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The Bottom Line

Dec 4 2009 - Lenovo's IdeaPad S12 is one of the few netbooks that has gone beyond the standard 10 and 11-inch screens. The extra screen size and resolution are a definite plus with the NVIDIA ION graphics capable of HD and 3D video. The full Windows 7 OS license also provides Lenovo the option of high memory and hard drive sizes. The downside to all of this is the extra bulk of the 12-inch screen and and the higher price make the system less attractive compared to less expensive netbooks with less graphics capabilities or higher performing but only slightly more expensive CULV ultraportables.

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Pros

• Superior Integrated Graphics
• Full Windows 7 Operating System
• Larger Memory and Hard Drive

Cons

• Price Not Far From Higher General Performance CULV Ultraportables
• Lots of Trialware Applications
• Larger and Heavier Than Many Netbooks

Description

• Intel Atom N270 Mobile Processor
• 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2 Memory
• 250GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
• 12.1" WXGA (1280x800) LED Backlit Display With 1.3 Megapixel Webcam
• NVIDIA ION Integrated Graphics
• Fast Ethernet, 802.11b/g Wireless, Bluetooth
• Three USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, 4-in-1 Card Reader
• 11.5" x 9.1" x 1.4" @ 3.4 lbs.
• Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit

Guide Review - Lenovo IdeaPad S12 ION 12.1-inch Netbook

Dec 4 2009 - Lenovo's IdeaPad S12 always bucked the trend of small netbooks because of its larger 12.1-inch LCD screen. Because of the Windows netbook licensing agreements, the netbook has always used full Windows licenses that carry an extra price but also allow for higher hardware specifications. Adding the NVIDIA ION graphics to the netbook gives the system a much needed boost for the graphics system that will please many.

The NVIDIA ION platform is essentially a scaled down version of the GeForce 9400M integrated graphics. This powerful integrated solution provides a much stronger graphics subsystem than the Intel GMA 950 or even 4500MHD graphics. It allows the IdeaPad S12 to be fully capable of playing back HD video streams at both 720p and 1080p resolutions. The screen resolution is limited to 1280x800 so 1080p will need to be viewed on an external monitor connected through the HDMI video connector.

In addition to HD video streams, the IdeaPad S12 is now also capable of playing light 3D gaming titles. It should be noted that the ION graphics are still limited to playing older PC gaming titles or newer ones in very limited detail levels. Many games will also be limited by the Atom processor more than the graphics itself. Still, this opens up gaming as a possibility in the netbook realm where it didn't really exist before.

As mentioned before, Lenovo's IdeaPad S12 is able to skirt the traditional netbook specifications by using a full version of Windows 7. This means that the system comes equipped with 2GB of DDR2 memory instead of the traditional 1GB. It won't mean a huge jump in performance of applications but it does give the system more room to prevent use of the virtual memory systems and some more multitasking capabilities. Rather than the traditional 160GB hard drive, the IdeaPad S12 also comes equipped with a 250GB drive that provides roughly 50 percent more storage space.

Battery life is decent with the added power demands of the NVIDIA ION graphics and puts the IdeaPad S12 roughly in the middle of the pack. Demanding video streaming will result in just under four hours of usage while more traditional web usage will net around five total hours of use. Watching Blu-ray video with an external drive is even more demanding and will yield roughly three hours of video. Some may dislike that the 6-cell battery pack also sticks out of the back of the unit.

While Lenovo has always been very good at producing keyboards that are spacious and comfortable to use, the layout they have chosen is confusing to many. Rather than the left control key being on the outside, it is shifted in one space to make room for the function key.

One annoyance with the IdeaPad S12 though is the trailware. There is a large amount of applications preloaded onto the system that will impact the performance slightly. Users are highly recommended to remove unwanted applications after purchase to improve overall performance.

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