Lenovo IdeaPad U300 Ultrabook, reviews from around the web
(CBS) - Can the laptop get any skinnier? It seems like gadget makers are going to keep on trying, but it doesn't look like the price is also shrinking with it. The Lenovo IdeaPad U300 Ultrabook, to launch in October, will be priced at a minimum of $1,195. The MacBook Air currently starts at $999.
Lenovo's first crack at the IdeaPad Ultrabook will have a 13.3-inch display, up to a Core i7 processor and up to 256GB SSD. Plus, it'll be just 0.6 inch thick.
"The U300s interestingly has no bottom vents, instead pushing heat out through the hinge vents, as well as through what Lenovo calls a 'breathable keyboard,'" CNET points out.
So what do tech reviewers think of the upcoming gadget? Read on...
It's thinner than the MacBook Air
"The IdeaPad U300s is the thinnest, best looking laptop I've seen so far from Lenovo's consumer line and will surely be spoken of in the same breath as the Apple Macbook Air 13-inch (Thunderbolt)," says PC Magazine. "The entire design is shaped like a book and crafted from a single sheet of aluminum. It's sleek because it measures a mere 0.59 inches thick no matter where you apply the ruler. The Air, on the other hand, appears thinner because it has a ridiculously sharp front bezel (0.11 inches) that tapers off from the back (0.68 inches)."
It's got a classy, uncluttered look
"The attention to detail in Lenovo's design is impressive... Lenovo has done a great job of giving the U300s a classy, uncluttered look, but there's still enough connectivity where it matters," says PC Pro. "Lenovo looks to be onto a winner with the U300s. With build quality and ergonomics reminiscent of a ThinkPad, and looks that can rival Apple's best, it heralds an exciting future for Intel's Ultrabook concept. The ultraportable is dead; long live the Ultrabook."
It's nice, but pricy
"This is a sharp-looking system, with a bit more of a buttoned-down look in muted gray than some of the more colorful plastic IdeaPad laptops we've seen. The top and bottom lips stick out a tiny bit, creating a booklike silhouette when the laptop is closed," says CNET. "While the U300s is a very appealing laptop with an excellent look and feel, we were more than a little surprised that Lenovo plans to charge a minimum of $1,195 for it - a far cry from the sub-$1,000 prices Intel has been promising for Ultrabooks... Many PC makers have already found it difficult enough to compete with Apple's MacBook Air without offering a substantial price incentive to consumers."
Keep in mind, there are non-Ultrabook (slightly thicker) versions of the IdeaPad U series that are priced between $799 (for the U300, which has a13-inch display) and $849 (for the U400, which has a 14-inch display).