Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
Lenovo’s latest ultrathin notebook, the IdeaPad U150, was spotted more than a month ago in Japan, was officially announced a couple weeks ago, and can now be purchased on Lenovo’s website in the U.S. I’m just left wondering what void it was supposed to fill. The U150 is an 11.6-inch CULV notebook, slotting in between the budget netbooks and the full-size Core 2 Duo notebooks. It weighs about 3 lbs with a 0.75-inch thickness and no optical drive to speak of, coupled with the 11.6-inch screen it is certainly high portable. Realistically it’s a smaller version of the IdeaPad U350 13.3-inch CULV that I reviewed recently. The rest of Lenovo’s U Series notebooks are all CULV-based, powered by Intel’s low-power dual-cure chips, but the U450p and U550 feature larger screens and built-in DVD burners. So where does that leave the U150? With the cheapest configuration in the U.S. running $699, and the Core 2 Duo version jumping up to a whopping $849, the U150 doesn’t compete well on price. The U150 does have switchable ATI graphics, unique for the CULV field, and a handy HDMI output, but the configurations on sale today just aren’t terribly competitive. Do you really get enough added features and performance to opt for the U150 over the $429 IdeaPad S12 netbook, much less the $599 NVIDIA Ion version? It’s looking like the market for the U150 may be a bit smaller, with the netbooks and larger/cheaper CULVs carving up their pieces of the pie. That said, you can view the IdeaPad U150 configurations here and even get 10% off through 11/17 using this coupon code: USPBANNERS Read other posts about the IdeaPad U150 or CULV laptops Tags: culv, ideapad u150
Posted in IdeaPad | 3 Comments » Monday, October 12th, 2009
Last week Lenovo’s forthcoming 11-inch CULV was spotted at CEATEC Japan, and now the user’s guide was found online with a full set of specs to it. It looks like a pretty run of the mill CULV these days. While it lacks an ExpressCard slot, the U150 will have a USB/eSATA combo port, HDMI output, and Bluetooth/WiMax/3G wireless options. It also uses a 2.5-inch hard drive for easy expandability and for some reason there are display sizes listed, 11.6 and 11.1 inches. If you hit the source link below you can check out a quick hands-on video of the U150. It looks like a decent enough box, but it’s playing a crowded space. Hopefully an NVIDIA Ion option will appear to help the U150 stand out from the pack. Read other posts related to the IdeaPad U150 or CULV laptops Display: 11.6” HD display OR 11.1” HD display
CPU: Intel Montevina SFF ULV BGA processor
Memory: DDR3 SO-DIMM (2 RAM slots)
HDD: 2.5” SATA (160 / 250 / 320GB 5400rpm) or 16/32GB mini-PCIe SSD
Webcam: 1.3MP pixels
29Wh 3-Cell battery size and weight: 291.8 x 192.4 x 24.4mm / 1.35kg
57Wh 6-Cell battery size and weight: 291.8 x 192.4 x 34.3mm / 1.50kg
2x USB 2.0 ports
1x eSATA / USB combo port
Headphone and mic-in jacks
VGA and HDMI out ports
4-in-1 card reader
Kensington lock
RJ45 LAN port
Bluetooth / WiMAX / Integrated 3G on particular models / countries
Multi-touch touchpad with 3-finger flicks, 2-finger scrolling Source: [Lenovo Consumer Support] via [NetbookChoice] Tags: culv, ideapad u150
Posted in IdeaPad | 1 Comment » Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Lenovo’s latest IdeaPad consumer notebook, the U450p CULV, announced over a month ago with an unintentional leak and went on sale shortly thereafter. The 14.1-inch notebook uses Intel’s low cost, low power dual core chips with a competitive set of features at a good price point. What helps this CULV laptop stand out in the crowded field is its 0.9-inch thickness despite being loaded with features and an integrated optical drive. Just yesterday Lenovo released a new deal on the U450p, with $150 instant savings and a $70 stackable coupon that brings the price down to $579. That’s not a bad price for a 14-inch thin & light notebook that can handle most user’s needs with style. The coupon is good until October 5 or after 150 redemptions, whichever comes first. Specs and details on how to get the deal below - 14-inch WXGA 16:9 VibrantView | Pentium SU2700 1.3GHz
- Vista Home Premium 32-bit | 3GB DDR3 | Intel X4500 graphics
- 250GB 5400rpm | DVD Recordable | Broadcom 11b/g WiFi
How to get the deal - Choose the accessory and warranty options for your Lenovo IdeaPad U450p CULV (338926U)
- Apply coupon code in shopping cart with no spaces before/after: USPU450P
Read posts related to the IdeaPad U450p or CULV laptops Tags: culv, ideapad u450p
Posted in Laptop & Tablet PCs | No Comments » Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Earlier today we brought you news that Lenovo’s new IdeaPad U450p CULV laptop had surfaced, but there were some details missing and unclear. Someone uncovered a page out of the PSREF document for the U450p and we have the blanks filled in. In addition to the 250GB and 320GB drives offered currently, the U450p will also come with a 500GB drive in certain models. The 14-inch 16:9 ratio LCD is indeed LED backlit, with a brightness of 220 nits and 500:1 contrast ratio. It appears the webcam is standard, with a meager 1.3MP resolution. VGA and HDMI video outputs are included, with up to 2048×1536 external monitor resolution supported. The touchpad is multi-touch, as is becoming standard these days. A 4-in-1 card reader is included (MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, SD) and three USB 2.0 ports take care of the rest of your expansion needs. Note that no ExpressCard slot is offered. Ethernet and WiFi are also standard. The optical drive is indeed not included in an Ultrabase, but is a 9.5mm integrated drive; much like the ThinkPad T400s, although not removable. As for the size of this box, a U450p will measure out at 13.3 x 9.3 x 0.9-1.1 inches and weigh in at 4.62 lb. The chassis is disappointingly made of standard ABS plastic, none of the more exotic magnesium alloy & carbon fiber reinforced plastic like on the Y650. The weight is decent, but is a bit disappointing considering the thinness. The U450p has almost the exact same dimensions as the T400s, but gains nearly a pound due to the materials. Source: [U450p Tech Specs] via [Slashgear] Tags: culv, ideapad u450p
Posted in IdeaPad | No Comments » Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
Initially leaked in a website banner, Lenovo’s new CULV IdeaPad U450p has surfaced online for purchase, although something doesn’t quite add up. We knew this was going to be a 14-inch machine by the name, and the second leak indicated it was going to be powered by a ULV processor and have an integrated optical drive. Judging by the not very detailed image, it was also going to very thin. Details are still a bit scarce, but pretty much everything came true. The U450p is available with either the Pentium SU2700 1.3GHz or Core 2 Solo SU3500 1.4GHz processors. The Core 2 should be a fair amount faster and offer a bit better battery life. Both systems use a 14-inch 16:9 ratio screen at 1366×768 resolution, likely LED backlit, and Intel X4500 graphics. The lower end model with the Pentium SU2700 has 3GB DDR3 RAM, 250GB HDD, and a Broadcom WiFi card for $799. Another $100 buys you the Core 2 Solo chip, a 320GB HDD, Intel 802.11n WiFi Link 5100, 4GB DDR3, and Vista Home Premium 64-bit to take use the extra RAM. What doesn’t make sense is the optical drive description: “DVD Recordable w/X6 Ultrabase.” I can guarantee you this machine doesn’t use an X6 Ultrabase, and likely no dock at all. The U450p should have an integrated optical judging by the header image description, but no further information is available at this time. Another win for the Lenovo.com website team. If you want to jump on the bandwagon, there is a 10% off coupon available for the U450p as well. Hit the link below and use the following coupon code in the shopping cart, just make sure there are no spaces before/after the code: USPNOTEBOOKS. The code should be good through August 17th and brings the starting price of each model down to $719 and $809 respectively. Source: [Lenovo] Tags: culv, ideapad u450p
Posted in IdeaPad | No Comments » Friday, August 7th, 2009 Lenovo's CULV laptop, the IdeaPad U350 Lenovo’s first CULV laptop, the IdeaPad U350, is now on sale with some hefty coupons. The 13.3-inch Consumer Ultra Low Voltage laptop is a slick box, measuring 0.7 inches thin at only 3.52 lb. You get HDMI output, three USB ports, Ethernet, a memory card reader, and more for under $600. Not too shabby at all. (Check out some good user-generated pictures here) While there are two models on sale, the 296325U for $579 and 296327U for $599, the $599 model is the better cheap with 3GB RAM and 320GB HDD upgrade for only $20. Check out the full specs and details on the deal below - Pentium SU2700 ULV 1.3GHz; 3GB DDR3; 13.3″ HD WXGA LED
- 320GB hard drive; 4-cell Battery; GMA X4500
- 802.11n WiFi; Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR; 1yr warr; Vista Home Premium
How to get the deal - Click here to choose your IdeaPad U350 (recommend 296327U)
- Apply coupon code in shopping card (leave no spaces in code): USPTHINLIGHT
Find other Lenovo deals at LogicBuyTags: culv, ideapad u350
Posted in Laptop & Tablet PCs | 3 Comments » Tuesday, August 4th, 2009Lenovo's CULV laptop, the IdeaPad U350 DigiTimes is reporting that manufacturers expected sales for ultra-thin notebooks to be stimulated by the Windows 7 upgrade program and are being disappointed with July & August numbers. Referring to ultra-thin notebooks, it is likely referring to the Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) platform. While demand is expected to surge in November with widespread availability of Windows 7 preloaded, so is competition – a win-win. Intel has plans to release two new processors for ultra-thin notebooks and the CULV market is growing ever crowded, all of which should contribute to drop the entry-level price to around $600. While I thought HP had already entered the CULV market, at least with their dv2 AMD Neo-based machine, Dell is reported to have a new model in September as well. Source: [Digitimes] Tags: culv
Posted in Tech News | No Comments » Wednesday, July 29th, 2009
Lenovo has quietly begun adding Intel’s Consumer Ultra Low Voltage (CULV) processor to their ThinkPad X200s business notebooks.  It was way back at the end of April, eons ago in tech-time, when word was leaking that the X200 was to be outfitted with one of Intel’s new low cost, CULV processors. A few weeks later, the X200s popped up with an uber-low-end Celeron M chip to bring the price point down to $999. We thought this is what the rumor was referencing and went on about lives, blissfully unaware.
Carefully stalking every Lenovo webpage, today we noticed that the X200s has a new processor option. If you go with the “Enhanced” X200s, the default processor is now the Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400, whereas before you could only choose the Core 2 Duo SL9400. While you give up a fair amount of performance, my opinion is that most users don’t even dip into the full performance of their processors. I didn’t happen to jot down the price before the SU9400 was added, so the $75 upgrade to the faster processor might not be quite the savings it seems. Still more choice is good and most people should be plenty happy with the 1.4GHz SU9400, saving at least some money in the process. Disclaimer: both the Enhanced and Elite models of the X200s are showing as more than 4 weeks before shipment and it looks like the unique WXGA+ panels used on those models are to blame. The WXGA-equipped base model has only a 9 day wait listed, but your only choices there are the truly pokey Celeron M or the Core 2 SL9400 for another $375. Tags: culv, thinkpad x200s
Posted in ThinkPad X | 3 Comments » Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
It’s safe to say that people these days are in love with notebooks made out of aluminum, and who can blame them? If you can afford the machine, it’s quite sturdy and cool looking too. Unfortunately most lower cost machines, namely the so-called CULV’s, tend to suffer from a cheap chassis in order to get a thin, light, well equipped machine below $1000. It looks like Averatec is trying to do the impossible, releasing the new N3400 13-inch aluminum notebook. Weighing less than 4 lb and starting at $799, it sounds like a dream come true. You don’t even lose out on features, with three USB ports, VGA output, card reader, full wireless complement, webcam, and external DVD burner. 3GB DDR2 RAM and a 250GB hard drive are standard as well. The major area where it appears they are cutting back is the processor, using Intel’s Pentium Dual Core T3400 2.16GHz. If you put this chip through the ringer, it will pale in comparison to the latest Core 2 Duo chips. But the fact of the matter is with a speedy disk drive and enough RAM, most people won’t notice or care. And at $799 for a 3.8 lb machine that is made of aluminum at less than an inch thick is one heckuva value. Source: [jkOnTheRun] Tags: culv
Posted in Tech News | No Comments » Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 MSI X-Slim X340 compared to Lenovo ThinkPad X301 & Apple iPhone 3G We’ve talked a fair bit about CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) systems here, the new thin & light systems utilizing a fresh Intel SU-series processor that is faster than a netbook, with better battery life, 11-13 inch designs, and in the price sweetspot between netbooks and full-size notebooks. Lenovo’s new IdeaPad U350 is a perfect example of this, as is MSI’s X-Slim series. A new report from an analyst firm suggests that the first generation models, like those noted above, may suffer from questionable quality. The report states that manufacturers are using plastic chassis’ to cut down on cost, which is certainly common, but are making the plastics so thin to save on size & weight that some systems may suffer from bottom covers cracking. This part of the Xbit Labs article puts it perfectly: Ultra-thin notebooks aimed at consumers is a completely new trend and many manufacturers still have not figured the exact demands of average users when it comes to ultra-portables. Nevertheless, one thing is clear: since consumer-oriented platforms have to be affordable, system makers are not implementing their state-of-the-art technologies, such as active hard disk drive protection, powerful yet light batteries and, most importantly, high-quality materials and robust engineering to keep the costs down.
While I had personally been drooling over the MSI X-Slim series, we found out that it is indeed a cheap, low quality machine with a sexy chassis and good feature-price ratio. Apparently the companies actually manufacturing the CULV notebooks, termed Original Design Manufacturers (ODM’s), had recommended to some PC companies that they use metal in the chassis to avoid this issue, but that production went ahead with plastic anyway. No company names are mentioned. A quick look at Lenovo’s PSREF documentation shows that the IdeaPad U350 is indeed made out of plastic, or specifically Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (PC/ABS) plastic. Fortunately there are not yet any reports of cracking systems in this case. Source: [Xbit Labs] Tags: culv, IdeaPad, ideapad u350, lenovo, msi, x-slim
Posted in IdeaPad, Tech News | No Comments » | |
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