Lenovo’s IdeaPad U450p is their newest ultra-thin consumer-oriented notebook.
Build & Design
The U450p feels much lighter and thinner in the hand than a typical 14-inch notebook.
Lenovo IdeaPad U450P LCD Hinges & Keyboard & Touchpad
Lenovo IdeaPad U450P LCD Hinges Part Number:
AM0A9000300
AM0A9000400
Lenovo generally impresses with its keyboards and touchpads and the IdeaPad U450p is no exception.
The U450p has a traditional-style keyboard, as opposed to an island or “Chiclet”-style setup. It has very good
tactile feedback and a solid feel. Under normal typing pressure there is no flex. The keys have just the right
amount of travel and are very communicative as a result; it is easy to tell when a key is fully pressed and
keystrokes are registered. The keyboard is accurate and easy to type on quickly. The keys are made of solid-
feeling plastic and give a high-quality feel.
The keyboard is quiet enough to be used in just about any environment; it actually sounds quite nice, adding
to the tactile feedback.
The keyboard has a few oddities. On the plus side I liked the arched spacebar, arrow keys and rounded key
edges; they all enhanced the typing experience. On the minus side I found the layout to be somewhat odd; the
[Fn] and [Ctrl] keys in the bottom left corner are switched, which took getting used to. This is a holdover
from Lenovo’s business-oriented ThinkPad line; anyone who’s used a ThinkPad keyboard will feel right at home.
Additionally, the Home/End/PgUp/PgDn keys on the right side of the keyboard have a non-standard arrangement
and also take getting used to.
The touchpad is rather small but works well. Its matte surface is appreciated since it is easy to track on
regardless of whether fingers are moist or dry. The touchpad buttons are quiet and have an excellent multi-
level feel.
I did not have any general tracking issues with the touchpad. It supports multi-touch features such as two-
finger scrolling and “pinching” to zoom but they work sporadically at best.