Lenovo IdeaPad S12

Lenovo IdeaPad S12 review

Lenovo S12
The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is bigger than a netbook, but scaled-down than most notebooks. It consists of a 12.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel show jointly with a complete sized keyboard. however the gadget I reviewed consists of a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU and integrated graphics, which suggests the all round performance is on par with you common netbook in most circumstances. And many thanks in the direction of the significant resolution display, some careers like HD film playback, really purpose an ideal offer better over a common netbook than inside the IdeaPad S12.

Still, if you are searching for just about any cheap, light, and easily transportable laptop computer but do not desire to compromise inside the display resolution and keyboard you can perform worse. Lenovo also provides a edition using the by method of Nano processor instead inside the Intel Atom, and an NVIDIA ION-based edition is anticipated soon, using a much more effective images processor.

The gadget reviewed has 1GB of RAM, a 160GB difficult drive, 802.11.b/g WiFi, a 6 cellular battery and runs glass windows XP residence Edition.


Design

The attribute that defines the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is on the way to be the actuality that it is bigger than a common netbook. That suggests it has space for just about any bigger display, complete sized keyboard, jointly with several additional features which consists of an ExpressCard/34 slot inside the part jointly with several additional quick-launch buttons above the keyboard.



Yet, the S12 requires the sleep of its layout cues from netbooks. so that you just can sustain expenditures down, Lenovo hasn’t just employed a much less expensive processor jointly with other inside components. The exclusive computer can be produced of plastic material using several chromed components to provide it a classier look. But as affordable plastic material pcs go, the S12 is a little something of the looker.



The company sells the netbook in dark or white, and equally variations attribute a pattern of sectors inside the lid. Personally, I’d favor a appear color, but which is not an option.



There’s lots of space near to the sides inside the netbook for three USB ports, an SD card slot, the ExpressCard slot, mic and headphone jacks, a VGA port, Ethernet jack, jointly with a change for toggling the WiFi on and off. There’s also a vent inside the left side. The enthusiast tone is audible when you are operating CPU-intensive tasks, but not obnoxious.

Above the keyboard is really a energy button, fast start button, and hardware buttons for adjusting the audio tracks amount or launching backup and restore software. There’s also a built-in mic above the keyboard.



The speakers are inside the the front borders inside the laptop, below the keyboard, but not stuck inside the bottom inside the exclusive computer precisely where the appear will simply be muffled with a table or your lap. There’s also a 1.3MP webcam situated above the display.



Underneath the unit, you will uncover several entry panels. i experienced been pleasantly astonished to be aware that there’s a zero price tag RAM slot, that will require to create it very simple to upgrade the RAM to 2GB merely by sticking throwing within of a 1GB stick. There’s no should eradicate the present memory space to upgrade. If I’m not mistaken, one other panel consists of a place for just about any SIM card slot, and possibly a 3G module, which is not enclosed inside the gadget reviewed here.

Display and Graphics

The IdeaPad S12 features a bright, glossy, 12.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel widescreen display. while bigger than most netbook screens, the S12 show can be appreciably sharper. I do not really feel the should squint as an ideal offer as I do using the HP 2133 Mini-Note, which experienced a 1280 x 720 pixel 8.9 inch display. But if your eyesight is not perfect, you may desire to adjust the method fonts and web page zoom settings within your internet browser so that you just will make the show much more comfortable.

Of course, the best point about a higher resolution show is on the way to be the actuality that it lets you cram much more substance onto your screen. Here’s a shot inside the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 and an IdeaPad S10-2 viewing identical internet page:


Left: IdeaPad S12 / Right: IdeaPad S10-2
As you can see, you can suit a whole great offer much more internet web page inside the S12, many thanks to its higher resolution screen. But all all those additional pixels do hold their toll. The 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor is much over capable of managing 720p film within of a assortment of formats, jointly with Flash film composed content — when paired using a common 1024 x 600 pixel netbook screen. however it needs to purpose an ideal offer more challenging to pump out film over a higher resolution screen. like a result, 720p film playback is choppy, as is some Flash film composed content from internet webpages like Hulu when carried out in complete display mode. common definition video, within one other hand, appears fantastic.



Lenovo ideas to provide a edition inside the IdeaPad S12 with NVIDIA ION, which essentially bundles identical Atom N270 CPU with an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M images processor. This edition ought for getting in a placement to deal with 720p and 1080p film playback with ease. But until Adobe and NVIDIA create hardware acceleration into Adobe Flash, higher best quality internet film will nonetheless research choppy when carried out in complete screen.

In other words, while you would think how the higher resolution display would make the IdeaPad S12 a an ideal offer better multimedia gadget than netbooks with reduce resolution displays, the opposite is true… for now. I’m looking forward to screening the ION powered edition as quickly since it gets available. it is worth noting that Lenovo also provides a edition inside the S12 using a by method of Nano CPU instead inside the Intel Atom processor. I cannot say for particular how this impacts film playback.

On one other hand, in conditions of common tasks, like editing business office documents, viewing or editing photos, or surfing the web, the higher resolution show is completely a welcome addition.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The laptop computer does not just attribute a bigger display than a common netbook. It also consists of a bigger chassis. And that suggests there’s space for just about any 100% complete sized keyboard. Typing inside the IdeaPad S12 keyboard is practically identical come upon as typing over a laptop computer using a 14 inch or bigger display. Of course, the keyboard is nonetheless scaled-down than a common desktop keyboard, which suggests that some keys should serve double-duty.



For instance, you can strike the Fn essential as well as a sequence of alphabet keys to simulate the come upon of typing over a numeric keypad. The residence and carry out keys are blended using the PgUp and PgDn keys. The Fn keys on the best row inside the keyboard allow you hold out actions for example placing the exclusive computer to sleep, toggling the WiFi, disabling the touchpad, and controlling mass media playback in some applications. The arrow keys inside the bottom appropriate corner inside the keyboard could be also employed to adjust the display brightness and volume.

Some of those keys could be overkill, offered that there are also dedicated buttons above the keyboard that allow you adjust the volume, and there’s a hardware key inside the left part inside the exclusive computer for toggling the WiFi. But I suppose it could be an ideal offer better to possess as well several options than not enough at all.

I do possess just one puppy peeve using the keyboard. I uncover the area inside the Ctrl and Fn keys frustrating. I’m employed to operating with keyboards precisely where the essential inside the much left part inside the bottom row is Ctrl. inside the IdeaPad S12, the Fn essential is situated in that spot, as well as the Ctrl essential will be to its right. I frequently uncover myself hitting Fn when I imply to strike Ctrl. But i realize Lenovo is not the only exclusive computer maker to create use with this layout, which means you may at current be employed to these essential positions. I’m not.



The touchpad is reasonably wide, regardless of the actuality which i observed how the Asus Eee PC 1000H, which could be really a 10 inch mini-laptop really consists of a slightly wider touchpad. below the IdeaPad S12′s touchpad are two unique buttons, that are pretty very simple to press. The touchpad consists of a scrolling area near to the appropriate side, permitting one to scroll up and lower in most applications, an ideal offer identical way you would using a mouse button scrollbar.

Software

Lenovo packs the IdeaPad S12 using several fascinating applications. 1st is really a quick-start atmosphere centered on Splashtop. in the event you strike the QS key above the keyboard instead inside the energy button, the fast start menu will start in about 10 seconds. It consists of a internet browser, audio tracks player, photo viewer, instant messenger, and Skype.



Honstly, I’m not that impressed using the fast start software. The 1st trouble is on the way to be the actuality that there’s no method to include or eradicate these applications, and even set up add-ons to the Firefox-based internet browser. Second, while it requires 10 seconds to fill the interface, it may hold one more 10 to twenty seconds to fill an application. contemplating it only requires about 45 seconds to boot right into a completely sensible glass windows XP desktop, I do not see the advantage to producing utilization of the fast start menu.

Finally, and also this might not be considered a trouble for everyone, I couldn’t to the lifestyle of me connect to my residence wireless neighborhood producing utilization of the fast start WiFi configuration utility. I experienced no trouble getting on-line producing utilization of glass windows XP, so I understand that is really a software program issue, not only a hardware one. i experienced been also in a placement to login to some neighbor’s unsecured network, but not my password-protected network. Shh… do not inform him.

The exclusive computer also consists of the VeriFace realization III energy which lets you log into glass windows by pointing the webcam at your mug. If you certainly are a slow typist, this could be sooner than entering a password inside the keyboard, however it does hold several seconds to the facial realization software program to load, which means you may uncover it is much more trouble than it is worth.



I positioned the software program in the direction of the check by registering my exclusive confront after which wanting to trick the software program by pointing it at my partner jointly with several photos of other people’s faces. i experienced been in a placement to login every sole time, while my attempts to fake the software program out went unrewarded. I also found which i couldn’t login producing utilization of my exclusive confront within of a poorly lit room.

Smiling also fools the program, offered which i listed my confront without any smiling. In other words, in the event you really desire to stay obvious of somebody from logging to the exclusive computer by holding your unconscious mind up in the direction of the display pursuing you have passed out pursuing getting just one as well many, attempting setting up the software program only to allow you login while producing a especially humorous face. Then make an effort to bear in mind that confront subsequent time you need to login. Fortunately, the facial realization software program only performs if you have at current founded a composed password for the computer, so even in the event you uncover your do it yourself unable to login producing utilization of the webcam for just about any sole end result in or another, you can continually sort the password the more mature fashioned way.

Here’s a short film inside the facial realization software program in action:

The exclusive computer also arrives with OneKey recovery software program which lets you backup your data and settings and restore them by clicking the restore key situated over the keyboard.



There’s also a vitality path energy that lets you quickly adjust your energy settings. These appear for getting limited to factors like display brightness and how prolonged your exclusive computer desires for getting inactive earlier to shutting lower the display, difficult drive, or other components. The energy schemes do not appear to provide you with any control over your CPU pace or other revolutionary hardware settings.

In other words, the vitality path software program is not an ideal offer much more effective compared to created in glass windows energy path tools, however the Lenovo software program does possess the benefit of letting you instantly adjust your energy schemes when your exclusive computer is unplugged.

The exclusive computer also ships with Norton internet protection software program jointly with a trial edition of microsof company business office 2007.

Performance

Aside inside the all round performance concerns pointed out inside the images and show section, the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 features precisely when you would anticipate an Intel Atom powered netbook to. I experienced no problems opening 6 or much more tabs in Firefox while actively playing audio tracks inside the history without any the exclusive computer slowing down.

If you plan to create utilization of the exclusive computer largely for surfing the web, making and editing documents, or executing other careers that do not need a amazing offer of images performance, the Atom-powered edition inside the IdeaPad S12 can obtain the work done. in the event you need an ideal offer better graphics, you may desire to wait around until the NVIDIA ION edition is available.

The speakers are reasonably loud, if a little bit tinny.

Battery

The laptop computer arrives using a 6 cell, 52Whr battery. It sticks out inside the back again inside the exclusive computer a bit, but i have witnessed worse.



The battery lasted for 4 several hours and 27 mins when I ran the Battery Eater expert test. The check is founded to positioned steady strain inside the battery. In real earth settings, you are in all probability to acquire in between 5 and 6 several hours of run time.

While several other netbooks, which consists of the Asus Eee PC 1005HA, get an ideal offer better battery life, 5+ several hours is pretty good for just about any 12.1 inch notebook.

Verdict

If you judge the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 by netbook standards, the exclusive computer has an awesome display and keyboard. while the laptop computer is nonetheless tiny by conventional laptop computer standards, it ought for getting huge enough to placate some individuals who uncover the common netbook for getting as well tiny to create for just about any comfy typing or examining experience. And weighing in at just 3.4 pounds, the laptop computer is barely heavier compared to Asus Eee PC 1000HE.

As an ideal offer as I adore a 10 inch netbook, I uncover myself routinely grabbing the bigger IdeaPad S12 when I’m inside the go offered that it has several inside the benefits of the netbook which consists of prolonged battery lifestyle and pretty tiny sizing and lighting weight, using the additional benefit of the display that will show appreciably much more information.



But the essential style with an Intel Atom N270 CPU and integrated images balks at HD film playback jointly with other careers that need higher images digesting energy compared to exclusive computer can provide. that will make the S12 really feel slower than several scaled-down netbooks, jointly with an ideal offer slower than a affordable 14 or 15 inch laptop.

If you really need an ideal offer better images performance, you may desire to sustain out to the NVIDIA ION version. But be conscious that even that edition is not on the way for getting in a placement to deal with awesome Flash film in complete display mode until Adobe and NVIDIA purpose out hardware acceleration to the platform.