For netbook makers, the first instinct is to vie for the lowest prices, but they are bound by what's considered the norm for netbooks—a 10-inch screen, an undersized keyboard, and minimal features. There are only a handful of netbooks that push beyond these boundaries in an effort to draw in the sophisticated netbook users—if there's such a group. The Lenovo Ideapad S12 ($500 direct) is arguably the best 12-inch netbook available, besting the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, Samsung NC20 (21GBK), and HP Pavilion dv2-1030us. Its 1,280-by-800 resolution, superb full-size keyboard, and an ExpressCard slot are sophisticated netbook components. But its price, well, that will raise eyebrows in a different way.
Lenovo
http://www.lenovo.com
- Price as Tested: $500.00 Direct
- Type: General Purpose, Ultraportable, Value, Netbook
- Operating System: MS Windows XP Home
- Processor Name: Intel Atom N270
- Processor Speed: 1.6 GHz
- RAM: 1 GB
- Weight: 3.5 lb
- Screen Size: 12 inches
- Screen Size Type: widescreen
- Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
- Storage Capacity: 160 GB
- Networking Options: 802.11g
- Primary Optical Drive: External
