Laptop Review: Lenovo IdeaPad U260

Looks are everything

Laptop Review: Lenovo IdeaPad U260

THE Lenovo IdeaPad U260 is for those who appreciate beauty rather than brawn.

At first glance, the U260 seems like it could pose a challenge to Apple's MacBook Air. It felt really light in my hands, weighing in at just 1.35kg, and fit perfectly in a small bag.

I was afraid its petite nature would affect the display, but found the size of the screen just nice - you won't have to squint while reading. The high-definition (HD) screen has decent colour contrast, while its matte display effectively reduces glare even when used in bright areas.

Adding to the feeling of a classy package is its minimalist but appealing design, with nice touches in its magnesium-aluminium body and leather palm rest. It looks like Lenovo was going all the way when designing this one.

Not that it's just about the looks. The U260 is more than capable of handling most tasks, with the processor running quite fast without noticeable lag during testing, and never getting particularly hot to the touch.

The glass touch pad is responsive and smooth, and large enough to support the multi-touch functions. The "island-style" keyboard - like a Mac, with each key separate - is wonderfully tactile.

Still, the U260 does have its drawbacks. It seems that in following the design of the MacBook Air, Lenovo's offering also incurs similar drawbacks, such as its unreachable, irreplaceable battery. It doesn't help that the battery only lasts for about three-and-a-half hours.

It is also rather surprising that the laptop only comes with two USB ports instead of three when it clearly has the space for it. Neither does it have an SD card slot - a pain if you take a lot of photos.

On the whole, while it might leave hardcore gamers and other heavy users underwhelmed, it is a good catch for most typical users. And a very pretty one at that. Hazwan Norly



- Runs on Windows 7

- Camera: 0.3-megapixel

- Processor: Intel Core i7 with Intel Turbo Boost Technology

- Connectivity: 2 USB ports, dedicated WiFi switch, Ethernet port, headphone jack, power jack, VGA, HDMI port

- Screen: 12.5-inch HD

- Priced from S$1,799


by Hazwan Norly

05:55 AM Feb 18, 2011


Source: www.todayonline.com

Read more...

Lenovo IdeaCentre A310

Online Only: Lenovo IdeaCentre A310 update brings Core i3, i5 processors
by Sim Cheng Kai

08:00 PM Sep 07, 2010

If the Pixar lamp had a computing cousin, it would be the Lenovo IdeaCentre A310 - a compact desktop PC that packs its processor chips and TV tuner into a chic all-in-one (AIO) display unit.

Aesthetically, the A310 looks no different from its predecessor, the A300. It sports a 21.5-inch, 18.5mm-thin full-HD LED display (1,920x1,080) with a black bezel front, stereo speakers, an integrated webcam and a backlit touch panel for adjusting display settings, mounted onto a ceramic white swivel base with four USB 2.0 ports, HDMI input and output, a 5-in-1 card reader slot, and other jacks. Control options include a white Bluetooth keyboard and mouse combo, as well as a wireless remote. Connectivity options include Ethernet and 802.11b/g/n.

But it's what's inside that counts - your choice of Core i3 (330M, 350M, or 370M) or i5 (430M or 450M) processors, which Lenovo Worldwide Competitive Analyst Matt Kohut says deliver a 30% to 40% performance increase in day-to-day computing tasks over the A300's Core 2 Duo processors. The A310 also has an Intel HD integrated graphics processor and customisation options for memory and storage that go up to 8GB and 500GB respectively. Kohut added that the A310 touts faster boot times compared to its predecessor.

Though the A310 lacks an optical drive, Kohut believes it will still appeal to consumers looking to set up a digital living room, due to its built-in hybrid analog/digital TV tuner, HDMI support, and the new Intel processors' improved Blu-ray and HD video playback capabilities.

The A310 runs Windows 7 Home Premium and includes software like YouCam - a webcam application with facial tracking that lets users have fun with cartoon graphics - and Lenovo Rescue System, which makes data back-up and recovery simple with a one-touch (hit the F2 key) menu.

The A310 will hit retail stores in Singapore from end-October. Local pricing will be announced later.

Lenovo ThinkPad X100E 11.6-Inch Netbook (Black)



http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/EDC100907-0000185/Online-Only--Lenovo-IdeaCentre-A310-update-brings-Core-i3,-i5-processors

Read more...

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e
05:55 AM Sep 02, 2010


SCREEN 11.6 inches, WXGA (1,366x768)

WEIGHT 1.5kg

OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7 Professional

PROCESSOR AMD Athlon Neo Processor MV-40

GRAPHICS ATI Radeon HD 3200

STORAGE 320GB SATA HDD

MEMORY 2GB DDR2 SDRAM

CONNECTIVITY Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, 3G

OTHER FEATURES Webcam, 4-in-1 card reader

PRICE To be confirmed (usual price: $1,139)






Weighing just 1.5kg and equipped with a 3G Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) card, the Lenovo ThinkPad X100e is designed to let the well-travelled business user work from practically anywhere.

The AMD Athlon Neo processor, ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics, and 2GB SDRAM give you substantial raw horsepower when compared to the typical netbook. This means performance is unlikely to falter when you're working across multiple documents and applications, or when you're enjoying multimedia videos (sound rendered with Intel HD audio). You also get three USB ports instead of the typical two in other laptops.

At 11.6 inches, the X100e balances comfort with portability by being slightly bigger than the typical 10-inch netbook. Prop open the WXGA 1,366×768 thin-film transistor display to find a full-sized, spill-resistant chiclet keyboard with concave keys curved for the fingertips. Asus' familiar TrackPoint pointing stick is crammed between the "B", "G" and "H" keys to give you quick access of the mouse cursor - you won't need to lift your hands off the keyboard. But should you decide to, a multitouch touchpad lets you zoom, scroll and rotate easily with simple two-finger gestures.

Rounding up this business netbook's features are a low-light-sensitive webcam, 4-in-1 card reader, Ethernet and 802.11b/g/n WiFi options for when you need a faster connection than 3G, Bluetooth capability, and a combo headphone/mic jack.

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/EDC100902-0000035/Lenovo-ThinkPad-X100e

Read more...

Lenovo IdeaCentre B500/B505

MONITOR 23 inches, full HD

OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7 Home Premium

PROCESSOR Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400s 2.66GHz/AMD 760 2.2GHz

GRAPHICS Nvidia GeForce GT 240M 1GB

STORAGE 500GB

MEMORY 4GB

CONNECTIVITY WiFi (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth, Ethernet

PERIPHERALS Wireless mouse and keyboard

OTHER FEATURES DVD Super Multi double-layer drive, 6-in-1 card reader, IR remote controller, hybrid TV tuner and OneKey Rescue

PRICE $1,899 (Usual Price: $2,099) for B500/$1,399 (UP: $1,699) for B505, with sure-win lucky dip. Prizes include a Lenovo IdeaPad U350, an external hard disk drive and TOUCHE treatment vouchers.



With the Lenovo IdeaCentre B500 and B505 all-in-one desktops, you can enjoy multimedia content and play games on a full high-definition 23-inch display powered by an Nvidia GeForce 1GB graphics processor. The B500 sports a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400s processor while the B505 has a 2.2GHz AMD 760 chip.

Its spacious 500GB hard disk drive means plenty of storage for your extensive media library. The PC also helps to save space, as it only consists of a display supported by a stand. A wireless keyboard and mouse are provided, liberating your desk from a potential mess of wires.

To give you greater peace of mind, the Lenovo OneKey Rescue feature is included, giving you a quick way to restore your system and recover data.

Read more...