in an electronic appliance such as a notebook and has a stationary leaf, a pintle and a pivoting leaf. The notebook has a base and a cover. The stationary leaf is mounted securely on the base and has a pivoting sleeve having an outer edge, a limiting tab and at least one braking detent. The limiting tab and braking detent adjacently protrude longitudinally from the outer edge of the pivoting sleeve. The pintle is mounted rotatably in the stationary leaf and has an outer end and a limiting rod. The limiting rod is mounted securely in the pintle and selectively limits rotation of the hinge in both directions to leave a small gap when the cover folds toward the base to facilitate opening. The pivoting leaf is mounted securely on the outer end of the pintle and connects to the cover securely.