4. IdeaPad S12 Netbook

4. IdeaPad S12 Netbook

Lenovo
$599

Many electronics users have had a love-hate relationship with netbooks since their introduction. With their cramped keyboards, low-power processors, and small 7-in. screens, they're highly portable but not good for much more than surfing the Web. Lenovo addresses these shortcomings with the IdeaPad S12. It has a 12.1-in. screen sporting a high-definition 1280-by-800 resolution display. The IdeaPad is one of the first netbooks to sport Nvidia's (NVDA) high-end Ion graphics chip to support HD streaming video without the stuttering playback that's plagued other netbooks. Excellent stereo speakers, a relatively speedy Intel (INTC) Atom processor, and a six-hour battery make the S12 a shoo-in for our favorite netbook of the year.