When Apple launched its MacBook Air, it was rumored that Lenovo would follow up with a 13" ultra-portable laptop. Lenovo did just that in February when it launched its X300. We focus on the X300, but include comparisons with the MacBook Air.

Lenovo’s high-end portable PC is comparable with the MacBook Air in two ways: its price and its 13.3" size. But that is where the comparison between the two systems ends as the X300 clearly targets a different market than Apple’s machine does. That being said, it still didn’t seem unreasonable for us to compare the two.

Our article focuses on the technical aspects of the X300, a later article on Tom’s Hardware will concentrate more on ergonomics and the machine’s operating system.

A professional demographic

The X300 targets a different crowd than the one that the MacBook Air does. While Apple’s machine is more geared for the general public (it is based on Apple’s classic style), Lenovo’s laptop was designed more with professionals in mind. The X300’s design is sober and much less in-your-face than Apple’s is. Some of the X300’s features also indicate that the machine wasn’t designed for the general public but for users with work-related application needs. Still, the X300 should appeal to non-professional users as well, with its 13.3" screen and light weight of 3.5 lb. The X300 puts its Intel Core Duo 2 processor to use for power savings and offers an abundance of features.