Acer Review, Asus Review – Netbook 10

The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is the world’s first netbook with the NVIDIA Ion graphic card. We’re still hazy about the kind of HD playback the card provides and whether the netbook’s specs will be able to support heavy graphics usage. Either way, this baby offers the strongest GPU on the market. With a 12.1” screen, you really have to question whether it’s a high powered netbook or a really small notebook.

The non-Ion version of the S12 is scheduled to release in Europe in June at $450; the Ion version will launch in the US in August at $499.

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What do you call a device that has the same graphics card as the new MacBook Pro, is just small enough to carry around easily and retails at a fraction of the price? That’s right, the Lenovo IdeaPad S12.

The Ion chipset will allow you to use the S12 for a lot more than simple cloud computing. Say hello to watching high-def movies, playing games, browsing pictures and editing videos on-the-go. (read our post on netbook graphics here)

NIVIDIA says the Ion will support games such as Spore, Call of Duty 4 and World of Warcraft.  While I believe the graphic card is up to par, the netbook’s lackluster 1 GB RAM may prevent the games from playing smoothly. Even the Asus N10, Asus’ gaming netbook which comes with the NVIDIA GeForce 9300m card  has 2 GB of RAM.

Another concern about the Ion – yes, even though it is the best graphic card out there, we still have something to gripe about! – is that it won’t improve online video playback. Online streaming sites like Hulu and YouTube are flash based, and the Ion won’t necessarily take the video decoding load off the CPU.

We’ll write a follow up post once the netbook launches and more reviews are available. In the meanwhile, here’s a rundown of the specs. Note that the keyboard is full sized which is awesome, but the netbook weighs a hefty 3.5 pounds.

Specs

• Processor – 1.6GHz  Intel Atom N270
• Graphics – Intel 945 or NVIDIA GeForce 9400M for an extra $50
• Operating System – Windows XP
• Memory – 1 GB DDR2
• Storage – 160GB hard drive
• Display –  12.1” (1280×800)
• Connectivity –  Ethernet, 802.11 b/g wireless, Bluetooth
• External Ports – USB, Expresscard, HDMI output (great for HDTV) , VGA
• Keyboard – full sized
• Battery life – 3hours with the 3cell, 6 hours with the 6cell
• Weight –  3.5 pounds (very heavy)
• Colors – Black and White

A feature that has received mixed reactions is the screen size. On the one hand, a 12” screen is great because you’ll actually be able to see the images and videos you plan to edit. On the other hand, if you’re okay with a 12” netbook you may as well go all the way and buy a small notebook.

Which leads to the best part of the IdeaPad S12 (apart from the Ion ofcourse). The price.  At $499, the S12 is a steal.  With the large screen size and the powerful graphics, the S12 butts heads with most notebooks out there. Want a good computer but don’t have the $1,000 to splurge?  Get an S12.

Related posts:

1. Lenovo S10 10.2″ Ideapad Netbook Review
2. What games can you play on a standard netbook?
3. Samsung N310 makes waves with its cool videos
4. Your Guide to Netbook Graphic Processing Units (GPUs)
5. Future of gaming in netbooks

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