Lenovo IdeaPad Y570
The Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 has good graphics and a lot of configuration flexibility which helps it compete with more mainstream laptops. There are a lot of choices in the midsize 15.6 inch laptop so it is important to do your homework. HP and Dell have good lineups that many people may be more familiar with, but that doesn’t mean this model should be overlooked. Lenovo’s IdeaPad Y570 model is a 15-inch laptop that looks high-end, but is priced rather reasonably depending on what upgrades you choose.
Advantages
The Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 is an excellent laptop, especially for business use. It has more configuration flexibility than one would originally guess, making it a good middle of the road option for those looking to get a new laptop
Disadvantages
Some aspects of this laptop are poorly thought out by the designers, and consequently may be confusing. It has an odd physical switch for GPU modes and is full of bloatware.
Design
The design of the Lenovo IdeaPad 750 is impressive. It has an Intel Core i5 2410M CPU, Nvidia’s GeForce 555M GPU, 4 GB of RAM and 500GB hard drive. There are also upgrades available for the same model with larger 750GB hard drive and Blu-Ray which are worth looking into. This laptop is very upscale-looking, with a pattern of small glossy black dots on the back of the matte lid. The keyboard is similar to its predecessor, but the keys are slightly smaller and deeper. Unfortunately the keyboard is fairly loud, which is a big drawback when comparing it to other models available. The responsiveness of the touch pad is not the best. The 15.6 inch display has the standard resolution found on laptops of this size at 1,336 x 768 pixels, but has quite a lot of glare when viewed from various angles. There is a large variety of useful software apps for business or pleasure including facial recognition and a boot optimizer. Some software is not very good and this laptop would be better off without add-ins like Lenovo Smile Dock (a piece of marketing bloatware that hides itself as a software dock). The JBL speakers are great, offering full sound, especially for a middle range model.
Battery Life
The battery life on the Lenovo IdeaPad Y570 was a bit shorter than average. It lasted about 3 hours and 20 minutes during a video test, which is not very long if you are using it during travel or forget your power cord.
Performance
This laptop is powered by the very common Intel Core 2410M CPU. This is found in many laptops right now and is faster than Core I3 models, but is at the low end of the i5 scale. It ran fairly fast so if you are using this computer for basic laptop functions you should consider this model. If you are looking for a laptop for PC gaming or other processor intensive jobs this is not the right computer for you. This laptop also has JBL speakers which give full sound, two USB 3.0 ports, and a combo USB/eSATA port. The Nvidia GeForce GT 555M GPU allows for great resolution at impressive speeds. In order to turn off the GPU you must use a tiny physical switch at the front of the chassis. Although this is not a big deal, many other laptops in the same category offer automatic shut off. Lenovo includes an industry-standard one-year parts and labor warranty with the system. To upgrade to a three-year plan will cost an extra $99 or $149 if you include on-site service. Other support is accessible through a 24-7 toll-free phone line, an online knowledge base, and driver downloads.
Conclusion
Overall the Lenovo IdeaPad is an alright model. To be honest it is not my favorite. It seems fairly expensive for a computer that has the same features as many cheaper laptops. For business, many people do tend to like the Lenovo brand and if that is its intended use, it is a good reliable model. Yet if you require a laptop for your own personal use, keep looking because this model is too expensive and does not have the features to justify the cost. Test out other models for personal use, because HP and Dell have some fantastic laptops at a justifiable price that may leave your bank account bigger.