Lenovo IdeaPad S12 not-a-netbook sized up

The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 just started shipping last week, and it looks like units have begun to arrive -- the folks at GottaBeMobile just posted up some quick impressions of their review unit. Sadly, it's sporting Intel GMA 950 graphics instead of the NVIDIA Ion chipset that's available for $50 extra, so it runs pretty much like every other 1.6GHz Atom machine with 1GB of RAM in the world. Hopefully those Ion units will arrive soon -- in the meantime, hit the read link to see how the S12 stacks up against the S10. (Hint: it's way bigger.)

[patches66 Posted Jul 13th 2009 2:17AM]

i'm one s10 owner who will be looking elsewhere for my next netbook. it has a lot of odd quirks (like the disk-hogging restore system), but most of all, their customer service is crap.

[One Love Posted Jul 13th 2009 9:50AM]

Nvidia's new graphics drivers now included ION updates. (cant wait)

[Junemas Posted Jul 13th 2009 2:42AM]

I welcome the matte finish.

[Lazarpandar Posted Jul 13th 2009 7:28AM]

Yeah really liking that extra dark black matte finish too, looks great.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 13th 2009 2:46AM]

Quality Web Design

[ghatid Posted Jul 13th 2009 3:06AM]

I welcome the larger screened "net-books". I just want a cheap 12 inch laptop that's light enough to bring around! Is that too much to ask for?!

[harkening Posted Jul 13th 2009 4:26AM]

Why, no, it's not too much to ask for at all. That's why several manufacturers already do so: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2034940032%20103980222%204021&name=%24500%20-%20%24750

[Erb Posted Jul 13th 2009 3:36AM]

(Hint: it's way bigger.)

Thanks for the math lesson :D

[dr steve brule Posted Jul 13th 2009 3:37AM]

why would anyone go for the ion-less version? $50 more seems like a much better increase in performance

[xnappo Posted Jul 13th 2009 12:39PM]

Errr, because it isn't going to be out until the fall?

xnappo

[StanT Posted Jul 13th 2009 4:18AM]

Not a bad looking netbook. I had the chance to use one for a while...but no ION=no deal

[Floppypants Posted Jul 13th 2009 5:52AM]

I wish they'd just release the ion version already so I could see some performance reviews.

[MRCUR Posted Jul 13th 2009 8:50AM]

Unless I'm missing something the Ion version still is NOT available... Why does Engadget keep making it seem like people could actually be ordering that version?

[ElCapitan Posted Jul 13th 2009 10:00AM]

I wish people would talk about and review the VIA version. I'm really interested in that SKU.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 13th 2009 10:01AM]

Unless everyone's forgotten, even Lenovo themselves said the Ion versions won't be available until later this summer... don't act surprised that this one didn't have it. Heck, you even posted about it when it was first announced! http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/25/lenovos-449-ideapad-s12-first-netbook-with-nvidias-ion-chips/

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 13th 2009 3:20PM]

Until ION is released for these things, I won't bother giving these a second look much less a read. I like netbooks, but come on, ION is the only thing that keeps new models interesting. Otherwise, they have the same old specs and sub-par intel graphics.

[fokka Posted Jul 13th 2009 4:09PM]

i love it how they run xp and internet explorer with

-the title bar
-the urlbar
-the menu bar
-the tab bar
-the favourites bar
-some sort of yahoo-bar
-the status bar
-and the taskbar

on a 1024x600 screen

maybe its just me, but i have a 1280x800 screen with only 4 bars visible when browsing. i even tried to merge the title bar with the urlbar and hide the tab bar with firefox extensions what unfortunately crashed my beloved ff.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 14th 2009 5:58AM]

I wonder how it compare with my Thinkpad X61

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 14th 2009 2:53PM]

GMA950 = hackintosh!!! woooooo

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 15th 2009 10:59AM]

Miguel - those are not netbooks. They are cheap 12" notebooks. The S12 is over $100 less than those.