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LENOVO IdeaPad U410 Series Battery Life
Rechargeable Li-ion battery, LENOVO IdeaPad U410 Series, 7.4V, 8060mAh, 59Wh original computer batteries
Rechargeable Li-ion battery, LENOVO IdeaPad U410 Series, 7.4V, 8060mAh, 59Wh original computer batteries
During the L10M4P11 LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi), the Lenovo IdeaPad U410 lasted 6 hours and 32 minutes, on a par with the thin-and-light category average. The Dell Inspiron 14z and the HP Envy 4-1030us lasted 5:35 and 6:18, respectively. The Acer Aspire TimelineU M5 481TG-6814 clocked 6:27, and the Toshiba Sateliite U845 lasted 6:28.
Case
Design-wise, it is reminiscent of the company's first Ultrabook, the IdeaPad U300s, though the U410 is obviously thicker and heavier. The U410 is also available in six colors, which should satisfy consumers' need for personalization.
This 14-inch Ultrabook has a fairly standard mainstream configuration, including the latest Ivy Bridge ultra-low-voltage chip and a 750GB hybrid HDD with SSD cache. It also comes with discrete Nvidia graphics, though the GeForce 610M appears to be an entry-level model.
The quite elegant, fairly slim box shows the design language of attractive photographs. However, we know that from Lenovo's website and it becomes rather secondary right now... Time for unboxing. We want to check if and how the device fares in real life. Lenovo first congratulates us to our new laptop upon opening the box - very courteous! The IdeaPad U410 is freed of its tight wrappings and rests on the table a few moments later.
First and foremost, the very elegantly processed lid surface. It glistens in matte metallic when exposed to light and Lenovo's logo gleams in silver. The boast factor is kept very much within limits because the design is very reserved and minimalistic as a whole. The IdeaPad is not ultra-thin with a height of roughly 2.3 cm, but it is nevertheless very slim for a laptop. The sides' concave, so inward, surfaces strike us right away - a design feature of the IdeaPad range.
The base is made in silver aluminum. Already in a closed state we cannot help thinking that this notebook could just as well have a bitten apple on its top - the design language is so similar. However the base is a bit darker than the devices known from Cupertino. The surfaces also have a more velvety feel and the edges are pleasantly rounded. The IdeaPad U410 feels uncompromisingly good.
Opening the ultrabook disillusions us for a short moment. It is awkward and difficult to open the lid the first time. It closes flush with the concave edge and no recess or bulge is found that would enable us to lift it more easily from the bottom. Thus it will frequently happen that one hand has to keep the U410's base down while the other hand's thumb fiddles around on the narrow display edge until a gap for opening is created.
When this barrier is overcome, the lid opens smoothly and is then also kept well in position by a long hinge (extends over the keyboard's entire width). The opening angle of 145° is very adaptive to the work position. The screen is, considering its narrow build, sufficiently rigid. The case's stability, with exception of the keyboard's somewhat yielding center, is also pleasing. We will deal with the inputs later - first we will look at the connectivity.
Connectivity
The 14 version of the IdeaPad's connectivity offers almost everything that the user could want - and they are sufficiently spaced. A total of four USB ports, two of which are USB 3.0, are on the right. The other two USB 2.0 ports are installed on the left. A microphone / headphone combo jack is also on the left. The built-in microphone, SD card reader, one HDMI and one RJ45 (Gigabit LAN) port as well as the power socket are on the right. There is no Kensington lock on the IdeaPad U410 - but most potential buyers will likely survive without it.
The omitted VGA port will be missed much more since many (older) projectors and monitors still use this transmission standard. Newer devices are usually connected via HDMI.
Keyboard
The IdeaPad U410's work area looks very inviting and well-arranged. No unnecessary seeming keys for proprietary programs that are rarely used - everything is clearly arranged and made for easy use. As Einstein allegedly once said: Make things as simple as possible but not simpler. Apart from the standard keyboard keys, there is a prettily illuminated power button - that is all. By the way, this power button is regrettably the only backlit key. A few contenders, such as HP's Folio 13 or some of Asus' Zenbooks as well as the MacBook Air rivals, offer a backlit keyboard, although not at the U410's competitive pricing.(LENOVO IdeaPad U310 Series batteries)
If you can live without a backlight, you get a chiclet-style, or as Lenovo calls it in the IdeaPads, an AccuType keyboard featuring a good, crisp pressure point that is largely easy to type on. The keys' surface has a very velvety feel although they are made of hard plastic. This may sounds cheap at first, it is actually a great thing because the keys have a good feel and do not wear out as quickly as the rubberized contenders.
The layout of the keyboard's right edge is annoying and needs a bit of getting used at first. For example, to gain space for a few function keys (DEL, HOME, etc.), the width of the right shift key and all keys above it have been reduced to about 1/3 to gain space at the outermost right. This is also true for the backspace and enter key. This may not be as adverse on the still sufficiently sized enter key, but particularly the backspace key frequently leads to aggravation when typing longer texts in the beginning. Rather than triggering the desired delete, you jump back to the first row and continue to type unknowingly because the Home button was hit.
However, once you have gotten used to the layout you will likely be pleased about the pleasant typing feel.
Touchpad
Without naming anyone - you again notice where Lenovo gets its (very positive) inspirations for single design aspects of the U410 in the touchpad. However, this is beneficial for the device because we did not discover any weaknesses in the IdeaPad's mouse replacement. The touchpad's capacitive, touch-sensitive glass surface works even beyond the marked left and right click bar's areas without interruptions. For practical use this means you do not have to lift the finger for longer mouse movements and the buttons can also be used for navigating. Its silky napped surface looks like matted screens, but feels smooth when gliding over it. We never had the impression that we snagged or that we needed too much force anywhere on the touchpad. The mouse cursor navigates very accurately and intuitively to where it is wanted.
The entire touchpad is underlaid with a mouse key that is used as the left mouse key when it is pressed with a finger and as the right when two fingers are beside each other. This is quite useful for power users when they do not want to permanently leave their thumb on a click button. This manner of use makes mouse buttons superfluous anyway. Of course, it is possible to (right or left) click on the touchpad's marked areas with one finger. Lenovo's so-called Smart Sensor technology disables the touchpad while typing in order to prevent incorrect entries due to mouse movements.
Multi-touch gestures are just as numerous as functional. For example, pinch-to-zoom or two-finger scrolling responded faster and smoother than on any previous test devices that the reviewer had on his desk until now.
The wish to connect a mouse never evolved during the entire test. This is what great touchpads look like!
Display
With its Ruby Red aluminum chassis, the IdeaPad U410 is certainly a stunner. Employing Lenovo's Loop design, the U410 has gently rounded edges and an easy-to-open lid. A chrome Lenovo insignia graces the top right corner. Those looking for something more subdued can choose a Granite Gray lid, while the Aqua Blue model has just as much personality.
The notebook's silver interior, complete with a large touchpad and recessed black keyboard, is reminiscent of a MacBook Pro.The only other embellishment is a spun-metal backlit power button in the top left corner. (MSI BTY-S19 Battery)
Weighing 4.2 pounds, the 13.5 x 9.3 x 0.8-inch IdeaPad U410 is on equal footing with the 4.2-pound, 13.7 x 9.5 x 0.83-inch Dell Inspiron 14z. The 13.4 x 9.7 x 0.81-inch Acer TimelineU M5 481TG-6814 is slightly heavier at 4.4 pounds. Those two systems, though, also have optical drives, something the U410 lacks. The 13.3 x 9.3 x 0.78-inch HP Envy 4-1030us also lacks an optical drive, and weighs in at a lighter 3.7 pounds.
Webcam
This Ultrabook's 1-MP camera delivered rich, warm color and sharp detail. There was some graininess along the edges, but not much. Using CyberLink YouCam 3, the webcam can capture stills and images in 1280 x 720.
Using Lenovo VeriFace 4.0 face recognition software, you can also log into the IdeaPad U410 with just your mug. After creating a Windows password, we were instructed to look at the webcam.
From there, a funky blue circular icon spun around our right eye in the VeriFace screen as the camera scanned our face. The software was a bit exacting, forcing us to find just the right lighting and angle for the webcam to scan our face. We prefer Toshiba's more intuitive Face Recognition software.
Speakers
Like in most slim laptops, the speakers do not enable full bass rendering - but they do a more or less good job in the IdeaPad U410. The playback of the test music's quieter sequences was silky and clear. The sound was muddier and less defined the higher the volume was set - even a bit muffled.
Talking about volume, the IdeaPad U410 can definitely be used for presentations with embedded videos. The speakers's volume easily suffice for filling medium sized rooms when there is no sound system available. The device's medium volume is louder than the tester's 15 MacBook Pro using the same setting. However, the IdeaPad's sound is not quite as detailed as the Apple device at the same volume.
There are no (good or bad) surprises here. It offers solid sound quality when using headsets or good speakers, whereby you should take care to use a combo 3.5 mm jack headphone and not 2 dedicated jacks for mic and headphone).
Verdict
Lenovo's IdeaPad U410 leaves us with a kind of love-hate feeling after the test. It is not surprising since Lenovo's device sways between ingenuity and chaos much too frequently.
We are awed by the low price, the looks, the design, the feel, the mostly good input devices (extremely good touchpad!) and the subjective impression it makes during use. The subtly refined, velvety aluminum surfaces, the rounded edges that the tester would wish for his MacBook when they once again leave deep marks on his lower arms after a longer typing session... Lenovo does a lot of things right in comparison.
But the U410 is unfortunately not the ultrabook that it could have been.
Too many inconsistencies and absurdities ruin the impression. If it is to be a portable ultrabook right from the start, why do manufacturers continue to mainly install outdoor-unsuitable screens (positive example: Zenbook UX32VD)? Why does an otherwise great keyboard that has enough room around it have to annoy users with a reduced enter and backspace key? Why does the first test device that exhibits wifi reception problems in the tester's apartment have to be an ultrabook? Why is a second, dedicated graphics card installed that usually does not even reach the IGP's performance and is doomed to vegetate, useless and disabled, sooner or later. Why is it not simply omitted and the funds used for a better screen? Or to build in a faster one to begin with?
A perfect ultrabook would not let such questions arise, and even less the idea that the manufacturer senselessly wasted materials. A perfect ultrabook makes sense - exactly the sense that we presume in the U410 at first but ultimately looked for in vain.
Nevertheless, the IdeaPad U410 is, after all philosophizing, still a darned good price-performance bundle among the ultrabooks. Weigh it up for yourself!
More info: laptop-batteries.com.au , laptop-battery.org.uk , battery-store.eu
