Lenovo IdeaPad U310

The Lenovo IdeaPad U310 ( $ 799.99 direct ) is updated consumer ultrabook lines on third - generation Intel Lenovo and a splash of color . Lenovo has a well earned reputation for quality products and - sometimes premium pricing , but the IdeaPad U310 offers a solid ultrabook for less pricey than its competitors .

Design
Would have been forgiven for mistaking the IdeaPad U310 for Apple MacBook Pro 13 - inch ( Mid 2012) ( $ 1 499 direct , 4 stars ) . There is a striking resemblance between the two , with bare metal aluminum and black square tile keys . Lenovo does add some color with an anodized lid , available in graphite gray , aqua blue , or pink cherry blossom . The 13.3 - inch display offers 1366 -by - 768 resolution , which is typical for the 13 - inch Ultrabooks , though you will find some with higher resolution , such as the Dell XPS 14 ( Summer 2012) ( $ 1,499 direct , 3.5 stars ) and Apple MacBook Air 13 - inch ( Mid 2012) ( $ 1,199 direct , 4 stars ) . Measuring 0.7 by 13.1 by 8.8 inches ( HWD ) and weighs 3.75 pounds, the IdeaPad U310 is actually smaller and lighter than the MacBook Pro , but the analogy is still pretty dazzling .

The keyboard - Lenovo 's AccuType - is a good , and although the shallow key travel is similar to other Ultrabooks , the overall feeling is more obvious . The only problem I had with the keyboard is a bit of flexing as I type , but that's nothing unusual in the ultrabook category . The glass - surfaced clickpad is smooth and touchable , and , more importantly , accurately , that none of the false positive problem detected in other clickpads .

I tested the audio with some streaming music ( the Japandroids album Rock festival ) and found the speakers to be clear , but quiet . You do not get much bass out of the speakers , and at low volumes you'll sometimes find it too quiet to hear . For better sound , try the HP Envy 4 - 1043cl ( $ 1,034.99 direct , 4 stars ) , which offers Beats Audio and an integrated subwoofer .

Features
The IdeaPad U310 is outfitted with an Ethernet port , full size HDMI output , two USB 2.0 ports , one USB 3.0 port , a combination headphone and microphone jack , and a built - in card reader ( SD , MMC ) . A webcam above the display captures 720p video for Skype and video Conferencing , plus VeriFace facial - recognition , which allows you to log on with just a glance . Internally, the IdeaPad U310 is also equipped with 802.11n Wi - Fi , Bluetooth 3.0 , and Intel 's Wireless Display technology ( WiDi 2.0 ) , which lets you stream HD video through the adapter , such as the Netgear Push2TV ( $ 99 list ) .

Lenovo IdeaPad U310 packs using the same 500GB , 5400rpm hard drive for storage space , and a cache of solid - state zippiness 32GB to provide requirements for near - instant wake times with RapidBoot and rapid onset and performance . While you will find several programs preinstalled on U310 , like Totally Note , Google Chrome , Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer , Microsoft Office 2010 , oovoo messenger , and McAfee AntiVirus Emerald , you can also get some useful add on from Lenovo , like Salvage One - Key for easy system recovery , and Lenovo Enhanced Experience boot optimizer . Lenovo also covers the IdeaPad U310 with one- year warranty , but the warranty upgrade is available .