Lenovo IdeaPad U150 Review Discussion

The Lenovo IdeaPad U150 is an 11-inch notebook featuring the latest Intel CULV processors for extreme battery life combined with HDMI output for mobile entertainment. This attractive netbook alternative packs enough performance for everyday tasks yet is small enough to be your constant companion PC. Should you spend your next $750 on this impressive little laptop? Keep reading to find out.

Read the full content of this Article: Lenovo IdeaPad U150 Review

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Funny coincidence that my U150 is being delivered today. There's a couple things that surprise me by this review however. First of all, according to the tabook, the top case is aluminum, while the bottom is PC/ABS plastic. Netbooked said the build quality is high, and very sturdy.
Secondly, there should be a correction, because according to the tabook, it in fact comes with 3 USB ports, 1 of which is a shared eSata/USB.
I'm just really surprised by this review, it seems that it was just thrown together in a hurry, and I'm surprised it was given such a low rating, where other sites have given it high marks.

 

We do need to make one correction: the eSATA port is indeed a combo port. It wasn't labeled as a combo port and we usually don't try to jam a USB device into eSATA ports unless they are marked as combo USB/eSATA. I'm updating the review now.

As for the top of the chassis, as far as we can tell this is not aluminum. Just like Kevin mentioned in the IdeaPad U350 review, Lenovo did a great job making it look like it's metal at first glance, but the weight, flex, and sound of the silver section all indicate this is plastic and not aluminum. I suppose we could break the top of the U150 in our lab to prove it, but the fact that we can place a screwdriver under the edge of the silver palmrest and "bend" it up without it permanently deforming indicated this is plastic and not metal. Tabook is just plain wrong.

 

Again, I'm just really surprised because netbooked gave it a very high rating, and said the lcd is very sturdy. Very interesting though. After I get my U150 and have had a chance to play around with it, I'll post my thoughts about it.

 

To be fair, we didn't give the U150 a bad rating. I did say it offers "a terrific balance of portability and value" and I concluded the review by saying "If you need a basic netbook alternative with HDMI and eSATA then the IdeaPad U150 should probably be at the top of your shopping list."

As suggested several times in the review, I'd gladly take the IdeaPad U150 over the Dell Inspiron 11z any day of the week.

That said, we noticed some chassis flex in our laboratory stress tests and when you consider the price is $749 as configured ($949 at some retailers that are using the original Lenovo MSRP) the new Alienware M11x offers more for roughly the same price.

We don't currently display our internal star rating system, but our visitors/readers will be able to see it very soon (we're going to start displaying the star rating within the next few months). This notebook received a star rating of 8 out of 10 (or 81.6666 repeating out of 100) based on our internal scoring that gives a score of 1 to 10 for Service & Support, Included Applications, Ease of Use, Build and Design, Performance, and Value.

Again, we're going to start highlighting our star ratings on all current and past reviews within the next few months.

 

Well, I have to disagree on the screen lid being made out of plastic. I have a U150 in my hand and I can categorically state that the exterior lid of my midnight black U150 is metal.
The only disappointment with my U150 is the trackpad, which is laggy and somewhat unresponsive. Again with is with the latest Synaptics driver.
Overall a good review though.

- Tim

 

Perhaps some clarification is warranted. The internal support structure and bezel of the screen lid on the U150 is 100 percent plastic. It does, however, have a thin metal shell used for the matte textured lid. If you tap your fingernails on the lid or disassemble the lid you will find a 100 percent plastic internal structure for the lid. This is why you can bend/flex the lid between your hands if you apply pressure in opposite directions with both hands.

PS: I edited two sentences in the build and design section of the review to clarify this issue of plastic construction with the thin metal decorative panel on the outside of the screen lid.

 

Is it possible to tell us how the keyboard compare to the 11in Vaio TT?

 

Just got my U150 a couple hours ago. My opinions; the build quality is excellent, very solid! (sorry Jerry, but I can't agree with you on the cheap plastics thing ). The screen viewing angles are very limited, but the screen is crisp and bright. Also I've noticed that the fan is pretty annoying, but the system stays pretty cool. I don't know if it's Windows 7 or the U150, but the system seems very quick. A very good system that I'd recommend to anyone looking for an ultraportable/CULV notebook.

 

Anyone know how to overclock that SU7300?

 

We don't have a VAIO TT in the lab right now for a side-by-side comparison, but the overall design and feel of these keyboards are very different.

The VAIO TT uses a Chiclet/island key design that puts more space in between each key. The individual keys on the Sony keyboard are also flatter than the keys on the U150 that have a more traditional curve in the middle of each key.

Bottom line, both keyboards are pretty good and it's largely a matter of whether you personally prefer the feel of traditional keyboards or like the additional space between the keys on a Chiclet/island style keyboard.

 

Thank you, I have a Vaio TT, and just wanted to see how the other side lives so to speak.

 

Interesting. Well I didn't (and wont ) put my notebook through a bunch of high stress tests, but it seems solid in normal every day use, atleast to me.
I can't comment on the trackpad as the other poster mentioned troubles with it (although I've read a lot about the trackpad's problems), I just disabled it and use an external mouse.

Edit: I have to concede that you are right Jerry about the cheap plastics. It felt very solid though, and didn't creak at all when I picked it up, yet somehow the plastics felt cheap. There was also some noticable (read: a lot) keyboard flex in the center, but the palm rest was nearly solid.