Acer Review, Asus Review – Netbook 10

Lenovo has fixed some of the S10-2′s problems in their Lenovo S10-3, but are those improvements enough to make the netbook one of the better choices in the netbook market? What changes did Lenovo do to improve on their S series netbooks? Well, there’s a better keyboard, a good instant-on software and software bundle, and good audio. But is it worth its $349.99 price?

[Rating:6/7]

Features and Drawbacks

• Slicker design. – The new Lenovo no longer has the battery extending from the back of the netbook which means cleaner lines. It is also narrower than the S10-2 at 10.6″ x 6.6″ x 1.4″, and a teeny tiny bit lighter, at 2.6 lbs., than your average netbook. It also has a checkered pattern on the lid which makes it perfect for hiding smudges. The inside looks like brushed metal. The display has a glossy finish with great contrast.

• Excellent keyboard; meh touchpad. – The keyboard extends from one end of the chassis to the next in a spacious design. It’s also laid down, island-style, with snappy and responsive keys. The buttons are integrated on the wide touchpad, and isn’t as easy to use at the keyboard itself. Although capable of multitouch gestures, the buttons are hard to use. You’d be better of using a mouse.

• Better than average speakers. – Netbooks, in general, doesn’t have great speakers but the Lenovo S10-3 does. It has great volume without sacrificing clarity, and is definitely better than your average netbook.

• Great software bundle. – It comes with SplashTop instant-on OS which features icons at the bottom of the screen for email, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, YouTube, etc. You can customize these icons too. There’s an icon for Amazon, CNN down to the Weather Channel. It also comes with some utility software specifically from Lenovo such as DirectShare which allows you to sync your files on the computer to a USB drive; ReadyComm 5 which lets you connect to WiFi spots and Maplife which is powered by Bing.

• Can handle your everyday netbook needs. – Score-wise, the Lenovo S10-3 did not perform as well as other netbooks in various netbook tests, but it can perform your basic everyday computing needs. But if you look at it, the Asus Eee PC 1001P which has the same specs, scored higher in various netbook tests, AND it’s cheaper. Also, the Asus netbook which has the same 6-cell battery lasted almost eight and a half hours on a single charge, while the Lenovo S10-3 lasted an hour and a half less.

Rating – 6/7

Value for Money – 0.5
Speed and Performance – 1
Screen – 1
Keyboard – 1
Portability & Battery Life – 0.5
Looks and Design – 1
Extensibility & connectivity – 1

Technical Specifications

• Intel Atom CPU Speed N450(1.66GHz) CPU L2 Cache 512KB
• 1GB 204-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM Memory
• 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
• 802.11 b/g/n
• 10.1″ 1024×600 LED Display (16:9)
• Intel GMA 3150 Graphics
• Windows 7 Starter
• 6 cell Lithium Ion Battery with up to 7 hours battery life

Bottomline
There’ are better netbooks than the Lenovo S10-3. Some with better battery life for a few bucks less. But if you want an attractive keyboard, great speakers, and a slickly-designed netbook and isn’t worried about the less than stellar battery life, then the Lenovo S10-3 is a good option to check out. The Lenovo S10-3 is available from Amazon.com for $349.99.

Related posts:

1. Samsung N120 Review – Full Size Keyboard, Stereo Speakers, Awesome Battery Life
2. Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 Review: Solid but So-so
3. HP Mini 210 Review: Above Average, Below Other Netbooks
4. Asus Eee PC 1001P Review : Great Deal for Your Money
5. Toshiba Mini NB205 Review: Large Keyboard, Long Battery Life

Filed under: Uncategorized