GADGET GIZMO REVIEW Lenovo IdeaPad
Flex 10
SPECIFICATIONS
1.46Ghz
dual core Celeron, 2GB RAM, 500GB HDD, 10.1-inch touchscreen (1366 x 768
pixels), 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, HDMI out, Bluetooth, WiFi, webcam + mic,
1.2kg
Small, lightweight, attractive, affordable, USB 3.0 port, lots of storage, full size HDMI output
Keys are small and have less travel, tiny trackpad, subpar webcam, basic performance and battery life
When laptops became smaller they didn’t necessarily become cheaper. Lenovo is looking to buck the trend with the IdeaPad Flex 10 — a small Windows 8 touchscreen laptop with basic specifications but a price that is less than many premium Android and iOS tablets. The ‘Flex’ in the name is because this machine is a dual use one with a flexible screen (though it is not detachable). The screen opens up like a regular laptop but because of the hinge design, it can fold back to 300 degrees. With the screen pushed around all the way, it’s called the stand mode (the keyboard faces downward). It has little rubber legs to provide a non slip surface and prevent the keys from actually touching the table. A nice little touch is that the keyboard and trackpad are disabled when in stand mode to prevent any accidental key presses. Apart from these features, it’s a pretty regular laptop albeit a really small one. It has a 10.1-inch screen, a small keyboard & trackpad, minimal ports and basic hardware that is designed to get you though document editing, web and some multimedia. Having said that, it still is the full version of Windows 8 — you can install all the programs you normally use and connect any of the usual peripherals like a printer, external DVD drive and so on. While the Flex 10 is a great machine if you want a budget ultraportable, there’s still room for improvement. For instance, Lenovo could have included a trackpoint instead of the almost useless tiny trackpad. And the battery life tops out at 3.5 hours which means you have to keep the charger handy (it's not a small, single piece charger either — it should have been). Ultimately, the IdeaPad Flex 10 has to compete with other touch laptops that have seen a price drop. The Asus Vivobook, for example, costs just a little bit more but has a slightly larger 11.6-inch touchscreen, a better keyboard/trackpad and overall better performance.
HITESH RAJ BHAGAT
Small, lightweight, attractive, affordable, USB 3.0 port, lots of storage, full size HDMI output
Keys are small and have less travel, tiny trackpad, subpar webcam, basic performance and battery life
When laptops became smaller they didn’t necessarily become cheaper. Lenovo is looking to buck the trend with the IdeaPad Flex 10 — a small Windows 8 touchscreen laptop with basic specifications but a price that is less than many premium Android and iOS tablets. The ‘Flex’ in the name is because this machine is a dual use one with a flexible screen (though it is not detachable). The screen opens up like a regular laptop but because of the hinge design, it can fold back to 300 degrees. With the screen pushed around all the way, it’s called the stand mode (the keyboard faces downward). It has little rubber legs to provide a non slip surface and prevent the keys from actually touching the table. A nice little touch is that the keyboard and trackpad are disabled when in stand mode to prevent any accidental key presses. Apart from these features, it’s a pretty regular laptop albeit a really small one. It has a 10.1-inch screen, a small keyboard & trackpad, minimal ports and basic hardware that is designed to get you though document editing, web and some multimedia. Having said that, it still is the full version of Windows 8 — you can install all the programs you normally use and connect any of the usual peripherals like a printer, external DVD drive and so on. While the Flex 10 is a great machine if you want a budget ultraportable, there’s still room for improvement. For instance, Lenovo could have included a trackpoint instead of the almost useless tiny trackpad. And the battery life tops out at 3.5 hours which means you have to keep the charger handy (it's not a small, single piece charger either — it should have been). Ultimately, the IdeaPad Flex 10 has to compete with other touch laptops that have seen a price drop. The Asus Vivobook, for example, costs just a little bit more but has a slightly larger 11.6-inch touchscreen, a better keyboard/trackpad and overall better performance.
HITESH RAJ BHAGAT
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