Laptop Thoughts: A Review of Lenovo's Hot IdeaPad U160

"An 11.6-inch laptop with a Core i7 processor. Does the Lenovo IdeaPad U160 really need more of an introduction than that? Believe it or not, the ultrathin laptop you're peering at above isn't much larger than a 10-inch netbook, but instead of packing underpowered parts (ahem, Atom) its got one of Intel's most powerful ultra-low voltage processors."

There are many descriptions of Lenovo's IdeaPad U160: Hot, Scorcher, Burner - and this speedy laptop is all that and more. Sporting an Intel ULV Core i7 processor, it handles HD content with aplomb, but at the expense of battery life (around three hours) and at the risk of roasting your lap. Bottom line is that there are cheaper laptops available that perform as well for less than $1149, have much better battery life, and won't give your lap quite the same roasting. Personally I'd buy the Toshiba Portege R705 at $799, and get a slightly larger screen, similar weight, great performance and better battery life.