Dell Laptops Starting at $449
Lenovo to Sell IdeaPad S12 with Intel Atom and Nvidia Ion Options for Under $500
May 25th, 2009 by Joanna Stern
Lenovo is joining Dell (with its Inspiron Mini 12) and Samsung (with its NC20) in the 12 inch netbook game today with its IdeaPad S12. However, the S12 doesn’t just bite the bullet. Breaking the typical netbook mold, it is the first to pack Nvidia’s Ion platform which combines the Intel Atom processor with GeForce 9400M graphics to provide better performance.
Available in black and white, the S12 fits into the IdeaPad family sporting an identical patterned lid to the IdeaPad S10-2. Check out our detailed S12 hands-on with video for more on the design.
Lenovo will offer the S12 with two internal architectures in the U.S., one with the typical Intel Atom N270 and GMA 945 graphics and another with the Intel Atom N270 and Nvidia’s GeForce 9400 graphics. The Intel Atom S12 will be priced at $449. Upgrading to Nvidia Ion will cost an additional $50. Ion will supercharge netbooks and, according to Nvidia, turn a netbook into a notebook. Lenovo will also offer an S12 with Via’s Nano processor, but only overseas.
All models will come with a 5,400rpm 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, Windows XP and a six-cell battery which is rated for six hours of battery life. The S12 comes with Lenovo’s Quick Start instant-on OS and VeriFace facial recognition software.
The S12 with Atom alone will be available today. Those lusting after the S12 with Ion inside will have to wait for August.
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From Other Sites
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7 Responses to “Lenovo to Sell IdeaPad S12 with Intel Atom and Nvidia Ion Options for Under $500”
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May 25th, 2009 at 9:52 am
The revolution is coming at last, despite the despicable intel’s tactics. I would be ready to put 50 more box just to NOT have any graphic ship from intel.
May 25th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Still a touchpad rather than a trackpoint. FAIL.
May 25th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Hey Joanna thanks to you i know all about Laptops =) Your my favourite writer on Laptopmag
May 25th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Ditto on the trackpoint. Sony has one on their netbook and Lenovo doesn’t? FAIL.
Anyway, that said, the Ion configuration isn’t available till August, so this may or may not be the first Ion netbook.
And for those who don’t know yet, an Ion GPU does NOT fix the problem with Atom netbooks not being able to handle HD flash content, like Youtube or Hulu. That will STILL stutter even though this should be able to handle BD HD content if you’ve ripped it, or happen to have a portable BD drive.
May 26th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
No trackpoint = FAIL?!! Um… reality check: trackpoints are terrible. It is so much more effort to push a horrid little joystick nub around than to simply use a touchpad. Trackpoints are only justified in devices too small or cheap to accomodate a touchpad. Weirdos.
May 26th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Fail?,
Most of the laptops Lenovo makes have trackpoints, in particular the Thinkpads that made them a household name when they bought the line from IBM. I understand that some people don’t like them. I do, and often prefer them to trackpads, which I mostly dislike. But when they’re present they’re an OPTION. You can use whichever one you like.
May 26th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Yeah, but most netbooks don’t have the real estate for both options. If you see a trackpoint from Lenovo it won’t be an ideapad but on a thinkpad, whether it’s an ultra-affordable ultraportable or a business minded netbook. different brands, different target audiences.