Review: Lenovo IdeaPad U110

Our IdeaPad U110 has the following specifications:

* Processor: 1.60GHz Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 (800Mhz FSB, 4MB Cache)
* Graphics: Intel X3100
* Screen: 11.1-inch WXGA (1366 x 768, 370 nit) display
* Memory: 2GB (up to 3GB configurable)
* Storage: 120GB Parallel ATA HDD (4200rpm)
* Optical Drive: None internal (external Dual layer CD/DVD recordable drive)
* Wireless and Communications: Intel 4965AGN (802.11 a/b/g/n wi-fi), BlueTooth 2.0 EDR
* Battery: 4-cell Li-Ion and 7-cell extended life Li-Ion batteries included
* Ports: 3 USB 2.0 ports, IEEE 1394 Firewire, 5-in-1 card reader, ExpressCard/34, VGA monitor out port, AC adapter, headphone/line-out, microphone/line-in, Gigabit Ethernet
* Dimensions: 10.8" x 7.7" x 0.72" - 0.88"
* Weight: from 2.42lbs with 4-cell battery and 2.92lbs with 7-cell battery
* Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
* Other Features: Integrated web camera with VeriFace application
* Warranty: 1-year

The pricing on the U110 starts at around $1,899, and that is the configuration we are reviewing. Needless to say, this isn't something the average consumer will be dropping their money on in place of an $800 Dell. Still, if having a stylish, compact notebook is important for you then the U110 makes an attractive choice.

Conclusion

Overall, the IdeaPad U110 is a nice notebook with an amazingly stylish design and reasonable performance in a small footprint. Consumers with some extra disposable income and a desire for an attractive laptop will be hard pressed to find a nicer overall choice than the IdeaPad U110. However, Lenovo made a few questionable choices with this notebook.

The display on the U110 is quite simply one of the worst we've seen in our office. Sure, color and brightness were fine, but the shimmering graininess and horrible levels of reflection made the screen physically painful to view for more than about 30 minutes. Likewise, while the keyboard feels fantastic and looks cool, the glossy surface picks up smudges from your fingerprints and the keys are too flat and too close together. Lastly, there's the issue of price. At the starting price of $1,899 most consumers won't be able to justify this purchase.

In the end, the IdeaPad U110 is an innovative notebook with some very attractive design elements and a solid feature set. Unfortunately, the display, keyboard and price make it an unlikely choice for most laptop shoppers.

Pros

• Cool design

• Light weight

• Nice battery life with extended battery
  

• Acceptable overall performance

Cons

• Horrible screen

• Slow startup (VeriFace causes significant startup lag)

• Keyboard not good for touch typists

• Expensive