Lenovo IdeaPad 100s 11.6″ Cheap Mini-Laptop

The Lenovo IdeaPad 100s 11 is small and affordable 11.6-inch laptop PC. However, with the current price of $300, it isn’t competitively priced. Update: It’s $199 now. There are similar laptops for around $200, such as the Asus X205TA or Acer Cloudbook 11. They include a free 1-year Microsoft Office 365 subcription, which isn’t bundled with the 100s.

Lenovo’s IdeaPad 100s 11 is based on the Intel Atom “Bay Trail” Z3735F entry-level quad-core processor, which is satisfactory only for the basic home and office tasks. Only 2GB of included RAM memory doesn’t allow serious multitasking, so you’ll have to limit the number of programs and browser tabs running simultaneously. Another limiting factor is small data storage capacity. The 100s has 32GB of eMMC storage, but thankfully its expandable via the built-in microSD media card reader.

Since this is a run-of-the-mill low-cost mini-laptop, it doesn’t feature higher-end stuff like Full HD display resolution, keyboard backlight, or aluminum chassis. The plastic-cladded 2.2-pound notebook with a 0.7″ thick profile sports the common 1366-by-768-pixel display resolution. The panel lacks wide viewing angles of the IPS-backed displays and doesn’t support touch input. The keyboard has chiclet-style keys and is accompanied by a single-piece touchpad with integrated “mouse” buttons. Backlight is missing. The IdeaPad 100s provides a web camera, stereo speakers, 802.11N Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Besides the microSD slot, other connectors are HDMI output, two USB 2.0 ports, and a combo audio jack.

The battery life is rated at up to eight hours.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 100s (11″) has black interior, whereas the lid comes in four different colors: white, silver, red, and blue.