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Lenovo ThinkPad SL300
A small, speedy, and stylish 13-inch business notebook with excellent endurance.

    Price as Reviewed: $949.00
Review Contents:  
Print
Pros
  • Outstanding endurance (with 9-cell battery)
  • Speedy hard drive
  • Attractive screen
  • Sleek looks
Cons
  • Poor viewing angles in bright rooms
  • Right USB ports partially obstructed
Quick Specs Full Specs
CPU: 1.8-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T5670
RAM/Upgradeable to: 2GB/4GB
Display/Resolution: 13.3 inches/1280 x 800
Hard Drive Size/Speed: 250GB/5,400 rpm
Size: 12.5 x 9.4 x 1.3 inches
Weight: 5.2 pounds (with 9-cell battery)

Price as Reviewed: $949.00


Reader Comments
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Lenovo ThinkPad SL300
By gordon55y
I wish that Lenovo was still selling the SL300.

Post Your Comments
by Avram Piltch on November 14, 2008

When we reviewed the 14-inch Lenovo ThinkPad SL400, we were impressed with that small business notebook’s combination of style and work/play-friendly features. The 13-inch SL300 puts the series’ sleek looks and solid performance into a travel-friendly form factor at a value price, complete with enough battery life to last an entire work day.

Sleek Design, Blocked Ports

Like the other members of the SL series, the SL300 is designed for small business but features a sleeker, more consumer-friendly design than other ThinkPads. The goal is to appeal to workers who use the same computer for editing sales proposals as well as watching movies and playing casual games.

All of the design elements we liked in the SL400—the glossy black lid, the futuristic red light that illuminates the “i” in the ThinkPad logo, the black hinges, the tapered edges, and the bright green status indicators on the front lip of the chassis—appear even more attractive on the SL300. However, the chunky chassis is not as thin as two other 13-inch notebooks we recently reviewed, the $1,099 HP Pavilion dv3510nr and the $1,199 Lenovo IdeaPad U330.

The optional 9-cell battery, which gave our review system a weight of 5.2 pounds, also makes the SL300 a bit heavier than its similarly-sized counterparts. /uploadedImages/Multimedia_Assets/Images/2008/Reviews/laptops/Lenovo-SL300_h.jpgHowever, when compared to the SL400 (and to other 14-inch notebooks in its price range), we found the SL300 much easier to carry and place on our lap or small tables. We particularly appreciated the latch-free lid, which allowed us to quickly pop the system open and start working.

Unfortunately, like its big brother, the SL300 has a small issue with the placement of the two USB ports on its right side. Because these ports are recessed underneath a thick plastic lip, fatter USB devices just won’t fit into them. Fortunately, the USB port on the left side offers more clearance.

Next Page: Keyboard, Touchpad & Screen
 

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