Lenovo IdeaPad S100 specs:
10.1-inch LED display @ 1024×600 ixels
Intel Atom N570 (1.66GHz, 1MB L2 Cache, 667MHz)
Intel GMA 3150
2GB DDR3 RAM
320GB HDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
10/100Mbps LAN
Card Reader
6-cell Li-Ion battery
Windows 7 Starter

The netbook is relatively thin at jus 0.75-inch and weighs only 2.2lbs. We’re not sure what’s the actual mAh rating of the 6-cell battery though and the Windows 7 Starter kind of justified why they priced this under Php20k.

The suggested retail price of the IdeaPad S100 is Php19,500 which is within the same price point of most other dual-core netbooks in the market.

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2. Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t Review
3. Close to my dream laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad U460

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 specs:
Intel Core i5-2520M 2.5GHz (Turbo Boost 3.2GHz)
13.3″ LED back-lit with Gorilla Glass Display @ 1366×768 pixels
Intel HD Graphics
8 GB DDR3 1333MHz
250GB, 320GB SATA HDD 7200rpm or Intel 80GB micro SDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 3.0
720p HD webcam
Fingerprint reader
4-in-a card reader
6-cell battery
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit

The laptop is 0.65″ (16.5mm) at its thinnest up to 0.84″ (21.5mm) at its thickest base. Depending on the specs, it could weigh between 3.0lbs to 3.8lbs which is still very light. A 13-inch Macbook Air weighs 2.9lbs.

The 6-cell integrated battery lasts for about 5 hours but there’s an optional slice battery you can attach it to to give it up to 10 hours.

The ThinkPad X1 doesn’t come cheap either. Starting price of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 is Php120,000.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 13 looks the same as the first generation ThinkPad Edge back in January. The main differences are all found under the hood and among them is the ultra-low voltage (ULV) Core i5 470UM running at a just 1.33GHz.

The thin and light category of laptops was never lost with low-powered Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Solo (running 1.3GHz and 1.4GHz). Even the new Core i3, i5 and i7 processors from by Intel also have similar equivalents.

The ThinkPad Edge’s edgy design is somewhat reminiscent of original line of ThinkPads; only this time, they’ve added some eye-candy and color. It’s either you like it or you don’t — and I seem to be leaning towards the latter.

Nevertheless, once you open up the lid, you’ll be greeted with that familiar keyboard-trackpad-trackpoint combo that’s always a signature of Thinkpads since the days of IBM. To those unfamiliar, that small red dot in the middle is the trackpoint (also sometimes called the nipple mouse). I think ThinkPad owners seldom use that but it’s been an iconic design accent for many years so it will stay there even if un-used.

Great keyboard, though the layout is a little different especially with the Fn key on the lower far left end which is a bit annoying if you’re used with the Ctrl button in there (and I’ve told Lenovo execs about this a couple of times). It’s got a generously sized trackpad and you get a double serving of the click buttons (both above and below the trackpad).

The glossy 13.3″ display has a resolution of 1366×768 and is clear and crisp although I found setting the brightness to the highest level doesn’t produce the brightness I expected. The glare and smudges that’s attracted by the screen is very common to glossy displays so that’s to be expected.

The specs of the unit is a mix of good stuff and not so impressive ones either. The Core i5 processor used in this unit is pretty interesting — an ultra-low voltage dual core (with HyperThreading) running at 1.33GHz that can Turbo Boost to 1.87GHz which consumes less power to help increase battery life. And while the Intel HD Graphics isn’t that impressive, it was a logical move to make the system guzzle as very little power as possible.

Note: This review unit was for the US market so the specs will be a little different when it hits commercial release this October. For one, that Qualcomm Gobi modem will surely be absent.

Windows Experience Index shows us these scores with the graphics getting the lowest sub-score of 3.2 while the CPU got a good 5.3 rating.

Performance scores on PassMark tests shows pretty decent numbers. The lower scores for the Core i5 CPU (compared to the regular Core i3 and Core i5 we’ve tested in previous laptops) is primarily due to the ULV nature of the model.

PassMark PerformanceTest:
CPU Mark: 1564.7
2D Graphics Mark: 165.1
3D Graphics Mark: 148.8
Memory Mark: 684.8
Disk Mark: 690.0
PassMark Rating: 643.4

As for battery life, this unit is probably the only Core i5-series laptop I have tested that was able to last over 3 hours on regular use (the benefits of using ULV and Intel HD Graphics combo). BatteryBar gave a decent rating of 3 hours 40 minutes full lifetime. The 6-cell 5600mAh battery protrudes towards the bottom, not the back so there’s an open space for better ventilation.

When Lenovo first introduced the ThinkPad Edge series early this year, the whole line was running on low-powered Intel Core 2 Duo and AMD processors. The upgrades to Core i5 is a pleasant addition to the line especially for those looking to get some power and portability on a notebook. There’s also no built-in optical disk drive (ODD) in the thin and light category so that’s one drawback to consider.

Coming out this October, the Intel-based Lenovo ThinkPad Edge will come in a variety of configurations with a starting price of about Php38,000.

Local price: Php39,000 to Php42,000

Specs:

• Processor: Intel Core i5 470UM @ 1.33GHz (Turbo Boost 1.87GHz)
• OS: Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit)
• Display: 14″ WXGA (1366 x 768, Glare Type)
• Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
• HDD: 500 GB HDD
• RAM: 4GB DDR3
• Optical Drive: none
• Ports: USB 2.0 x 3, Gigabit LAN, VGA, HDMI, eSATA, SD/MS Card Reader
• Wireless Connection: WiFi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1, WWAN (Qualcomm Gobi 2000 HS-USB Mobile Broadband Device 9205)
• Battery: 4400mah 6-cell Li-Ion
• Weight: 3.8 lbs.

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For the multimedia traveler

If you typically use your laptop to watch movies anywhere you go, then the Lenovo IdeaPad Z460 is for you. Users will enjoy watching their favorite movies on the new Z series with its high-definition (HD), 16:9 format widescreen, optional Blu-ray Disc™ drive, and Dolby® Advanced Audio for a stunning audio experience.

It comes with the all new 2010 Intel® Core™ processor family and NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics.

SRP: Php47,900

For the mobile warrior

If you’re always on the go and need the extra juice without sacrificing processing power, then check out the Lenovo IdeaPad U460.

Measuring less than one-inch thick and 3.8 pounds, the 14-inch U460 can be configured with up to an Intel® Core™ i7 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology for impressive performance in a thin and light design. Not to mention the 8-cell battery which will give you 8-10 hours of straight computing on a single charge.

SRP: Php34,900

For the gamer on a budget

If you want to mix your work with games without hurting your pocket then take a look at the Lenovo B460.

The 14-inch, B460 laptop is really for small office or home business but it can also double as a suitable gaming machine during downtime. The B460 is equipped with up to the Intel® Core™ i5 processor, up to NVIDIA® GeForce® 310M 512MB graphics and up to 8GB DDR3 memory.

SRP: Php30,000

For the multitasker

The IdeaPad V460 is designed for small office and home-based businesses.  It comes with the all new 2010 Intel® Core™ Processors and Switchable Graphics that lets users switch between performance modes for longer battery life.

It also include a fingerprint reader for additional security, a OneKey Rescue System for quick and easy data recovery with anti-virus protection.

SRP: Php38,000

For the businessman

For office use, you can rely on the trusted ThinkPad series. The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 14” reflects a new progressive and strikingly clean appearance while retaining ThinkPad durability and reliability.

It is powered by up to an Intel Core i5-430m processor and can also be equipped with an AMD ATI Radeon HD 5145 discrete graphics. This laptop include spill-resistant keyboards and value-added ThinkVantage Technologies like the Active Protection System and Rescue and Recovery.

SRP: Php40,000

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1. Close to my dream laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad U460

Lenovo recently introduced their IdeaPad UV460 which made has the makings of my dream laptop. It’s a 14-inch slim, less-than-an-inch thick laptop that can pack up to a Core i7 processor and an 8-cell battery to support that power.It weighs under 4 lbs. making it one of the lightest laptops around that is powered by the new Intel Core processors.

From their press release:

Sleek and stylish, the IdeaPad U460 caters to the fashionista in all of us. It offers ultra-portable, light designs and long battery life to allow travel-loving consumers to stay entertained and in touch no matter where life takes them. The clean and sophisticated appearance of the redesigned U series is made possible by its “U” shaped outline inspired by a closed book lying on its side, while its textured aluminum top cover adds a further touch of style and class to its elegant design.

Now make a 13” version of the U460 and add a switchable graphics card then I’m sold.

The IdeaPad U460 will be available in July with a starting price of PhP 34,900 and comes in red or brown.

More photos:

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Lenovo added some eye-candy with the design of the netbook, starting with a wallpaper-style imprint on the lid. They did this with the 2nd iteration of S10-2 before. The glossy finish is still a fingerprint-magnet but the colorful prints somewhat helped hide the smudges.

Unlike most other netbooks out there, the S10-3t (including its sibling, the S10-3) seems wider in terms of physical dimensions. That gives a perception that the display has an aspect ratio of 16:9 instead of the usual 4:3.

With close inspection though, the screen size is almost similar to the regular ones (minus a couple of millimeters in the height). The wider aspect ratio can be attributed to the fact the Lenovo shaved off about a centimeter or two off of the palm rest and added about an inch in the width.

To achieve this, Lenovo had to reduce the size of the trackpad. The left and right clickers were removed and are now integrated into the trackpad (similar to what Apple did with the new Macbooks). However, with the reduced area of the trackpad and the clickers integrated into it, the usability has been affected. Multiple-finger gestures like left-click and drag becomes harder and cumbersome most of the time (an external mouse would be best to remedy this).

In the tablet mode, the S10-3t has a dedicated button on the left side of the panel that allows you to switch the screen orientation (at 90, 180, 270 and 360 degrees). That is paired with two more buttons for sound mute and another one for launching the custom UI. The webcam is placed on the upper right side while the power button just below it along with a power lock. The extra bezel space on the side provides better grip in portrait mode.

Another dedicated button is allocated for NaturalTouch, Lenovo’s custom UI that sits on top of Windows used for navigating thru videos, photos, music and eBooks, among others.

Unlike previous tablet notebooks that have resistive touch screens and require a stylus, the S10-3t has a capacitive one and works just fine with multiple finger gestures. We ran Google Earth on the system and it worked fine. However, there are noticeable lags once in a while (I believe upgrading the RAM to 2GB should help fix that). The 250GB HDD and WiFi 802.11n are already satisfactory to complete the specs.

As for the performance of the netbook, Windows Experience Index gives it a score of 2.3 which is similar to the scores of previous Atom-based netbooks. However, the improvement in the sub-score were more prominent with the graphics performance.

A more complete set of benchmarks are posted here. PassMark did not show much improvements of the N450 CPU compared to the older N280 chip but the numbers on the graphics showed significant increase.

I think the only other disappointment in the unit is the battery life. BatteryBar shows a battery life of around 2.75 hours on a single charge from the 2100mAh Li-Ion battery. I believe there’s a 6-cell or 8-cell battery for this model but Lenovo has not returned back my question on its availability and price.

The IdeaPad S10-3t makes for an interesting netbook primarily because of the tablet form factor and multi-touch screen. Can’t expect much from performance since it’s still an Atom-based system but for the price, Php29,990, it’s well worth it. I’d suggest to bump the RAM to 2GB and look for an option to upgrade to that 8-cell battery pack.

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The ThinkPad retains its signature design — sturdy, cold and not a hint of glossy finish. We’ve known the ThinkPad line to be very strong in the business segment but it’s also got its following with consumers because of the solid construction.

The unit is not really that thin but it’s already light for its size. The 6-cell battery protrudes at the back and not at the bottom which, I think, is a better positioning. The keyboard is nice and spacious with an almost chiclet-type form — it’s slightly curved at the bottom end and has a concave surface. This allows for better touch-typing experience which helps prevent your finger from slipping into two keys at a single tap.

My only gripe is that Lenovo still insists that the function key (Fn) is placed on the leftmost edge rather than the control (Ctrl) key. I use the Ctrl key more often than the Fn keys and putting it on the leftmost helps me hit it easily. The arrow key on the right are more prominent and they even added a dedicated Page Up and Page Down keys in between. This is probably one of the best keyboards I’ve ever tried on a laptop.

The trackpad has that same unique features of the ThinkPad — multiple sets of clickers with a dedicated scroll button — but all that seemed that have eaten a couple millimeters of the area of the trackpad. That nipple mouse (the track-point) is still there in the middle — a classic ThinkPad symbol and serves as alternative mouse pointer for those who still loves using it.

The ThinkPad X100e comes in different flavors — the one I had was a single core AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 which runs at 1.6GHz. It’s not as fast as the dual core Athlon X2 L335 on the Wind U210 but it’s still performs quite well. It can’t play YouTube HD 1080p (a bit choppy) but runs YouTube HD 720p just fine.

The rig came with an ATI Radeon HD3200 with 256MB dedicated RAM so it scored high in the graphics department. Results from Windows Experience Index gave the GPU a 4.8 for 3D gaming while the CPU got a decent 3.1 (will have some benchmark results between the MV40 and Neo X2 in the PCLabs later).

The 11.6″ screen, with a resolution of 1366×768 pixels, is bright but not very crisp (probably because of the matte finish). It’s more usable in the outdoors or bright environments compared to other glossy screens that attracts glare and fingerprints.

The other essential specs like the 2GB RAM and 320GB HDD are adequate as well as connectivity options with WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1 (and no, there’s no ODD in here). The RAM is upgradeable to 4GB and there are models with 3G options too. The system comes with Windows 7 Home Premium pre-installed.

Lastly, the 6-cell battery is rated at about 5600mAh and Lenovo claims it could last up to 5 hours. However, on normal use with WiFi on and average display brightness, it only lasts just a little over 3 hours. BatteryBar shows the same with a full lifetime of 2:52. That’s really the trade-off you get with the MV40 and HD3200 which eats up a lot of juice.

Lenovo’s already got the ThinkPad T series in the thin and light category but those are targeted to enterprise users and businessmen and has a pretty hefty price tag (in the vicinity of Php100k) so seeing another ThinkPad at 1/4 of the usual price is an attractive offer. That’s with a starting price of Php28,990.

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What made the S10-2 different from its older S10 sibling is has mostly got to do with the design and construction of the netbook. Under the hood, everything looks the same in terms of CPU, RAM and storage.

Unlike the previous IdeaPad S series, the S10-2 is thinner (about 20%) and lighter (about 15%). The design is also rounded compared to the previous one which squarish which gives the S10-2 a much slimmer look. The lid cover is also glossy (from matte) and has some sort of wallpaper design painted on top (similar to the HP Mini 1100).

The display screen is glossy giving it a bright crisp resolution (1024 x 600pixels). There’s no NVidia Ion here but the usual Mobile Intel GMA 945 chipset.

As seen here on the photo above, the S10-2 is way thinner than the Acer Aspire One D150. Although the S10-2 review unit I have only had a 3-cell battery (instead of a 6-cell), it’s still lighter than the AOD150 without it’s battery latched on. On regular use, the 3-cell battery gives me an improved 3.5 hours battery life.

There’s a WiFi switch on the right side of the netbook beside the two USB ports although a function key (Fn+F5) can also enable/disable WiFi connection. Inside the battery compartment is a SIM card slot for 3G connectivity. This is one of the main features not found in previous models (and very rare in netbooks available locally). Lenovo could have just named this model as S10 3G instead of S10-2.

The problem with the 3G modem is that it doesn’t come with a utility software/driver so if you plug-in your Globe/Smart/Sun SIM, they won’t work unless the telcos provide a custom software for these. I guess they’re not actively doing so because it could eat up on their own USB dongle sales.

The S10-2 also features a one-touch restore button (just beside the power button on the left) as well as a QuickStart button on the right side (pictured above). The Lenovo OneKey Rescue backs up system files and applications to a second partition or an external drive which can later on be used to restore in case of virus infection or system crashes.

The QuickStart is a Linux platform (SplashTop by DeviceVM) that allows you to boot the S10 in seconds to gain access to chat, IM, email and video without booting up Windows XP.

The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 has a suggested retail price of Php23,300 and available in grey, pink black and white.

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