Lenovo IdeaPad U300s review: Lenovo IdeaPad U300s

Much has been made (certainly by us) of Intel's plans to promote a new "Ultrabook" laptop designation, which refers to something along the lines of an 11- to 13-inch laptop, less than 18 millimeters thick, with SSD storage, and running on current-gen Core i-series processors. Of all the Ultrabook laptops we've seen so far, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is the most eye-catching, with its completely flat design, booklike profile, and muted orange color (basic silver/gray is also available).

8.2

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s

The Good

Lenovo's <b>IdeaPad U300s</b> is the coolest-looking of the new generation of Ultrabook laptops, and packs in a large SSD drive, USB 3.0, and more.

The Bad

Our more expensive configuration offers no discount from a comparable MacBook Air, and leaves out some basic ports and connections.

The Bottom Line

Lenovo's stylish U300s Ultrabook is one of the best-looking Windows laptops we've seen and matches Apple's MacBook Air nearly spec for spec. The entry-level version is $100 less than Apple's, but that discount vanishes on the higher-end model.

This flagship of the IdeaPad U series has a 13.3-inch display, up to a Core i7 processor (ULV), and up to a 256GB SSD, but is just 0.6 inch thick. The less expensive of two available configurations matches up with the low-end MacBook Air, with a 128GB SSD and Intel Core i5 CPU, but the Lenovo is about $100 less, at $1,195 versus $1,299. Our review unit is the higher-end model, which has a Core i7 CPU and 256GB SSD. This version is $1,595, and is virtually the same as a comparable $1,599 MacBook Air.

With the $100 discount, plus extras the MacBook lacks, such as HDMI and USB 3.0, the less-expensive U300s makes a very compelling case, especially when you factor in the excellent build quality and unbeatable keyboard. Our higher-end model is a tougher sell, and unless you're specifically tied to Windows (and don't want to dual-boot with OS X), we'd still probably recommend going with the elegant 256GB version of the MacBook Air if you have $1,600 to spend. But if you are spending top dollar on a native Windows superslim laptop right now, the IdeaPad U300s is easily one of the best.