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Lenovo 3000 V100Mini multitasking machine is easy to use and easy on the budget. Price:
$1,649
by Mark Spoonauer 
Highly mobile users who don’t want to sacrifice performance or comfort to travel light should consider the Lenovo 3000 V100. This 4.3-pound dual-core system provides nearly everything professionals on the move need for work and (a little play) at a reasonable price of $1,649. Thoughtful touches like an integrated webcam, fingerprint reader, and Lenovo Care, which offers quick links to everything from wireless network settings to data recovery, help this thin-and-light stand out.
Sporting a sturdy silver-and-black case, the V100 is a bit on the thick side at 1.3 inches, but unlike some 12.1-inch systems, it comes with a dual-layer DVD burner on the right-hand side. The two metal hinges let you know this system is built to last, but the lid doesn’t feel that secure when closed because there’s no latch. Also on the right-hand side you’ll find a 5-in-1 memory card reader, Wi-Fi on/off switch, and one of three USB 2.0 ports. The left side houses an ExpressCard slot; we would have preferred a PC Card slot, as there are very few periperhals available that use ExpressCard technology. As one might expect from Lenovo, the full-sized keyboard is second to none, and we like the wide touchpad and even wider touchpad buttons. The 12.1-inch glossy VibrantView display did an excellent job rendering our Aeon Flux DVD with nice color depth and contrast. Located above the keyboard are dedicated volume controls, a button that launches Roxio DigitalMedia LE, which handles audio, photos, and video, along with data archiving, and a button that brings up the Lenovo Care menu. Powered by Intel’s 2-GHz Core Duo processor, the V100 plowed through our productivity tests, notching a very good MobileMark 2005 score of 267. The V100 didn’t flinch during our multitasking test—playing a DVD while running a virus scan. The six-cell battery, which protrudes from the back of the system, lasted 3 hours and 48 minutes, which is average for thin-and-light notebooks. The Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 turned in a predictably low 3DMark03 score of 1,374, but at least the 1GB of RAM included in this configuration will give you enough horsepower to handle Windows Vista’s Aero interface. The V100 turned in fair wireless throughput numbers, with 12 Mbps and 9.1 Mbps of throughput at 15 and 50 feet, respectively. Finding and connecting to Wi-Fi networks was a snap, thanks to Lenovo’s Access Connections software; an intuitive map of nearby access points shows you which ones are closest along with their relative signal strengths. This configuration also includes Bluetooth connectivity. Three features help make the V100 a solid choice for business users. An integrated fingerprint reader, which Lenovo thoughtfully integrated into the chassis with a small groove, helps users replace passwords with a single swipe. The 1.3-megapixel webcam above the display makes it simple to stay in touch via videoconferencing applications; we tried the camera with Yahoo Instant Messenger and found the picture quite sharp if a bit jumpy. Last but not least is Lenovo Care. From one-button system recovery and automatic updates to power-setting tweaks, this suite of tools should cut down the number of helpdesk calls. Lenovo piles on a generous amount of software. In addition to Roxio Digital Media LE, the V100 comes with Google Desktop and Google Toolbar, Picasa from Google, Diskeeper Lite, InterVideo DVD Creator, as well as licenses for Lotus Notes and Lotus SmartSuite. The system is covered by a standard one-year warranty. If you can do without a PC Card slot, the Lenovo 3000 V100 delivers excellent performance and convenience in a portable package. Frequent travelers would be hard-pressed to find a better dual-core, 12.1-inch notebook at this price. Compare Prices | Lenovo N3000 V100 Specifications
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