Our verdict
As long as you don't mind the limited storage and lack of configurability, the IdeaPad 100S is a solidly built, attractively priced netbook that's packed with the power of Windows 10.
To the
Solid and thin design
Good keyboard
battery life
Against
Limited storage space
Narrow screen viewing angle
No trackpad gestures
introduction and design
performance and specifications
Verdict
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
$415.88
at Amazon
Netbooks debuted less than a decade ago and quickly gained a reputation for being underwhelming. Although these machines were inexpensive, they weren't popular for many other computing tasks besides basic word processing, surfing the web, and the occasional watching YouTube Location.
Today the situation is different. Although modern netbooks still carry the same cheap price tags, the Intel Atom processors inside allow these systems to be more powerful while being packaged in slimmer, more attractive designs.
An example of this is Lenovo's IdeaPad 100S. Priced for Chromebooks, the netbook sheds all the bells and whistles found on fancier, higher-priced laptops, but still offers a full Windows experience in a travel-friendly package.
For $200 (US$130, US$277), the IdeaPad 100S faces stiff competition. With a non-touch non-convertible display, the IdeaPad 100S compares better to the
Acer Aspire One Cloudbook 11
($152, £98, AU$210).
Unlike netbooks of yesteryear, however, Atom-equipped models today come in a variety of form factors, designs, and prices.
Toshiba's Satellite Click 10
($359, £232, AU$498) is more expensive but adds a touchscreen to the Windows 10 experience.
Lenovo IdeaPad 100S (14-inch 64GB) at Amazon for $415.88
the
Acer Aspire Switch 10 E
($296, £191, AU$410) offers a detachable screen, allowing users to shed the weight of the keyboard and use the device as a tablet, while the HP Stream x360 ($197, £127, AU$273 ) and
Asus Transformer Book Flip
($279, £180, AU$387) come with a 360-degree hinge for a convertible design.
draft
Encased in sleek matte red plastic, the IdeaPad 100S is a playful, fun laptop that also gets you some work done. Lenovo also offers the laptop in white, blue, or silver tones, although our review unit came with a red lid and a matching red base.
I appreciate Lenovo's choice of matte finish on the IdeaPad 100S. The red color is vibrant but not too bright. And unlike a glossy finish, fingerprints don't show up easily. Coupled with a solid build quality, the IdeaPad 100S feels premium, than it actually is.
With an 11.6-inch screen, the IdeaPad 100S is just as mobile as Apple's premium model
11 inch MacBook Air
($899, £584, AU$1,256). Both laptops have similar dimensions, but the MacBook Air comes with a more powerful processor. The IdeaPad 100S measures 11.5 x 7.95 x 0.69 inches (292 x 202 x 17.5mm), and the difference is that the aluminum-clad MacBook Air has a more dramatic taper.
Using a traditional notebook form factor, the IdeaPad 100S' dimensions are similar to the Acer One Cloudbook, which measures 11.5 x 7.95 x 0.70 inches (292 x 201 x 17.78 mm). Despite having a similar screen size, it does HP Stream x360 has a larger footprint, likely due to its convertible hinge. The Stream measures 13.11 x 9.01 x 0.76 inches (333.20 x 229.00 x 19.50 mm) and weighs 3, 16 lbs (1.43 kg).
At 2.2 pounds (0.99 kg), the IdeaPad weighs slightly less than the 2.54 pounds (1.15 kg) Acer One Cloudbook. Both notebooks are larger than some convertibles with smaller 10-inch displays. The Aspire Switch For example, the 10 E measures 10.31 x 7.09 x 1.01 inches (261.87 x 180.09 x 25.65 mm) and weighs 2.82 pounds (1.28 kg) with the keyboard, but comes with a smaller one 10.1 inch screen.
The Intel Atom-based Celeron-powered Transformer Book features the same 11.6-inch screen as the IdeaPad 100S, but adds a touchscreen and 360-degree rotating screen in a 11.69 x 7.92 x 0.72 Inches (297.00 x 201.30 x 18.45 mm .) form factor. The convertible design surprisingly doesn't add much weight, and the Transformer Book weighs only slightly more than the IdeaPad at 1.17 kg.
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Opening the lid reveals the 11.6-inch screen. Our test device comes with a matte display. The screen resolution of 1366x768 pixels corresponds to that of Apple's MacBook Air, and none of the notebooks offer touch support.
That resolution is pretty standard for the netbook category shared by the Transformer Book, Acer Aspire One Cloudbook, and HP Stream x360. The Aspire Switch 10 E has a 1,200 x 800 resolution screen on a 10.1 -inch display, while the Toshiba Click 10 has a higher-resolution screen of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels.
Text and graphics appear slightly pixelated on the IdeaPad 100S's screen. Using the default display settings, I didn't find any text or images too small.
Lenovo has opted for a TN or twisted nematic panel instead of IPS. On-screen response time for watching videos is good, but you probably won't want to play serious games on this computer given the processor's limitations Atom class and the integrated graphics. The downside of the TN panel compared to more expensive IPS displays are the limited viewing angles.
The limited viewing angles are rather unfortunate as they hamper the usefulness of the 180-degree lay-flat hinge design. If the screen had wider viewing angles, Lenovo could have marketed the IdeaPad 100S as an affordable mobile collaboration device for students and business users.
While the IdeaPad 100S may appeal to students or mobile professionals looking for a cheap secondary device on the go, the screen brightness may limit the device for indoor use. At around 200 nits, the screen brightness is lower than the 300 nits of some premium laptops.
I didn't experience any issues with screen brightness when using the IdeaPad 100S indoors in ambient light, and the matte screen does a good job of reducing glare and reflections. However, outdoors in direct sunlight, the screen quickly washes out. I've had better luck with the readability of the screen outdoors in the shade with increased screen brightness.
keyboard
Like the construction of the netbook, the IdeaPad 100S's keyboard is solid. As is common with Lenovo keyboard designs, the keys are designed in a U or smile shape. The key size is slightly smaller than a full-size keyboard on a larger ThinkPad- system, and unlike the keycaps on a ThinkPad keyboard, the IdeaPad's keys are flat with a slight texture.
I was surprised that the keys have decent travel when pressed for a budget laptop. Typists, which is important if you're using this netbook in dimly lit environments (the IdeaPad 100S doesn't come with any keyboard backlighting).
Just below the keyboard is a small touchpad with two clickable buttons. The touchpad is precise, but gestures aren't supported. You can't scroll with two fingers, nor can you invoke
cortana
by tapping with three fingers on the touchpad.
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
$415.88
at Amazon
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