24/11/2011 04:19
blog.batteryfast.co.uk
2012: Year of the Ultrabook , Lenovo’s first Ultrabook IdeaPad U300s Review 2012: Year of the Ultrabook , Lenovo’s first Ultrabook IdeaPad U300s Review CloudTag: Ultrabook , IdeaPad U300s , Lenovo laptop , Lenovo batteries , Lenovo thinkpad t61 batteries , inspiron 1525 batteries
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The talk is usually all about tablets, but 2012 may be the year of the Ultrabook.
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uses a Core i5, i7 processor weighs less than 1.4 kg (3.1 lbs.) yields 5 – 8+ hours of battery life priced around $1,000
The first Ultrabooks have started to appear from top laptop makers, including Lenovo, Acer, ASUS, and HP. While these initial models have been able to meet the hardware criteria laid out by Intel, the “around $1,000 has been a sticking point. To be fair, models of the MacBook Air with decent configurations sell at prices higher than the $999 entry-level configuration. PC laptop makers realize they must do something to kickstart the Ultrabook category. It sounds like the Ultrabook will be the big thing at the CES in 2012, compared to netbooks and tablets in recent years.
Apple inadvertently touched off a new PC category with its MacBook Air. While the MacBook Air was priced too rich for many in its initial generation, Apple was able to get the price down to a reasonable level with the current model. Starting at $999, the MacBook Air forced Intel and Windows laptop makers to scramble to come up with an answer to Apple. Thus the Ultrabook category was born. What is an Ultrabook? According to Intel, who trademarked the term, the Ultrabook is a laptop that: • is less than 20mm (0.8 inches) thick • has no optical drive • uses a solid-state drive (SSD) for all storage
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It is good that so many companies are looking to produce Ultrabooks, as that will drive prices down. While Ultrabook makers may have a hard time competing with Apple currently, if prices drop enough next year that will surely change. Intel is predicting 40 percent of all laptops sold will be Ultrabooks by the end of 2012. While netbooks were essentially a flash in the pan, quickly getting big sales numbers and fading just as fast, Ultrabooks are here to stay. Netbooks went the underpowered route to acheive cost effectiveness, and many owners quickly tired of the corner-cutting. Ultrabooks are full laptops, with good performance packed in a highly portable form. In spite of the fancy new marketing term, they are the natural evolution of the bigger laptops, and they’ll be around for a good while, post-PC era or not.
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24/11/2011 04:19
2012: Year of the Ultrabook , Lenovo’s first Ultrabook IdeaPad U300s Review
need the special Ultrabook marketing term, but the IdeaPad U300s fits the ultra branding in every way.
http://blog.batteryfast.co.uk/2012-year-of-the-ultrabook-lenovo%e2%80%99s-first-ultrabook-ideapad-u300s-review/
Hardware specs as reviewed
If next year I can get an Ultrabook like the Lenovo U300s I recently reviewed for less than $1,000, I can see myself buying one. I likely wouldn’t be the only one, as many need a Windows laptop, or have a bias against Apple. Next year may very well be the year of the Ultrabook.
• CPU: Intel Core i7, 1.8 GHz • Memory: 4GB • Storage: 256GB SSD with RapidDrive technology (verified cold boot in 10 seconds) • Display: 13.3 inches; 1366 x 768; • Ports: 1-USB 2.0; 1-USB 3.0, audio, HDMI • Dimensions: 324 x 216 x 14.9 mm; 12.75 x 8.5 x 0.58 inches • Battery life: 8 hours real world; Rapid charge to 50% in 30 minutes • Weight: 1.32 kg; 2.9 lbs. • OS: Windows 7 Ultimate
Lenovo IdeaPad U300s Review Ultrabook is a product category invented by Intel to cook up excitement for the laptop segment. It is essentially a thin and light notebook computer that is reasonably priced. The first Ultrabook for ThinkPad maker Lenovo is the IdeaPad U300s, and it validates the new product name as it is the thinnest and lightest Windows laptop I have ever used. It is also the best Windows notebook to cross my desk, and that covers a lot of them. The Ultrabook design gives the U300s its form, a light (<3 lbs.) aluminum case that is half an inch thick. The unibody design is deceptively sturdy, and is easy to carry and use. The 13-inch display is bright and vivid, and the chiclet keys a typist’s dream with one exception detailed below. Performance is top-notch with the Intel Core i7 processor as configured, and battery life can last all day. I’m not convinced we
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Using the Ultrabook Carrying the U300s in one hand couldn’t be easier, with the thin laptop fitting comfortably in the hand. The notebook feels like it could stand up to the daily rigors of a road warrior, while remaining easy to throw in the bag and go. The system is optimized to make the laptop quick to start, easy to put to sleep, and fast to charge when the battery level drops
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24/11/2011 04:19
blog.batteryfast.co.uk
2012: Year of the Ultrabook , Lenovo’s first Ultrabook IdeaPad U300s Review
down. Even the power brick is well designed, being almost as thin as the laptop itself and easy to fit in a small pocket of any gear bag. Lenovo has designed the U300s with a solid bottom cover to the notebook, with nary a vent. This keeps the laptop cool when using propped up on the lap, due to air circulating through the keyboard and out the two side vents. The Ultrabook exhibits little warming during use as found in many laptops. It is well designed for long-term usage with good thermal engineering.
http://blog.batteryfast.co.uk/2012-year-of-the-ultrabook-lenovo%e2%80%99s-first-ultrabook-ideapad-u300s-review/
Ultra-performance
rified the 10.5 second cold boot time, made possible by Lenovo’s optimization with the RapidDrive SSD.
Conclusion Lenovo has produced an outstanding laptop for its first Ultrabook, and it meets the ultra definition in every way. There is even anti-theft protection on the U300s to help locate a stolen laptop for hopefully recovering it intact should that tragedy strike.
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The Intel Core i7 processor (1.8 GHz) coupled with the 256 GB solid-state disk (SSD) make this laptop fly. It is the fastest thin laptop I have ever used, and has handled everything I throw at it with ease. The Windows Experience Index (WEI) of 4.4 shows how it stacks up, with the highest rating given to the SSD of 7.1. This performance would mean little if the battery installed wasn’t able to keep it going for very long. Lenovo rates the fixed battery at 8 hours, and my real-world usage backs that up. I have routinely gotten over seven hours with the Balanced power setting, and could see getting even longer with aggressive power management. The rapid charging technology in the U300s adds even more value to thelong battery life. Using the tiny power brick, it is possible to make a 50 percent charge to a dead battery in just 30 minutes. This is a huge advantage for the frequent traveler, as just a half hour access to a power outlet can get you an extra 4+ hours of usage at the end of a long day. Lenovo claims the battery has a 30-day standby time, which I have not verified. I can’t let the U300s sit idle for days as it calls me to use it frequently. I have ve-
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