Lenovo IdeaPad S10 Mini-Notebook

Lenovo keeps thinking modest. Lately the organization delivered slim ultraportables such as the ThinkPad X200 and IdeaPad U110. Now it really is jumping to the mini-notebook scene using the impressive IdeaPad S10. Despite its "mini" standing, the S10 manages to house some big-boy features.

The S10's small, 9.8-by-7.3-by-0.9-inch frame is roughly the size of Acer's Aspire A single. But while the Aspire One's display screen measures only 8.9 inches, the S10 presents a relatively roomy ten.2-inch, 1024-by-600-resolution show. It really is crisp and easily viewable at different angles, although it is not always the brightest display screen all around.

This micro machine also houses the biggest difficult drive we've noticed on the mini-notebook thus far: Our model came having a 5400-rpm, 160GB platter-based difficult disk. That is greater than adequate storage to accommodate Windows XP House along with the unit's minimal preinstalled computer software. The difficult generate, though, is the probably purpose the S10 weighs a fairly hefty 3.six pounds--almost around a ThinkPad X200.

Far more remarkable is how this product performs below pressure. The S10 has the identical 1.6-GHz Intel Atom CPU and 1GB of RAM as almost all of another mini-notebooks we have observed (such as the Acer Aspire A single and Asus Eee 1000H 80G XP), nevertheless it beats all of them in efficiency. The IdeaPad S10 earned a score of 41 on the Pc World Check Center's WorldBench 6 suite; it is hardly a pace demon, but it's fairly fast when you consider that the nearest competitor, together with the identical guts, obtained only a 37.

The S10 falls quick in battery living, though. Its three-cell battery lasts only two.five hours prior to offering out. Though it does a bit much better than Acer's Aspire One, both lag behind other Atom-based mini-notebooks we've not long ago tested.

Despite the fact that this model's good-size keyboard isn't going to match the luxurious tactile response of a ThinkPad, the S10's keys supply one of the better experiences amid the mini-notebooks we've witnessed. Place the S10 side by aspect together with the MSI Wind and Eee 1000H, nonetheless, and you may see that the S10's keys really are a small scrunched by comparison. Regrettably, the mouse buttons will be the clacky, tacky form; every single button sinks too much and feels a little as well loose.

The S10's speaker fares no better than people on most mini-notebooks: It delivers substandard sound which is barely audible considering that the maximum audio setting is rather lower. That's a slight disappointment considering that this model's sizable difficult generate and satisfactory display make it an excellent likely video clip and new music player.

Lenovo wins some points for offering a bloat-free machine, and for supplying a helpful recovery application, CyberLink OneKey Recovery 6.0. That app enables you to build backups, along with to set partitions and restore points--a more versatile backup selection than simply restoring the Computer to factory-fresh situation. Lenovo even goes up to now as to area a OneKey panic button with the leading with the keyboard. It really is a nice touch, and it can be a nod to ThinkPad loyalists, who may well take into account it a "lite" model with the ThinkVantage button.

If you're looking for a big, beefy hard generate and remarkably sprightly performance from a mini-notebook, the IdeaPad S10 can be a strong choose. In the event the S10's a bit cramped keyboard and loose mouse buttons are deal breakers in your case, Asus's Eee 1000H would suit you much much better. Though the Eee 1000H has a small far more girth, it's going to definitely get you via your up coming enterprise trip.