Skip to main content

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Has a Split Personality

ideapadu1hybridWe were expecting to hear announcements for new hybrid cars at CES 2010, but not hybrid computers. Lenovo today announced its IdeaPad U1 Hybrid in advance of the CES tradeshow. The IdeaPad U1 is—are you ready for this– a slate tablet running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon ARM CPU and the Skylight Linux interface when a user is on the move, and then  if you dock it back into the clamshell it seamlessly switches back to a Windows 7 operating system, running on an Intel Core 2 Duo U4100 processor. Lenovo just manifested awesome in a 3.8-pound, 11.6-inch hybrid laptop.

It’s kind of like your notebook has an alter-ego. Both the tablet and the laptop share a battery, but the battery life varies with the slate lasting up to 8 hours on a single charge and the docked laptop only 6 hours. Other than the whole dual-device thing it’s got going on, the Lenvov IdeaPad U1 Hybrid has standard laptop features: including three USB ports, built-in Wi-Fi,VGA, HDMI, Ethernet (RJ-45), and a 4-in-1 reader (Multi-Media Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Secure Digital Card).

The device will be on display at CES this week and is set to ship in June of this year. Unfortunately, this new hybrid comp will cost you a pretty penny—try $999 of pretty pennies.


Editors' Recommendations

Dena Cassella
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Haole built. O'ahu grown
Microsoft Surface Pro 9 vs. Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5i: which 2-in-1 is best?
The screen of the Surface Pro 9 on a table.

Microsoft's Surface Pro 9 represents the latest version of what's become the industry standard for detachable tablet 2-in-1s. It's also one of the best laptops, period. Meanwhile, Lenovo's IdeaPad Duet 5i is an audacious new competitor, going up against an established machine.

There's one major factor differentiating the two: the price. The IdeaPad Duet 5i is significantly less expensive (and configurable) than the Surface Pro 9. Does that give it enough of a leg to stand on?
Specs and configurations

Read more
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 vs. Dell XPS 15
Dell XPS 15 9520 front view showing display and keyboard deck.

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 and the Dell XPS 15 sit at the top of our list of best 15-inch laptops for several reasons. They're both incredibly well-built and fast, and they offer outstanding large-format displays.

But they're not identical. In fact, they're quite different, with the XPS 15 aimed at being a more portable 15-inch laptop and the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 serving as the most powerful mainstream ThinkPad. Check out our comparison to see which one is right for you.
Specs and configurations

Read more
Lenovo leaks the world’s first gaming Chromebook — but there’s a catch
Lenovo leaked a gaming Chromebook.

Lenovo recently leaked information via its product specification website about a new IdeaPad Chromebook with the model listed as IP 5 Chrome 16IAU7 (Gaming). The inclusion of gaming -- even if it's parenthetical -- is startling. Could this be the world's first gaming Chromebook?

While the product link currently redirects to the specification reference website again, ChromeUnboxed managed to dig up some information about this model. Lenovo's unreleased IdeaPad Gaming Chromebook is interesting, but might not have what it takes to earn its name.

Read more