Lenovo IdeaPad U350 Review

The Lenovo IdeaPad U350 is a 13.3" thin and light notebook based on the Intel CULV platform. It offers Intel processors ranging from the single-core SU2700 to the dual-core SU7300 with up to 4GB of DDR3 memory and your choice of 4-cell or 8-cell batteries for extended battery life. In this review of the Lenovo IdeaPad U350 we take a look at how well it performs in a wide range of tasks, including time away from the power outlet, to see if this is indeed the perfect travel companion.

Our Lenovo IdeaPad U350 Specifications:

• Windows Vista Home Premium with SP2 (Now available with Windows 7 64-bit)
• Intel Pentium SU2700 CULV (1.3GHz, 800MHz FSB, 2MB cache)
• 4GB DDR3 SDRAM (1066MHz)
• 320GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
• 13.3-inch diagonal WXGA (glossy, 1366x768)
• Intel X4500M integrated graphics
• Intel 5100AGN, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Ports and connectors: (2) USB 2.0 ports, VGA, HDMI, 2-in-1 SD-Card reader, RJ-45/Ethernet (Gigabit), stereo headphone/line out, stereo microphone in, 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Dimensions: (LxWxH) 12.9" x 9.0" x 0.7-1.0"
• Weight: 3lb 10.3oz (not including weight of AC adapter).
• 4-cell 41Wh battery
• One-year standard warranty
• MSRP: $749

Build and Design
The Lenovo IdeaPad series has always featured unique designs compared to other Lenovo notebooks, and the U350 is likewise a unique-looking laptop. For starters, the U350 features a cross-weave texture imprinted on the top of the screen cover where most notebooks are only covered with glossy paint. This gives the user a completely different tactile experience: you can feel the difference in texture the moment you touch this laptop. I think it looks kind of cool and unique, but not everyone will agree with that. Inside the U350 you'll find a plastic palmrest painted with a brushed metalic finish to simulate the look of metal. This is one design element I don't agree with, since it gives the illusion of better construction than what plastic provides.

Build quality is still very good thanks to a solid chassis and durable components throughout. The plastic exterior feels strong with very little flex even under moderate pressure. The textured plastic lid not only looks nice, but hides day-to-day abuse by making scratches blend in with the imprinted pattern. It also does a very good job at hiding smudges and fingerprints compared to laptops with glossy plastic exteriors. Inside, the palmrest and keyboard feel solid under the weight of your hands and arms. The chassis doesn't twist or flex when you hold the notebook by the edge of the palmrest. In short, the laptop feels like it should stay in one piece over its lifetime.

People who like to tinker with computers or add aftermarket features will really enjoy the way Lenovo built the IdeaPad U350. A single panel on the bottom of the notebook gives you access to the hard drive, system memory, WiFi card, and an open WWAN slot. While Lenovo doesn't currently offer a WWAN option on the U350 series, the notebook comes prewired with capped off antenna leads in case you want to install your own 3G card. There is a slot for a SIM card underneath the battery for those consumers needing GSM-based WWAN options. We couldn't find any explicit "warranty void if removed" stickers inside the notebook, but there were some Lenovo-branded stickers covering the edges of the RAM, Wi-Fi card screws, and heatsink screws which may be used to indicate tampering.

Screen and Speakers
The 13.3" screen is average, providing decent color and contrast but suffering from noticeably shallow viewing angles. Low-quality TN display panels are normal since most of the thin-and-light notebooks costing very little, but some displays are better than others. For standard activities like browsing the web or typing documents you don't really notice the color shift, but when viewing pictures or watching a dark movie the color shift is very noticeable and distracting. Vertical viewing angles are good until about 10 degrees forward or back when colors start to shift considerably. Horizontal viewing angles are a little better as colors remain true except at very steep angles. The screen backlight level is rated at 200nit by Lenovo, and in our testing it works very well under bright office lights. The screen isn't quite powerful enough to overpower the reflections off the glossy screen outdoors under direct sunlight.

The speakers are fine for listening to streaming radio or the occasional TV show. That said, headphones are a much better option to really enjoy music and movies from this notebook thanks to the weak bass and midrange from the built-in speakers. Another alternative is using the HDMI-out to pass digital audio to a home stereo.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The full-size keyboard is great for typing and the 13" form-factor is the perfect compromise between size and user comfort. Too much smaller and the palmrest won't actually support your wrists. Any larger and the notebook becomes too large to be travel friendly. Key action is smooth and quiet with a very mild click emitted when you fully press a key. Key wiggle is minimal and each key top is solidly attached to the scissor mechanism below. We didn't notice any keyboard flex unless we pressed down very forcefully on the keys. In short, the keyboard on the U350 easily ranks as one of the nicest ones we've used on a thin-and-light notebook.

The IdeaPad U350 offers a spacious Synaptics touchpad that is one of the better models we've seen in this form-factor of notebook. The surface texture is mildly rough and gives good traction without making it difficult to slide your finger across when moist. Speed and accuracy are great and we barely noticed any lag in our tests. Refresh rate of the touchpad surface is very good and prevents any "stutter" like what we've recently seen on a few Synaptics touchpads. The acceleration on each axis is adequately matched and helps guarantee that cursor movement on the screen matches your finger movement on the touchpad. The touchpad buttons were excellent thanks to a soft, springy action with a very long throw. The only complaint I have regarding the buttons is you need to make a full press all the way down as far as the buttons will go, otherwise you don't fully engage the button.

Ports and Features
Port selection is very good with three USB ports, VGA and HDMI-out, gigabit LAN, audio in/out, and an SDHC card slot. The SDHC-slot is spring loaded, but doesn't allow the card to sit flush in the slot. When you fully insert a standard SDHC card into the slot it still sticks out partially. Don't expect to see a built-in optical drive in this notebook, so if you plan on reinstalling the OS or ripping DVDs, pick up an external USB optical drive. Multimedia keys are limited to a mute button and a direct access button to the Lenovo recovery software suite.

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Performance and Benchmarks
System performance with the Intel SU2700 CULV processor is less than stellar. Most programs take noticeably longer to load or access information compared to faster CULV options. Even with 4GB of memory, the system feels as sluggish as most Intel Atom-based netbooks. That said, basic tasks such as web browsing, listening to iTunes, typing documents, or watching the occasional SD video are no problem for the IdeaPad U350. When we moved up to watching HD video while still multitasking, the system lagged considerably. If this system included the faster SU4100 or SU7300 dual-core processors this would not be a problem in the slightest. Most of the configurations with the better processors don't even cost that much more than this model, so there is little reason not to choose a faster one.

Wprime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance):

PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance):

3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):

HDTune storage drive performance test:

Heat and Noise
System temperatures stayed within normal ranges with the low-end single core processor. The hard drive cavity was noticeable warm on the left side of the palmrest and on the bottom of the notebook, but the temperature wasn't uncomfortable. Noise levels were about average for a computer of this size, but the fan might get on your nerves if you are used to a completely silent notebook. The U350 tends to keep its fan running all the time, either to keep case temperatures low or to keep the processor under a certain temperature range. Fan noise was only a little louder than the noise level of a hard drive, but if you have really good hearing you will notice it.

Battery Life
Battery life with the 4-cell battery and the SU2700 is less than we had hoped for. In our test with the screen brightness set to 70%, Vista on the "balanced" power profile, and wireless active the system stayed on for 3 hours and 35 minutes before going into standby mode. Power consumption during this test floated between 9 and 10 watts. Lenovo does offer an 8-cell battery with higher-priced models for users looking for better battery life, and the 8-cell battery should provide more than 7 hours of runtime.

Conclusion
The Lenovo IdeaPad U350 is a great thin-and-light notebook ... as long as you don't pick the model with the slower Intel SU2700 processor. The U350 offers a unique design with a textured surface, great build quality, and excellent upgrade options. What can make or break this system though is the configuration, which could span from speedy to painfully slow under most tasks. Battery life is below average with the 4-cell battery, but an 8-cell battery comes standard on higher-priced models. The IdeaPad U350 offers an overall excellent value as long as you pick the right configuration.

Pros:

• Excellent build quality
• Design looks and feels good
• Pre-wired for WWAN

Cons:

• Slow SU2700 processor
• Touchpad buttons require deep press

Related Articles:

• Lenovo IdeaPad U330 Review

 

16:9 screen in a lenovo...signs of what is to come sadly.

 

Wow, Lenovo sent you a U350 configured with the crappy processor to review? They know better than that for getting love from a reviewer. Then again, Kevin does seem to like crappy low priced notebooks with Pentium processors, so maybe that was the thinking on their end.

 

Well it was an early configuration, right now they have more dual-core models.

Also you should have linked to this review : http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2855

 

LOL at Andrew.

Very nice review, finally out, considering this laptop is out since june I think.

 

Oh, BTW, is there a U450p review coming up?

I noticed on their website, that it is using the U7300 CPU and ATI 4330HD, a CULV with GPU. Now I wonder how that performs and if it is going to take the place of the U80

 

Another poor screen quality Lenovo. Man. But I guess it's par for the course for all of these low-end laptops.

 

Well they have versions with the better processors here in Sweden but there are no versions with the 6 cell battery to be found! So irritating, otherwise it would have been instant-buy why oh why...

 

SU 2700 is really slooooooooooooooow.
My Acer Timeline had exact same processor ..even 4G ram did not help.
My current Atom N270 feels much faster..(relatively speaking ^^)

 

SU 4100 and above should be the right processor for 13.3. Ill wait for the review of lenovo u150. much cheaper and way faster.

 

I was hoping that the U350 would be better than the Hp dm3 but.....
See, i DONT want to buy Hp again. LenovoooOO???

 

What happened to your DM3?

 

I've not bought the dm3 yet. I just don't want to buy Hp again. Almost all Hp's I've used are not good with managing heat and have loud fans. The Dm3 users lounge already have a few users complaining. Plus i just wanted to step up a little. I'll get a Thinkpad then.

 

With the Asus UL30A being around the same price, I see no point to this.. Levovo isn't being very competitive with this model.

 

Lenovo has some nice coupons going for 10% off that brings the price very close to the asus. Also, I must say that the U350 has some major benefits over the UL30A, specifically gigabit ethernet, the intel 5100, bluetooth, and better construction.

 

Odd that a review that came out on 11/11 was done of the SU2700 (single core) version. I would guess that the review has been finished for a while and they just posted. I have the SU4100 (dual core) version and I believe they have been out for weeks. The SU4100 Windows 7 version is for sale for $599.

I do not have the same complaints of screen. I'm actually very impressed with the screen. The screen is one of the main reasons I chose the U350 over the Acer AS3810TZ and Toshiba T135. I notice none of the color shift that Kevin referred to but I have not looked for it. Viewing angles seem about average to me. I wonder if Kevin had a bad panel on his. Most of the reviews out there have been very positive about the U350 screen.

I have a lot more positive to say about the U350 than negative.
Positive:
1. The screen is very good (better than the others in this class I looked at). It is also very bright. I can turn it down to 50% and it still is plenty bright.
2. The sound is very impressive for notebook this size (after adjusting in the Dolby app).
3. Great construction. It really is amazing how rigid they made this very thin notebook. I was expecting it to have a lot more flex than it does.
4. Keyboard is fantastic. If you plan on typing a lot this is the one you want.
5. Very nice touchpad. This was another deciding factor for me. None of the others I tried were better.
6. Very good looking and don't have to worry about fingerprints. Textured lid makes is east to carry around.
7. Relatively cheap. The other 13.3" notebooks with SU4100 cost more. The Dm3 with SU4100 is $150 more.

Negative:
1. It came installed with 32 bit version on Windows 7 Home Premium. I was expecting 64 bit. The other current versions of U350 come with 64 bit version.
2. 4 cell battery. I have been getting about 4 hours of battery life. I would like more. I plan on picking up 8 cell battery when available.

I will post some benchmarks later so people can seen how SU4100 compares to SU2700.

edit: Kevin or Andrew, you might want to mention on first page that there is a SU4100 version. Having the "buy" box with the SU2700 version seems like a step back as well. The SU4100/Win 7 version is out and in many places cheaper than SU2700 version.

 

Around the same price? The SU4100/Win 7 version of U350 is $600. Where is Asus UL30A less than $700?

 

You can find the UL30A-A5 for $699.99 at amazon.com

 

Funny .....

 

You are a good sport sir.

 

Does anyone know if the 8cell battery sits flush, or does it stick out like other extended batteries?

 

I ran wprime on the SU4100 version and got 63.56 seconds.

I also ran a bunch of h.264 video to see if I see that color shift that Kevin is talking about and could not see it. Video looks great on this machine. I have a bunch of videos at 480p and the U350 scales them very well to full screen. Both 720p and 1080p h.264 videos look fantastic and run great as well. I'm not sure why this is but Windows Media Player 12 is much more efficient than Quicktime playing HD h.264 video with this CPU and GPU.

 

I'm not sure. I have been trying to figure this out. As far as I can tell the 8 cell battery is not available yet. The models that have this battery "Ships in more than 4 weeks". I have looked everywhere online for the battery and pics but I have had no success. If it is not flush it will be thicker (like a bulge on bottom). It could not stick out the back the way the battery is configured.

 

I really hope it sits flush. Then I would have to decide between the U350, 3810t, and UL30, but I think the price and overall benefits of the U350 would win.

Oh and your last post about WMP12 are confounding me too. I have noticed the same thing on my windows 7 Asus G1s. WMP seems to be able to use way less resources playing xvid, 720p, and 1080p mkv files than even VLC. Its nice to see built in media functions taking the step in the right direction.

 

I too am debating between this notebook with a su7300 or asus ul-30 or hp dm3? Is the consensus that the lenovo is the better package out there?

 

I would very much love to see the answer to the question as to which is the better machine right now, Lenovo with SU7300 or Asus UL30a. All things considered and price not a factor, which is the better machine for daily use?

 

If you ask me, the HP with AMD/ATI is the best option. Best graphics on IGP and a GPU as switchable for around the same.

 

If you get the U350 version with the SU7300 and 8 cell battery it will likely cost $50 more than the UL30a (the 4 cell version of U350 with SU7300 costs $700). It is a hard call. For me it was a cost thing. I'm OK with the SU4100, the performance is nearly the same as the SU7300 and I'm not ever running VT (hardware virtualization).

If you are not getting 8 cell version of U350 I would go with the UL30a unless battery time is not critical and the other benefits of U350 are more important to you.

If you are comparing SU7300 versions with 8 cell battery in both this is how I see it:

U350:
Gigabit ethernet
Better wireless card (Intel 5100)
Bluetooth
Better web cam (1.3 mp vs. .3 on UL30a)
Better construction (very close though)
Better and louder sound
Better keyboard
Better trackpad and buttons
Better upgrade options (WiFi card access and an open WWAN slot)

UL30A:
Aluminum lid
Better screen (though close)
2 year warranty (vs. 1 on U350)

Until I see how Lenovo did the 8 cell battery that might be a plus for the UL30. The UL30 has a flush 8 cell battery and this is unknown with the U350. It is also unknown how much 8 cell U350 will weigh. Another positive for U350 is that it is a little lighter (though very close).

You really cannot go wrong with either.

 

The dm3 is a good option though there are some negatives. The biggest in my mind is weight. It weighs nearly 3/4 lb. more than the U350.

 

thx for the replies guys, I too am curious to find out how the u350 looks with the 8-cell battery, how did u guys determine that the screen is a little better on the asus?

 

At the moment I'm more concerned about performance and the wireless issues on the Asus concern me. The lenovo battery right now as it stands is good enough for my needs, anything Asus length is just icing on the cake. I've heard issues with the Asus screens in terms of viewing angles and the wireless issues make me quite concerned. I like the build quality of Lenovo and would be purchasing the su7300 version of either. Money being irrelevant my question is how does the Lenovo match up in terms of performance, build quality etc.

 

Perhaps, as ultraportable not the best. But as performance, the dual Neo+ATI 3200HD+4330HD is impossible to beat on that area of price/performance point.

 

I have not seen any reviews with the AMD Athlon Neo X2 1.6Ghz and ATi Radeon HD 3200 combo. If you know of one can you link to it?

While the dm3 is a fine notebook there were other reasons in addition to weight that I was not considering it.

 

The dm3 also costs a bit more than the u350 and ul30. Also, with the wireless problems currently surrounding the ul30, the u350 is now at the top of my list.

 

Really? which ones if i my ask?

http://www.studentbuyingguide.com/2009/10/hp-dm3z-review/

although, till there is no nbr review, i am not sure...there is the owners lounge too

 

Nice review, Kevin. I'm not impressed with this notebook, especially given the price. And how does it manage only 3:35 on a 41Wh battery? I have a much more powerful processor (C2D SP9300 2.26GHz/6MB/1066MHz FSB) and a 7200RPM hard drive in my HP ProBook 5310m, and I get 4-5 hours no problem with a 4-cell 41Wh. Maybe the 5310m's LED display makes the difference, and perhaps Windows 7 as well.

 

I'm assuming you are asking me what other reasons I was not considering the dm3. The biggest reason by a long shot besides the weight (which was the biggest reason) is the touchpad. I tried it and I can not stand it. Most reviews I have read have also been critical of touchpad. If anyone is considering the dm3, try it first (some people obviously have no issue with touchpad). The touchpad on the U350 is fantastic.

Other reasons I did not consider dm3 when compared to U350 include:
1. Too thick. 1 1/4" is too thick for me for this size notebook. I wanted one less than an inch thick.
2. No gigabit ethernet. Very important for me when I'm wired at work.
3. Fan noise seemed a bit high.
4. Keyboard not as good.
5. Flaky behavior for some people (read on forums).
6. Construction not as good.
7. Runs hotter. Especially on left side.
Obviously some of the above is my opinion.

The performance on that review that you linked to is kind of a mixed bag. It looks like that CPU/GPU combo performs a lot better on 3Dmark06. It scored 1,132 on 3Dmark06 while the Intel SU7300/4500MHD dm3 version scored 703 (laptop mag review). With PCMark Vantage the Neo version only scored 2,339 while the Intel version scored 2,874. It also looks like battery time is significantly worse on the Neo version than the Intel. He got about 4 hours on the Neo version in the review you linked to. Laptop mag got 9 hours and seven minutes with the Intel version of the dm3.

 

I know the Neo version is a mixed thing, of some sacrifices by graphical performance.

As I have yet to play with the DM3z I cannot tell you exactly my thoughts, but on paper looks great...

I think if the touchpad is like the Envy, it is a mixed bag of feelings there. I found it very responsive, while many others find it terrible...

Thanks for your impressions, what a shame...it had some much potential...

 

I agree with you on all those points. A CULV processor should not produce a hot running laptop. That touchpad design was the worst move ever made by HP. I used one and thought I would have to rest my fingers after a while since it had so much resistance.