Lenovo Ideapad 100s Rs.14,999
The compact, ultraportable and affordable laptops are back. These devices, once called netbooks, had faded into the background with the emergence of Android tablets. But the need for productivity on the move, the familiarity of Microsoft Windows software, and genuine affordability have ensured their return.
Design
Both the Canvas Lapbook L1160 and Ideapad 100s follow the tried and tested design language, and the focus is on keeping size and weight in check. No compromises have been made as far as the build quality is concerned—the plastics used are of good quality, and the finish does not betray any rough edges. The Lapbook L1160 weighs 1.13kg while the Ideapad 100s weighs 1kg. In both, the lid and keyboard deck have a non-glossy finish; each has two USB ports and a memory card slot.
Micromax Canvas Lapbook L1160 Rs.10,499Display
The reason why the Canvas Lapbook L1160 and the Ideapad 100s are so compact is because of their 11.6-inch screen size, which packs in a resolution of 1,366×768. And they seem to be getting most things right—good brightness levels, fairly vivid screens and adequate sharpness. However, the Ideapad 100s seems to struggle a bit more when it comes to the viewing angles, and if you are not looking at it from a perfectly straight position, you will get a darker view of the screen and washed out colours. Both screens seem to get the job done for basic productivity apps and media viewing.
Performance
Both laptops run the Intel Atom Z3735F quad-core processor, with 2 GB RAM. The previous generation Atom series processors had a reputation for sluggish performance. This time, the performance is smooth, and able to handle multitasking better. What helps is the fact that Micromax and Lenovo have not used standard hard drives; they have 32 GB flash storage modules instead for installing the operating system and for storage. These are much faster, and that improves app load times as well as multitasking abilities.
Battery life is the real highlight of these compact laptops. In our battery tests, the Micromax Canvas Lapbook L1160 registered a mind-boggling 14 hours of backup, and the Lenovo Ideapad 100s, 11 hours. In real-world usage, you could be looking at around 15-16 hours of typical office use on a single charge.
Verdict
These laptops are ideal for both travelling professionals and home use—they have just the right amount of power for most commonly used productivity and entertainment apps, and long battery life. The Micromax Canvas Lapbook L1160 is exclusively available on Amazon India and the Lenovo Ideapad 100s is currently exclusive to Snapdeal.
[“Source-Livemint”]
