Lenovo Unveils New IdeaPad S300, S400, S405 Notebooks

Though dubbed "thin and light" by Lenovo, the new IdeaPads technically miss the Ultrabook mark as far as form factor, measuring 0.86 inches thick, just a mere 0.04 inches over Intel's 0.82-inch Ultrabook standard. But, the new 14-inch PCs could be considered Ultrabooks by other Intel-defined standards; all three, for instance, get five hours of battery life and run on Intel's third-generation Ivy Bridge Core processors.

Lenovo is positioning the new S300, S400 and S405 as notebooks that deliver near-Ultrabook specs without compromising price. The new notebooks start at $499, while competing laptops sporting the official Ultrabook brand, such as Dell's XPS and Inspiron line, start around $699 and span as high as $1,299.

[Related: Lenovo: ThinkServers, Tablets To Drive Partner Growth ]

"Customers don’t just want a functional product, though; they also want one that speaks to their sense of style and individuality," said Bai Peng, vice president and general manager of Lenovo's IdeaPad Business Unit, in a statement. "The new Lenovo IdeaPad S Series laptops give everyday consumers exactly what they need by matching small size and light weight with the power needed for everything from Web browsing to productivity tasks, all in an affordable package."

Ultrabooks have yet to reinvigorate the overall PC market as Intel and many of its OEM partners have projected they would. According to recent data from industry analyst IDC, about 500,000 Ultrabooks have been sold this year, a lackluster figure many have attributed to their steep prices in the consumer market.

The new IdeaPad S300, S400 and S405 run Microsoft Windows 7 Home Professional, but they are eligible for the Windows 8 Pro upgrade program, which lets consumers upgrade to Microsoft's new OS for a discounted price of $14.99 between now and Jan. 31 next year.

Lenovo's Quick Start "instant on" feature is also included in the three new IdeaPads, reducing boot-up and refresh times.

PUBLISHED AUG. 30, 2012