IdeapadU260
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Lenovo IdeaPad U260 review
We mean this with no disrespect to Lenovo, but when you first lay eyes (or hands) on the incredibly attractive IdeaPad U260, it's pretty hard to believe that it was made by the company. Sure, the Chinese laptop manufacturer has always had a certain knack for creating very powerful and well-rounded ultraportables, but "drop-dead gorgeous" isn't exactly how we'd describe systems like the Lenovo IdeaPad U160, Edge 11, or ThinkPad X301. The U260 is indeed a total 180 for the company, and it's one of the most dapper and svelte laptops we've seen in a long time -- there's no question about it, its magnesium-aluminum alloy shell, leather palm rest, and glass touchpad even give the newest MacBook Airs a run for their money. But even better, the 12.5-inch system has the brawn to match that external beauty – its 0.7-inch shell has been injected with a Core i5 ULV processor, 4GB of RAM, and 320GB of storage. At $1,100 (the Core i3 version starts at $999), there's no denying that it's more than enticing, but is the U260 immune to Lenovo's typical ultraportable pain points, including poor battery life and tepid temperatures? We've been lucky enough to spend the last few days with the beautiful machine (yes, we took it on vacation!), so jump down below to find out in our full review! %Gallery-112041%
Lenovo IdeaPad U260 hands-on
The best looking Lenovo IdeaPad ever? Yep, that'd be the U260. Not since the IdeaPad U110 has Lenovo's consumer line been home to a really striking laptop, but the U260's leather-like palmrest, magnesium-aluminum alloy lid and bottom cover change all that. We got a chance to check out the new 12.5-inch laptop a few days ago, and came away seriously impressed with not only its contrasting black and brown aesthetic but its build quality. The entire .7-inch thick frame feels solid and the curved keys, which are similar to those on the U160, are especially delightful. Unfortunately, the model we got to see didn't have the glass trackpad that we've heard about, but our review unit should be here sometime soon. Until we get to put the system's Core i3-380UM processor and 4GB of RAM to the test, hit the gallery below for a few hands-on pictures of it and some crazy platinum, diamond-encrusted U160 that Lenovo brought along. %Gallery-107882%
Lenovo IdeaPad U260 and its 12.5-inch display head stateside for $899
Were you getting worried that Lenovo was going to pull another ThinkPad Edge 11 and forget to release that dapper IdeaPad U260 in the US of A? Well, set those worries aside -- we just received word (or you know, a press release) that spills all the US pricing and availability details. That's right, the world's first laptop with a 12.5-inch display will be available starting November 15 (that's this coming Monday) for a starting price of $899. But there's more to the .7-inch / 3-pound U260 than its unique screen size -- it's got a glass touchpad option, a "breathable" chiclet keyboard for cooling, and it's the company's first "single piece design made of magnesium-aluminum alloy materials." We don't have details on what you get for the sub-$900 starting price, but the system is available with Core i3-380UM and Core i5-470UM processors, up to 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. We should be getting a closer look at this guy soon, but at least you have the weekend to peruse the pictures and press release below before deciding if you want to hit "Add To Cart" come Monday. %Gallery-107325%
Lenovo slips out 12.5-inch IdeaPad U260 ultraportable, hopes you'll notice
Well, what have we here? In the sea of me-too ultraportables, it looks as if Lenovo is doing its darnedest to mix things up with a somewhat unorthodox screen size. The leaked IdeaPad U260 hasn't been confirmed by the mother company, but word on the street has it rocking a 12.5-inch display, 0.71-inch thickness and a total weight of just 3.04 pounds. Naturally, it's living life sans an optical drive, and we're told that it'll ship with an Ultra Low Voltage Core i3 or Core i5 CPU. There's no ExpressCard slot, but you will spot a four-cell battery, Bluetooth 2.1, VGA / HDMI outputs, WiFi, 4GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive and a couple of semi-vivacious color options (Mocha Brown and Clementine Orange). Mum's the word on a price, but you can catch one more glimpse of the heretofore unannounced rig just after the break. Update: Ah, ha! Looks as if Lenovo has confirmed this one after all in a new PDF of its IdeaPad lineup. Still awaiting a product portal for purchasing, though. Thanks, Curtis!
