Review and Hands-On with the Lenovo IdeaPad S12
May 25th, 2009 by Joanna Stern
Update: Read our full review of the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 ($449.00).
If our hands-on with the Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 told us anything, it is that 12 inches is the new 10 inches. Lenovo’s newest IdeaPad may sport some netbook parts, but its larger screen and chassis makes it more like an ultraportable notebook than anything else. Check out our impressions, gallery and video of the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 below.
The IdeaPad S12 wears the same improved design as Lenovo’s IdeaPad S10-2. The glossy black lid (also available in white) has an imprinted pattern that looks similar to Target’s Bulls eye. The overall build of the notebook is solid and at 1.4-inches thick, we were reminded of Lenovo’s business aimed X200 and its thin and compact stature.
Surrounding the S12 are more ports than your typical netbook. It has 3 USB, an Express Card 34 slot , 4-in-1 card reader, VGA, mic and headphone. (The Ion version of the S12 will have an HDMI port.)
Under the lid is a 12.1-inch glossy display which, with its 1280×800 resolution, makes it much easier on the eyes than a 10-inch netbook. And thanks to the extra screen real estate, the S12 has a full-size keyboard; the matte black keys were comfortable and similar to those on the other IdeaPads. Underneath the keyboard is large trackpad with a single mouse button.
The unit we had some hands-on time with packed a Via Nano processor which will not be available in the U.S. However, Lenovo will offer the S12 in the U.S. with an Intel Atom processor and Intel Atom joined with Nvidia’s GeForce 9400M graphics (known as Ion). All SKUs will run Windows XP and pack a 160GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM.
With all models of the S12 being priced below $500 (the Atom will be $449), the S12 has the potential to seriously shake up the market. Beyond its thin and attractive design, the S12’s larger screen and more powerful performance make it more than a companion netbook.
Editor’s Note: Since shooting the video with the Lenovo S12 some of the specs have been changed, including the available processors.
Our Related Content
- Lenovo IdeaPad S12 with Ion: Full Review
- Poll: How Much Is Too Much For A Netbook?
- Lenovo Holds Off On Ion Until Windows 7... And So Does Samsung
From Other Sites
- Lenovo IdeaPad S12 (NVIDIA ION) review (Liliputing)
- Photo Shoot: Lenovo IdeaPad S12 and U150 thin and light laptops (Liliputing)
- Unboxing the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 with NVIDIA ION (Liliputing)
Related Deals
- Lenovo IdeaPad U450p 3389-2EU 14-inch Notebook with Microsoft Signature software suite. 4.62lbs, 1.1 inches thick, DVD burner, and Windows 7.
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2 Responses to “Review and Hands-On with the Lenovo IdeaPad S12”
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May 25th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Its a 12″ notebook that is 1.4″ thick. And they couldn’t find room for more than a THREE CELL BATTERY? C’mon, this thing with an Ion in it is going to be a joke battery-life wise. There are 10″ netbooks that have room for a 6 cell without any part of the battery sticking out. Why couldn’t they manage that on this notebook?
May 28th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
The specs are listed 0.87″ to 1.14″ at it’s thickest point. 1,4″ is a typo (I think).
We can expect this to be a fairly slim machine. Of course, it will probably have an awful protrusion to allow for the 6-cell battery, which will be required, given that their optimistic battery life estimate is only 3 hours with the 3-cell. That probably means 2 hours in real usage, which is lame in a world where netbooks are getting 8+ hours.
Dimensions: 292 X 216 X 22-28.9mm