Lenovo IdeaPad S12 ION vs Samsung N510

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The market for mobile companion is still growing. That should be something for everyone, you might say. But the greater the diversity, the harder the decision. In this comparison test, we dedicate ourselves to two particular specimens from the netbook segment. Whether they really belong in this drawer is controversial. With screen sizes of 11.6 or 12.1 inches, they were by their size easily dub as subnotebook. But the rise in this league, it also requires appropriate performance - a factor that can not meet our challenger. I want to find out if the Samsung N510 Aspire and Lenovo IdeaPad S12 ION meet the requirements. In particular we would like to pay but the handling and comfort in everyday life. How many hours can you work with the devices? Can I use it via HDMI as a player in the living room? Expect customers unpleasant surprises? I am trying to explain the same. In addition to the Lenovo S12 are in the black cardboard box and the AC adapter, user guide, a setup poster and a booklet with information on various legal provisions for wireless frequencies. You do not have to unpack after the purchase of the Lenovo S12 thus far. Even without a case to hold the large netbook, the customer. In view of the proud for a Netbook price, this is pretty disappointing.

Software included with the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 ION:

• 30-day trial version of Microsoft Office 2007
• Adobe Reader 9
• Lenovo VeriFace (protection of data or Windows user accounts through face recognition via Webcam)
• Lenovo OneKey Recovery (backup solution from Lenovo)
• Lenovo Easy Camera (Webcam-Suite)

The delivery of the Samsung N510 is anyNet almost identical to the S12 ION. However, the South Korean manufacturer has at least a protective cover added packed, although is not a substitute for a laptop bag, but is a fitting complement to keep dust and scratches from his property away. Measured by the price, Samsung N510 shows the overall package more generous than just an idea Lenovo.

Software supplied with the Samsung N510 anyNet:

• 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office 2007
• Adobe Reader 9
• Easy Battery / Display / Network / SpeedUp Manager
• Samsung Magic Doctor
• Samsung Update Plus

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In both models perform processor type Intel Atom N270 their work. This count with a frequency of 1.60 GHz and have only a real core, by HyperThreading virtual but it is those two. Lenovo IdeaPad S12 while the Ion two gigabytes of DDR2 RAM has donated, the Samsung N510 is only one gigabyte of that variety available. The ION S12 is available with a hard drive of 250 or 320 GB capacity, at Samsung, the choice is limited to 160 or 250 GB - all of them rotate at 5400 rpm. The Samsung N510 is a low-reflection screen WXGA (1366 x 768 pixels) with a screen size of 11.6 inches (29.5 cm) installed. The S12 ION has 16:10 aspect ratio and is at a size of 12.1 inches (30.7 cm) 1280 × 800 pixels is solved with the common-ion Nvidia chipset devices also have the graphics solution together. But with one difference: In the case of the N510 is just about the LE version, as specified in the driver is missing so the DirectX 10 support. Furthermore, no differences in this regard exists.

Furthermore, the N510 has a battery with higher capacity and offers in contrast to the IdeaPad S12 ION also draft-n WLAN. In turn, the card reader of the S12 and the Sony format (Memory Stick) and it has compared to the N510 an additional USB 2.0 port. The presentation of the N510 is essentially be described as very simple. The top of the cover sheet lies solely with the manufacturer's logo and apart from a silver, the laptop was front and sides ornamental strips dispensed largely on the design features. Fingerprints can put the lid on top of problems, because it is coated glossy and break easily when it comes to the visibility of dust and stains. The insides, however, are designed as well as the rarely coming to light component shelf in matte black.

An additional tool bar above the keyboard, Samsung has waived the N510. Instead, the keys for volume and screen brightness were housed in the keyboard layout. Note the placement of the power button. This is not as common on the inner side of the keyboard, but on the right side near the hinge. This is unusual and, in a search lasting several minutes to open one's own stubbornness prevented a look at the Quick Setup booklet and you are not already met by chance on the button. That this is on the outside is negligible during transport, as it is turned off while the device is in the closed state. Accidental switching on or off in your pocket or backpack is thus no reason to fear. In keeping with the high price does the exterior of the N510 is also very classy and well-processed accordingly. It can be seen no major gap and all parts are firmly fixed.

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The cover of the IdeaPad S12, Lenovo has provided with a pattern full of small circles. At first glance, this is our opinion, for something cheesy, but that's probably a question of your own taste. A waiver of the pattern at this point would certainly not hurt. The rest is unspectacular - even if to mention all the button-like ends on the hinges to see in the picture in the middle. Unfortunately, apart from outside is also decorated the display frame coated shiny, even dust and dirt trap at the same time. This does, however, an advantage of the cover designs previously criticized apparent: are fingerprints and dust is not visible in the extent that it is about the competitors of the case. Unlike the N510 is located at S12 ION a bar with different buttons on the actual keyboard. This contains not only "power" include buttons for volume control. There are also two other buttons: on the left side provided with an arrow key for the launch of One Key Recovery, far right, an alternative power button, which can boot the Lenovo "Quick Start" menu.

While the look of the IdeaPad S12 can not be assessed without regard to their own taste, there is an obvious lack in terms of processing: The battery does not sit firmly in its moorings. It makes it possible, by hand very easily move up or down - in short, it is shaking. This has not in the test but a negative impact on the reliability, but occasionally interfere with the resulting noise when stopping or canceling the mobile computing device. Apart from this weakness makes the S12 a solid impression and has well-made. Given the specifications no miracles are expected. To all the advantages of a netbook - a space-saving design, long battery life and a lower price - to ensure the producers in terms of computing power are strict limits. In most of the currently available devices of this kind of chipsets are Intel integrated graphics solution built together, the Graphics Media Accelerator ( GMA , the long battery life, but little power promises). A compromise is the so-called "ion" chipset from Nvidia dar. The manufacturer promises more graphics power at little detriment to battery life. Both netbooks come with Nvidia chipsets Ion equipped with the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is in the appropriate version to distinguish between the models with pure Intel solutions even in the name.

Since both devices have neither the technical conditions are still a reasonable ease of use for current PC games, we go at this point does not address the gaming capabilities of the two netbooks. A picture of how far the ion-platform liquid and high-resolution 3D display recent graphics engine is removed, gives a computer-base-test of last summer . There the built and the Intel "Atom" tailored GeForce 9400 graphics chip, even at low to medium details and a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels in the three tested titles not more than 31.5 frames per second out.

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In our test could both Windows Media - and H.264 -encoded videos in 720p and 1080p resolution with an average of 25 percent CPU, respectively 70 percent GPU-load to play. A used for comparison Lenovo IdeaPad S12 with Intel chipset, however, shows even at 720p video through its occasional stuttering performance limit. 1080p video is for the Intel GMA 950 then finally too much, just a few pictures per second, stutters and the audio. Here the front of Nvidia chipset ion accelerated our test devices clearly the nose. Since both are equipped with an HDMI output, it can also provide higher-resolution flat screens with images and sound - the presence of an HDMI cable and a corresponding socket provided on the monitor. In the test, worked out the interaction of both netbooks with a NEC Multisync 24WMGX ³ at full HD resolution (1920 × 1080 pixels) without problems. Since the N510 has only one house from GB of RAM, the graphics unit of the available amount of memory compared to the IdeaPad S12 ION is halved. This is noticeable when playing only in the details: a smooth playback is not in the way, however, CPU and GPU Last fall when playing a bit higher.

The Samsung N510 is equipped despite the higher price, with the less expensive "LE" version of the Ion chipset. This has revoked by adjustments in the Nvidia graphics driver to enable DirectX 10 support. Using a modified driver allows the LE version upgrade but at the full-Ion graphics solution - the lack of DX10 support is in fact the only restriction. Both Samsung and Lenovo have not an ordinary keyboard layout waived. For many typos and especially those that frequently use special characters, this plays a significant role. While Lenovo instead of the so-called FN-Ctrl button to select the different functions of F1 to F12 in the lower left corner has placed the IdeaPad to allow Samsung to shift the "<>"- and " pipe "button on the right side the keyboard. The key circumflex (^ °) is also positioned between the old and the space bar and the Escape key is sorely missing in the. Users of alternative operating systems is the fact that the Samsung N510, the Windows button at the bottom right - not left - is disturbing not well - experienced users of Microsoft's operating system but also demanded by the standard deviation of these nerves. On both margins of the N510 is also unused space between the keyboard and the housing edge. Sufficient room for a reasonably large space bar, a nonstandard arrangement of some special characters or wider shift keys would therefore have been present. The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is in this regard have been made more efficient. Although the left shift key is a bit narrow, the space bar for netbook or subnotebook ratios but sufficiently wide and the buttons are generally perceived a millimeter larger. It also has an impact on the keystroke. Long texts can be attributed to the Lenovo device in our view a little more comfortable typing; problems in continuous use, however, have not caused the two keyboards.