Netbook: Lenovo IdeaPad U350 Review

A slim executive-style netbook, the Lenovo IdeaPad U350 could do with a little more muscle.

When you first set your eyes on the Lenovo IdeaPad U350 you will probably be charmed. It is a sexy little 13.3in laptop.

It looks like an Apple Macbook, not that silverish chrome and black is a revolutionary colour contrast.

But if Lenovo intends to attract working executives then the U350 is a handsome business accessory that will turn heads at meetings and in boardrooms.

The backpanel of the LCD is the eye-catching centrepiece and its matte black criss-cross embossed finishing brings a touch of class to the U350, something that is rarely found in this price range.

It is also very slim and lightweight. This may be a welcome change from the desktop replacements of old where heavyweight features took ­precedence and broke our backs in the process.

This being said, the U350 is not a power-packed hunk of a machine. On the contrary, it reminds one of nonchalant cattle grazing rather than charging.

Before we launch into the sluggish performance of the laptop, we need to finish admiring the U350.

It does not feel like cheap plastic and neither does it feel flimsy or poorly made. The keypad sits well and typing is quite fun. Also the keys seem well spaced and they are laid out slightly differently.

The U350 is solid and it looks like something you could tote into meetings. One can be forgiven if they want to go paperless and use this laptop to replace their netpads and pens instead. It really is that portable and stylish.

Lacking punch

Although on first impressions the U350 wins, the moment you start it up is when the disappointment sets in.

The U350 uses an ULV (ultra low voltage) processor and you can tell straight away it is a gentle, docile machine because it takes awhile to start up.

ULVs are mainly found in netbooks and the U350 is one step up from a netbook because of its 13in screen which is really helpful.

With the U350 you save on carrots because you will not be straining your eyes as much. So if you are looking for a netbook with a bigger screen then the U350 is your new best friend.

It does come with a generous helping of RAM, 3GB to be exact, but this is unnoticeable in the greater scheme of things as the U350 still underperforms and is laggy.

Programs take ages to load but once they are ready to be used performance picks up somewhat.

If you are one of those who open multiple tabs in Internet browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome simultaneously then you will not have to worry too much except for some pauses once in awhile.

CLASSY: The backpanel of the U350's LCD boasts a
matte black criss-cross embossed finishing.

It can get annoying but is tolerable if you have time. Do not expect to multitask though because if you open another program or two in addition to the web browsers, the U350 will slow down.

Also, with progressive use, the laptop deteriorated in speed and performance but this could be due to the rigorous stress we put the laptop under with background programs running and web browsers perpetually open.

Software overload

Lenovo’s tagline for the U350 is “light and loaded” and it is true to a degree. It is lean on the outside and loaded or bloated with all sorts of programs inside.

The review unit comes with Windows Vista Home Premium but we expect new machines to ship with Windows 7.

Lenovo decided to pack the U350 with its proprietary software such as Veriface login, which is a security feature, and other nonsensical and memory hogging programs.

It is not worth the hassle and soon enough, you will find yourself uninstalling these programs to try and get the netbook to work faster.

It does come with WiFi which is sufficient for our needs since so many of us live on the Internet. The U350 also comes with three USB 2.0 ports and a HDMI port which is great for playing videos on your big screen TV if necessary.

The U350 supports Dolby surround sound but the effect felt tinny and spaced out — not very good for heavy bass music or for listening to music in general.

It could be that the thin U350 body cannot handle sound so headphones or external speakers are best used with the netbook.

Let us not forget the U350 also comes with a webcam for video conferencing and is very helpful. However, webcams are a standard accessory with most netbooks now.

Conclusion

Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad U350 has a very masculine appeal but will not look out of place if carried by a woman too.

It looks professional and serious, very much suited for business users who want something thin and portable.

The speed leaves much to be desired but it will complete the tasks at hand, just slightly slower than usual.

Pros: Lightweight and slim; 3GB RAM.

Cons: Slow; unnecessary software.

Slim netbook
Manufacturer: Lenovo
Processor: Intel ULV SU2700 (1.3GHz)
Memory: 3GB DDR3 RAM
Graphics: Intel GMA 4500M
Storage: 250GB hard drive
Operating system: Vista Home Premium
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth
Other features: Card reader, 1.3-megapixel webcam, VGA out, HDMI port
I/O Ports: Three USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet port
Battery: Four-cell lithium-ion
Dimensions (W x D x H): 32.8m x 22.9m x 2.5cm
Weight: 1.6kg






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