Intel's newly dubbed Ultrabook category is about to get even more interesting this week, and if you're still not sure what an Ultrabook is, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, which launched today, is the perfect example.
The IdeaPad U300s is the thinnest, best looking laptop I've seen so far from Lenovo's consumer line and will surely be spoken of in the same breath as the Apple Macbook Air 13-inch (Thunderbolt). The entire design is shaped like a book and crafted from a single sheet of aluminum. It's sleek because it measures a mere 0.59 inches thick no matter where you apply the ruler. The Air, on the other hand, appears thinner because it has a ridiculously sharp front bezel (0.11 inches) that tapers off from the back (0.68 inches).
The interior features what Lenovo is calling a "Breathable keyboard." In addition to responsive chiclet-style keys, fans are strategically placed under the keyboard to draw in air to cool the laptop. The vents, meanwhile, are placed on the left side and back hinge area so that hot air is blowing away from the laptop. The U300s lacks LED backlights underneath the keyboard, while the glass clickpad isn't nearly as responsive as that of the Air 13-inch.
A super thin laptop is just one of several prerequisites Intel laid out for its Ultrabook spec. Instant boot and resume times are the second requirement, which involve the use of Solid State Drives and Intel's latest Rapid Start technology. The U300s resume instantly from sleep mode and cold boot in 15 seconds, which is as fast as the Air 13-inch.
The U300s's low-voltage Intel Core i5-2467M is the third piece of the Ultrabook puzzle, as its low thermal envelope prevents overheating and optimizes battery life. It ships with 4GB of DDR3 memory and a 128GB SSD (256GB option available). Although it's not an Ultrabook requirement, the 54WH Lithium Polymer (rather than Lithium Ion) battery ensures long battery life (up to eight hours) and the thinnest possible frame, but that also meant it had to be sealed in like that of the Air 13-inch.
With a starting price of $1,199, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s isn't as affordable as Ultrabook enthusiasts would like. However, you'll have at least two more Ultrabooks to choose from, particularly the Asus UX21, which ships in September, and the Toshiba Portege Z835, which also announced today.
For more, see the slideshow above and check out Ultrabooks: What You Need To Know. Stay tuned for our full reviews.