Lenovo This Review is Long as...

Lenovo Ideapad S10-3 0647-2BU 10.1-Inch Netbook (Black)
First off, I am a college student. I was not looking for a top-of-the-line machine. I wanted the basics (something for email, word processing, web browsing, etc.) in a pc that was convenient to use and to carry around.

THE MACHINE
Before even shopping for a computer, I made the intention that I was not going to buy extra memory; I didn't have the funds for it and I didn't see it as a necessary expense. But now I'm considering it IF I can find a 1 gb stick for cheap, because sometimes it runs choppy with several programs open. But it doesn't slow me down enough to be a problem, so I can't say it's a deal breaker.


Again I'm a student, I take it with me everywhere so I like that it's lightweight. During my first use, I charged the battery to 95% and it lasted for about 6 hours (with a fully bright screen and a few programs running). After 6 months, I charge the battery to 95% and it lasts for about 5 hours (with a fully bright screen and a few programs running). However, I rarely fully charge my battery. A CompSci friend told me that charging of lithium ion is different and requires a moderate charge to avoid having to buy another battery for as long as possible, so I plug it in at 30% and stop charging at 80%. I also like the fact that it's a lenovo product, which have always been reliable in my experience.

All the features are just fine for my needs. The sound quality is good, and I like that the speakers are placed towards the front instead of on the side. I like that the power button sits up near the screen and away from the keyboard. The full size keyboard is comfortable to use, and it has solid keys much like what you would find on a macbook. I store my important documents on a backup computer, so the hard drive size is fine. The camera works great and is pretty sensitive to motion. The led screen is bright and has great resolution. And the computer runs quiet as a mouse. After running for a few hours, you can hear the faint whisper of the fan, but I wouldn't call it "noisy." I haven't found a need for the Direct Share feature yet. It doesn't take more than a minute or so to boot up the OS so I haven't found a need for the Quick Start feature/button. The Veriface login feature is cool, but it's nothing spectacular. It usually takes a few tries before it can recognize my face and unlock the computer. I haven't needed to use the One Key Rescue button (and hopefully never will) but it definitely seems like a nice feature to have.

As far as cosmetics, I like the low-profile design and the simple black finish (it is different from the matte pattern advertised in the picture). Apparently the finish is supposed to be fingerprint resistant, but I've been watching my fingerprints accumulate since I bought it (but I could care less about them). I actually hope they compliment the low-profile and make it even less attractive to others (laptops are stolen frequently on campus).

The only cons might be the keyboard layout and the touchpad. I think having the function key in the corner instead of the control key is annoying, to say the least. And I thought I would hate the one-piece touchpad because it has no buttons, but it is actually much better than expected. At any rate, the keyboard and touchpad shouldn't take long to get used to.

WINDOWS 7 STARTER
I was worried about the Windows 7 "Starter" version that comes with netbooks, and started looking for an alternative OS. The Linux platform, Ubuntu in particular, seemed promising (less memory to run, user-friendly for the most part) but I was turned off of it after another CompSci friend informed me that it doesn't easily run windows-based programs. In the end Windows 7 Starter is certainly simple, but it works fine.

The main drawbacks are that you cannot switch users (you have to log off to sign in to a different account), you cannot personalize it (e.g., you can't change the default windows background), and it DOES NOT INCLUDE MICROSOFT OFFICE (it comes with a basic "starter" version of Word and Excel). You're given the option to upgrade to a full version of Office, but I just decided to use Open Office instead.

Overall I am happy with the investment and highly recommend it.

Posted in: Lenovo Ideapad S10-3 0647-2BU 10.1-Inch Netbook (Black)