Lenovo IdeaPad S10 Netbook
Written by Lee
One look at the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 and the first thing you would notice and appreciate is its build and design. The design of Lenovo IdeaPad S10 is comparable to other netbooks but some nice changes have made their way into IdeaPad S10 to please its fans.
Design and build quality
The ‘white pearl’ glossy finish of the outer cover gives this netbook a very sophisticated aura. Whereas the interior is no different except for the keyboard and the palm rests are matt white rather than glossy. Lenovo has made the whole built out of durable plastic to match the sturdiness of its users. The edges have been rounded off and the netbook is quite slim and stylish in appearance. There is no fear of spoiling the exterior with scratches or marks since the black finish would conceal most of the dust, smudges and scratches and as for the keyboard and the bottom of the notebook, it stays scratch free too.
Screen and Keyboard
Looking at the bright 10” LED screen, one can’t stop admiring the efforts put in by Lenovo. The lustrous and lively screen though hinder the viewing angles especially giving poor visibility in bright light or outdoors, it brings out the best in colourful images and reinforces deep blacks to enhance the effects of Sci-Fi movies. The downside to the display is that with a slight tilt ahead or backwards above 20° would result in the alteration of viewing angle and colour shifts but it is less annoying if you are sharing the screen with someone sitting next to you. The screen hinges are firm and solid and require both hands to open up the display screen.
The most important factor that can either make your netbook a wonderful thing to work on or can simply create a hassle for you is the keyboard and Touch pad quality. Smooth in design and a little compact than usual, the keyboard gives you a flex-free typing service. Keys are firmly fixed and give a tiny ‘click’ sound when pressed. The Synaptic Touch pad has an excellent speed and sensitivity. The surface texture is smooth and has a glossy finish and it’s a pleasure to work on. The control panel has only one multi-finger control i.e. the ‘pinch’ for zooming in on the cursor region. The Touchpad buttons are also easily triggered and the Feedback has a short throw.
Multimedia
The lap-firing speakers in IdeaPad S10-2 are under the palm rest that will produce a muffled sound if the netbook is placed on a soft cushioned surface but if its on a hard desk, then you will get to enjoy clear and crisp audio despite the limited range of the speakers. The speakers produce better sound when at higher frequency support but at lower frequency, the audio gets compromised. They will be apt for VOIP, streaming music or You Tube but for movies and when more concentration on the sound is required, headphones are a preferable choice.
Like other netbooks, Lenovo IdeaPad S10 has 3 USB ports, audio jacks, LAN, VGA and Kensington Lock slot. There is also a wireless on/off switch, SDHC multi card slot and a built in mini-PCLe slot. However one would miss the Express card/34 slot but you can live without that!
Size, Weight and Battery
Weighing around 2lbs 11oz, 3lbs 5.4oz travel weight, SP10 has a dimension of 10.2’ x 7.6’ x 0.7-1.8’ with the battery included. Talking of the battery, this netbook uses a 6-cell Li-ion 10.8v 4.06Ah 44Wh battery and a 40W AC adaptor. The battery gives an extended life with the only disadvantage that it sticks out of the laptop at the back and raises it up to 0.75’ above the surface which in my opinion is a positive aspect since it gives you a more convenient typing position.
Available at a price of around £250, Lenovo IdeaPad S10 is simply wonderful and extremely practical. Slim as it is, it can easily slide into your bag pack or brief case and is a steadfast netbook both in physique and function.
Lenovo IdeaPad S10 Specifications
1.6GHz N270 Intel Atom Proessor
1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667 MHz
Windows XP Home edition (SP3)
10.1 inch WSVGA Glossy LED-backlit display with integrated camera 1024x 600
160GB 5400rpm Western Digital Scorpio Blue Hard drive
Intel GMA 950 Integrated Graphics
Broadcom 11b/g Wi-Fi wireless
4- in -1 Media card
