Lenovo IdeaPad U410 (Intel Core i5, Ivy Bridge) Review

Lenovo has launched its latest line of IdeaPads, and they are targeted directly on the mainstream consumer. The Lenovo IdeaPad U410 comes with a watch-catching colored aluminum chassis – we received one in Sapphire Blue, however the U410 could also be available in Graphite Grey and Ruby Red – but is that this laptop all about looks, or does it have the flexibility under the hood to still get stuff done? Read directly to discover.

Hardware

Lenovo’s new IdeaPad line comes with quite a few hardware that’s meant to appeal with a broad range of shoppers. The model we received is supplied with an Intel Core i5-3317U clocked at 1.7 Ghz, but other models that utilize a Core i3 or a Core i7 are available in in addition. Complete with Intel’s freshly-launched Ivy Bridge microarchitecture, the Core i5 can be in a position to handle most anything the mainstream consumer might want to do with the U410, and when coupled with the 8 gigs of RAM that comes installed, you’ve got a laptop that’s able to running surprisingly fast.

The HDD/SSD hybrid setup does its part to maintain things moving along at a quick pace, taking into account shorter boot and awaken times than you’re probably used to with other laptops. The model we received came with a 500GB HDD, however the U410 has options as much as 1TB. It also comes with a 32GB SSD, that is definitely appreciated, but a setup like this really shines when more software have been installed. It’s pretty fast out of the box, however the secret is that it’s going to be faster than most other laptops after being weighed down by additional installs.

The glossy 14.1-inch LCD screen nice, nonetheless it may be rather reflective. It’s in a position to resolutions as much as the laptop-friendly 1366×768 and contours and adjustable brightness setting, in order long as you’re fine with out a support for 1080p, you will likely find the screen to be satisfactory. Here’s something that came as a little bit a surprise: the two.0 stereo speakers in this bad boy (complete with Dolby certification) actually give pretty good sound quality. Obviously, they won’t be pretty much as good because the speakers you utilize for your desktop or that expensive pair of headphones you’ve lying around, but they are not too bad compared to other laptop speakers.

In some ways, the U410 is sort of just like the IdeaPad U400, which we saw earlier this year [see our full review of the IdeaPad U400 here]. Case in point, there are no noticeable differences between the keyboards found on both. The chiclet-style keys of the U400 return with the U410, and overall there are not any complaints in regards to the keyboard – the layout and the texture of the keys makes for a delightful typing experience. There are not any major complaints in regards to the track pad either, though there are occasions where it proves to be a little bit too sensitive. Usually this is not an issue, but occasionally you’ll prove clicking something you didn’t mean to click. It is a rare event, however could be pretty frustrating when it happens.

Sadly, the U410′s 59Wh battery doesn’t quite meet expectations. Lenovo says that it provides as much as 9 hours of productive use, but essentially, you’ll be able to expect around 6 hours of battery life. When using programs which can be more labor-intensive or running the screen at max brightness, that 6-hour time-frame will likely decrease much more. Thankfully, the battery doesn’t take too terribly long to completely charge, as you may expect a charging time that’s inside the area of an hour-and-a-half.

The IdeaPad comes equipped with Intel GMA HD 4000 graphics, but there’s also a NVIDIA GeFore 610M 1GB card there to select up the slack. This setup takes good thing about NVIDIA’s Optimus technology, which switches between the 2 whilst you desire a boost in graphics power. You are not working with the proper around, but mainstream consumers do not need the suitable; they wish functional. This setup is unquestionably functional, because it will undoubtedly manage to meet the purposes of most, and it also works to maintain prices competitive.

On the surface, we’ve an entire HDMI port, an Ethernet port, two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 jacks, a headphone jack, a 2-in-1 card slot that supports SD and MMC, and a microphone. The complete unit is ready 0.8” thick and weighs in barely south of four.2 pounds, so while this is not the lightest laptop we have seen, it’s still very portable. More importantly, it feels quite sturdy, so with the IdeaPad U410, you’re getting a laptop that does not feel adore it will shatter for those who observe it the other way.

Software

Surprisingly enough, the IdeaPad U410 doesn’t include a ton of software pre-installed, and also you might actually turn out using what it does come installed with. Google Chrome is installed right from the get go, so that you will never have to touch Internet Explorer in case you do not want to. Like several other PC running Windows 7 (Home Premium 64-bit as a result ) out of the box, Microsoft Office Starter 2010 comes standard, but you’ll have to shell out more money if you would like access to the whole Office 2010 suite.

Lenovo YouCam enables you to put 1-megapixel integrated camera to work, allowing you to capture and edit pictures and video, in conjunction with granting the flexibility to record what’s happening in your desktop. The app is straightforward to exploit and simple to benefit, so it isn’t too hard for many consumers to only pick it up and go. The camera is not just meant for recording, however, because the U410 also comes with VeriFace 4.0 installed. Using VeriFace and the VeriFace password manager, users can arrange facial recognition for all in their various Internet logins, which helps to feature a further layer of security in case your IdeaPad gets stolen by one of many more unfavorable people walking this planet.

Dolby Home Theater v4 is onboard with the IdeaPad U410, giving users full control over the computer’s audio settings. Remember how we told you earlier that the IdeaPad’s speakers aren’t too bad so far as laptop speakers go? Dolby Home Theater allows you to do more with them, allowing you to establish different profiles for audio, video, and games, along side more specific profiles should the will arise. It is a handy little program, and those that take their audio quality seriously will probably appreciate the indisputable fact that it’s around.

Other than those programs, the IdeaPad U410 comes with a tribulation version of Absolute Data Protect, the quality McAfee security center (for that reason we’re working with McAfee Emerald 11.0), Adobe Reader X, and OneKey Recovery, that allows you to will let you backup your data and restore the system if anything ever goes awry. The truth that the IdeaPad U410 doesn’t come slowed down with plenty of pre-installed software is a huge plus, and Lenovo earns extra points for including some programs which are actually worthwhile.

Wrap-Up

Okay, so the technophiles of the sector probably won’t find much to get thinking about with the IdeaPad U410, but this laptop will prove to be a great value should you are more excited about functionality than amazing specs. There are a number of flaws, akin to the shorter-than-expected battery life, but for essentially the mostsome of the most part, average consumers who need a quality laptop will discover a lot to like concerning the IdeaPad U410. The laptop’s Geekbench results reflect this – it definitely isn’t anywhere near the correct, but it is a solid computer that may meet the purposes of most mainstream computers.

Additionally, you’re paying a good price for what you’re getting. Prices range counting on what you desire under the hood, however the model we received – that’s not at all a slouch – has a value tag of $799. That’ll prove to be a gorgeous attractive price for many consumers, and with the IdeaPad U410, Lenovo has a laptop a good way to haven’t any problem gaining the mainstream crowd’s attention.

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