IdeaPad U300s - made of metal

The concept of ultrabooks - thin and light notebooks with energy-efficient processors - developed by Intel. At first glance, nothing fundamentally new was invented: the CULV processors were used before. But more stringent technical requirements are what will help change the mobile computing industry for the better. Mobile computers will become thinner, lighter, more reliable, and at the same time remain very productive.

Lenovo recently showed its version of the ultrabook, the model IdeaPad U300s, but it will soon be available from us. This model can not be called cheap, but it is one of the thinnest and lightest 13-inch laptops with a very impressive performance. But the main thing in it, perhaps - is what is called a tactile sensation. The aluminum case gives this model a feeling of incredible reliability. However, Lenovo took care not only about the appearance: the design of the model provides minimal heat and noise.



')
A copy with such a color came into my hands, although in fact the photo does not convey the saturated orange color of the lid very well. However, there is a more relaxed silver.



In the orange model, the entire inner surface is black, which makes the laptop quite strict. By the way, for this model they decided not to use the usual method of painting the hull. Instead, the process of anodizing metal is involved, which guarantees no noticeable scratches. In general, the laptop turned out to be really very thin, and unlike the competitors, the thickness of the model (14.9 millimeters) is the same over the entire surface. The notebook resembles a book, and the same approach was used in the previous model series - IdeaPad U260.



Speaking of heating. These two photos show how the heat exchange takes place in a laptop and where it has the hottest points. There are absolutely no holes on the bottom of the U300s, air is sucked through a special membrane under the keyboard and is ejected through the holes on the left side and back through the ventilation grilles in the area of ​​the display hinges. Technology "breathable keyboard" - another development of Intel, which is currently represented exclusively in Lenovo laptops. By the way, a certain degree of protection against liquid spilled on the keyboard is also available. Result: the laptop body heats up very little, up to a maximum of 39 degrees at the hottest point. There is another inconvenience with the U300s: it's uncomfortable to keep it on your lap for some time after the street - it's too cold :)



The technical characteristics of the tested specimen are as follows:

Processor : Intel Core i7-2677M 1.8-2.9 GHz
Memory : 4 GB DDR3 (one module)
Storage : 256 GB SSD
Screen : 13.3 inches 1366x768 pixels
Wireless : WiFi 802.11n / Bluetooth
Connectors : headset (headphones and microphone), 1xUSB 2.0, 1xUSB 3.0, HDMI
Dimensions : 324x216x14.9 mm
Weight : 1.32 kg

Let's look at the performance:



The dual-core, low-power Core i7 shows an 8% lower score than the full-fledged Intel Core i5 notebook in the ThinkPad X220 . It is much more interesting that the test results of one of the most powerful "full-size" Core i7 of the previous generation (620M 2.67 GHz) are almost identical to the indicators of the new CULV-processor. In general, it can be said that there is no need to expect any special compromises in performance with such a laptop, everything will work quickly and, when necessary, with low battery consumption.

The built-in SSD in the HDTune test for sequential reading of data shows an average speed of about 240 MB / s - a very good indicator. In a company with a powerful processor, modified Windows drivers and specially prepared UEFI BIOS, this laptop provides not only high speed of applications, but also quick start: I managed within 12 seconds with 10 claimed to boot the system from scratch. From sleep, the laptop goes instantly.



The battery in this laptop is also quite powerful: 54 Wh, with a stated operating time of up to 8 hours. As usual, I tested the IdeaPad U300s for the duration of autonomous playback of HD video with the following parameters: brightness and volume at 70% of the maximum, WiFi is on. The result is also not bad: 4 hours 53 minutes. Let me remind you that the ThinkPad X220 in the same test (and with a more powerful standard battery) worked just over 6 hours, and the ThinkPad X1 (it also has a non-removable battery) - 3.5 hours. In general, it is quite possible to count on six hours of work, without much saving the battery charge (but also without fanaticism).

Price and Verdict
A modern laptop should be cheap, compact and fast. As usual, only two of these three statements can be chosen. The compact and fast IdeaPad U300s won't be cheap: this configuration with the most powerful Intel ULV processor will appear here this autumn at a price of about 50 thousand rubles. This laptop clearly belongs to the class of the image: it looks incredibly stylish and, as they say, pleasant to the touch. Although for the minimum thickness even the Ethernet connector had to be sacrificed. On the other hand, stylish models sometimes do not provide high performance, but with this the U300s are just fine. A good laptop for a successful business-woman, or just for a girl, a fashion accessory and at the same time a great work tool. Anyway, for me the most important thing is that in the U300s one of the options for the further development of mobile computers is shown. And such a future looks very attractive.



And now a small announcement: next week I will publish the first review of the new Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet Android Tablet - a very interesting model based on the Nvidia Tegra 2 with full pen input, an optional “iron” keyboard and a very sturdy construction. I can already say for sure that this tablet is different both from the most serious competitor in this market (we all know what kind of device it is :), and from everyone else. So if you want to know something specific about this model, or you are interested in the results of certain tests - ask in the comments, be sure to take into account when preparing the post.