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Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75 Notebook Review Update

Kaveri @ low cost. The IdeaPad Z50-75 is available for a low 400 Euros (~$501) without a Windows operating system. The buyer gets a quad-core processor, dual-graphics solution from AMD, and a 1 TB hard drive. An irresistible bargain?

For the original German review, see here.

We tested the Z50 in the form of the Z50-70 (Core i7-4510U, GeForce 840M) only a few weeks ago. Now we have our hands on the Z50-75 sister model equipped with AMD technology. A quad-core processor and dual-graphics solution are inside. With a price of 450 Euros, ~$564 (400 Euros, ~$501, without Windows operating system), the Z50-75 is almost 300 Euros (~$376) cheaper than the Z50-70. Our report reveals whether the Z50-75 can compete with Intel's counterpart.

The IdeaPad is a member of the below 500-Euro (~$627) all-rounders. Many rivals are found in this sector, such as Acer's Aspire E1-572G (Core i5-4200U, Radeon HD 8750M) and Medion's Akoya P6647 (Core i5-4200M, GeForce 825M). The Akoya configuration that we tested is considerably more expensive than its contenders with a price of approximately 600 Euros (~$752). However, the laptop is available with a Pentium 3550M for a price starting at 480 Euros (~$602) in an entry-level version. 

Since both IdeaPads feature an identical build, we will not go in-depth about casing, connectivity, input devices or speakers. The corresponding information can be found in the review of the IdeaPad Z50-70.

Case

There is then a slight difference between the IdeaPad Z50-75 and Z50-70: While the display's back of the Z50-70 features a smooth surface, the Z50-75 has a rippled structure.

Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70

Display

In contrast to the Full HD screen in the IdeaPad Z50-70, an HD screen (1366x768 pixels) is installed in the Z50-75. That is also the reason why the Z50-70 costs roughly 300 Euros (~$376) more than the Z50-75. The HD screen operates with a brightness of 223.9 cd/m². Although this is not a good rate, it is acceptable in view of the laptop's price. The screens of the Z50-70 (192.3 cd/m²) and Aspire (182.3 cd/m²) achieve lower rates. However, the Full HD screen in the Akoya (290.1 cd/m²) is pleasing.

217
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
234
cd/m²
218
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
238
cd/m²
212
cd/m²
216
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 238 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 223.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 225 cd/m²
Contrast: 536:1 (Black: 0.42 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 11.59 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 11.86 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
39% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
42.02% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
61.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.67% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.3
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4200U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571)
GeForce 825M, 4200M, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
Lenovo G510-59416358
Radeon R5 M230, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Display
-11%
-13%
24%
34%
Display P3 Coverage
40.67
36.2
-11%
35.85
-12%
51.4
26%
55.5
36%
sRGB Coverage
61.2
53.8
-12%
52.1
-15%
74.4
22%
79.8
30%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
42.02
37.48
-11%
36.93
-12%
52.7
25%
57.3
36%
Screen
-1%
-13%
2%
-9%
Brightness middle
225
202
-10%
195
-13%
319
42%
269
20%
Brightness
224
192
-14%
182
-19%
290
29%
249
11%
Brightness Distribution
89
78
-12%
83
-7%
74
-17%
83
-7%
Black Level *
0.42
0.37
12%
0.47
-12%
0.8
-90%
1.02
-143%
Contrast
536
546
2%
415
-23%
399
-26%
264
-51%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
11.59
10.23
12%
12.28
-6%
10.68
8%
6.7
42%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
11.86
10.04
15%
12.94
-9%
12.24
-3%
8.46
29%
Gamma
2.3 96%
2.2 100%
2.65 83%
2.58 85%
2.48 89%
CCT
14580 45%
10347 63%
18956 34%
12660 51%
8658 75%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
39
35
-10%
34.1
-13%
66.6
71%
51
31%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-6% / -4%
-13% / -13%
13% / 8%
13% / 3%

* ... smaller is better

IdeaPad vs. sRGB
IdeaPad vs. sRGB
IdeaPad vs. AdobeRGB
IdeaPad vs. AdobeRGB

Both the contrast of 536:1 and black level of 0.42 cd/m² are also absolutely satisfactory. The screen in the Z50-70 (546:1, 0.37 cd/m²) provides similar rates. Both the Aspire (415:1, 0.47 cd/m²) and Akoya (399:1, 0.8 cd/m²) do a slightly worse job. The IdeaPad's screen cannot reproduce either the AdobeRGB or sRGB color spaces. The coverage rates are 39% (AdobeRGB) and 56% (sRGB).

The average DeltaE 2000 shift is 11.6 in state of delivery. This rate is normal for laptops from this price range. Ideal would be a rate of less than 3. The screen also exhibits a clear bluish cast.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps

The IdeaPad is equipped with a simple TN screen, and thus it can only offer limited viewing angles. We did not expect anything else considering the price. Even the considerably more expensive IdeaPad Z50-70 does not have a viewing-angle stable IPS screen. The screen's highly reflective surface also makes reading the screen outdoors extremely difficult. Consequently, outdoor use is only possible in shadowy places.

The IdeaPad outdoors
The IdeaPad outdoors
Viewing angles: IdeaPad Z50-75
Viewing angles: IdeaPad Z50-75

Performance

Lenovo's IdeaPad Z50-75 is a basic all-round laptop. It not only has enough computing power for routine applications but can also smoothly render computer games to a limited degree. Our review sample is available for approximately 450 Euros (~$564) or 400 Euros (~$501) without a Windows operating system. Lenovo has multiple other models in its IdeaPad Z50 lineup.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWInfo
HWInfo
GPU Caps
System information: Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75

Processor

Lenovo installs an A8-7100 APU (Kaveri) from AMD in its IdeaPad. The processor part of the APU clocks with a base speed of 1.8 GHz. It can be accelerated up to 3 GHz via Turbo. The processor is comprised of four CPU cores. The APU's TDP is 19 watts. Additional information and benchmarks relating to AMD's Kaveri APU can be found in our corresponding article.

We could not retrieve the APU's full processing power. The processor performed the single-thread tests of the Cinebench benchmarks with 2.1 to 2.5 GHz, and the multi-thread tests with 1.6 to 1.8 GHz. The APU ran both tests with a consistent 1.8 GHz in battery mode. The multi-thread scores are roughly on par with those of current Haswell Core i3 ULV processors. If the processor could retrieve its full performance, the scores would likely be on the level of the Haswell Core i5 ULV processors. The processor cannot compete with Intel's Core i3 processors in the single-core performance. It is on par with the Haswell Pentium ULV CPUs.

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
4109
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
4255 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
1471
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
4165
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
5763 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
2047 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
1.97 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.54 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
23.92 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
25.84 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
126 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
40 Points
Help
Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
0.54 Points
Acer Aspire E5-551-T8X3
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10-7300, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
0.49 Points -9%
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
0.62 Points +15%
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
0.79 Points +46%
Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4200U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
0.94 Points +74%
HP Compaq 15-a024sg
GeForce 820M, 3110M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
0.97 Points +80%
Asus X555LN-XO112H
GeForce 840M, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
1.13 Points +109%
Lenovo G510-59416358
Radeon R5 M230, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1.2 Points +122%
Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571)
GeForce 825M, 4200M, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
1.31 Points +143%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1.37 Points +154%
Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1.97 Points
Packard Bell EasyNote TE69HW-29574G50Mnsk
HD Graphics (Haswell), 2957U, Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT0 12-9WS142
1.2 Points -39%
Acer Aspire E5-551-T8X3
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10-7300, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1.74 Points -12%
Acer Extensa 2510-34Z4
HD Graphics 4400, 4030U, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
2.01 Points +2%
HP Compaq 15-a024sg
GeForce 820M, 3110M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2.38 Points +21%
Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4200U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
2.51 Points +27%
Asus X555LN-XO112H
GeForce 840M, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
2.54 Points +29%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2.89 Points +47%
Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571)
GeForce 825M, 4200M, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
3.21 Points +63%
Lenovo G510-59416358
Radeon R5 M230, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3.26 Points +65%

System Performance

The system generally runs smoothly. However, we could not perform some of our benchmarks. The 3DMark05 and 06 benchmarks crashed right in the middle of testing with error messages. The programs presumably have problems with the dual-graphics. The PCMark 7 and 8 benchmarks caused the laptop to freeze. The laptop first smoothly performed PCMark 7 after we disabled the dual-graphics in the BIOS. This action did not have any effect on the behavior of the PCMark 8 benchmark.

PCMark Vantage Result
4296 points
PCMark 7 Score
1835 points
Help
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1835 Points
Acer Aspire E5-551-T8X3
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10-7300, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1723 Points -6%
HP Compaq 15-a024sg
GeForce 820M, 3110M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
2464 Points +34%
Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4200U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
2711 Points +48%
Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571)
GeForce 825M, 4200M, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
2833 Points +54%
Lenovo G510-59416358
Radeon R5 M230, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2871 Points +56%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
4023 Points +119%

Storage Devices

Owners of an IdeaPad will not run out of storage space very soon. The installed hard drive from Western Digital offers a storage capacity of 1 TB. It spins with 5400 revolutions per minute. CrystalDiskMark recorded a read speed of 101.9 MB/s, and HD Tune delivered an average transfer rate of 84.3 MB/s. Thus, the drive is on par with virtually all currently available 5400 rpm hard drives.

WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
Transfer Rate Minimum: 46.6 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 112.6 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 84.3 MB/s
Access Time: 17 ms
Burst Rate: 184.6 MB/s
CPU Usage: 5.6 %

Graphics Card

The Radeon R6 M255DX graphics solution is installed in the IdeaPad. It is not a dedicated graphics chip, but a dual graphics solution from AMD. It is comprised of the integrated Radeon R5 (Kaveri) graphics core and the dedicated Radeon R5 M230 GPU. The GPUs operate in a so-called Crossfire array, i.e. both cores can perform the calculation of displayed images. This process is, for example, used in computer games. Only the integrated GPU is used for routine tasks and in battery mode. The user can determine whether single applications are to be performed with the dual-graphics solution in the driver menu. There is no general performance advantage over a dedicated Radeon R5 M230 GPU. The scores and frame rates clearly increase in some benchmarks and games, and in other cases there is no difference. The R6 M255DX graphics solution sometimes reaps in a lower score.

3DMark 03 Standard
14432 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
5008 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1857 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
26540 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
2663 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
518 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
1857 Points
HP Compaq 15-a024sg
GeForce 820M, 3110M, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
1351 Points -27%
Acer Aspire E5-551-T8X3
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10-7300, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX
1363 Points -27%
Lenovo G510-59416358
Radeon R5 M230, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
1414 Points -24%
Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4200U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
1885 Points +2%
Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571)
GeForce 825M, 4200M, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
1888 Points +2%
HP Pavilion 15-p008ng
GeForce 840M, 4210U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541075A9E680
2316 Points +25%
Asus X555LN-XO112H
GeForce 840M, 4210U, Toshiba MQ01ABF050
2327 Points +25%
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2373 Points +28%

Gaming Performance

Just looking at the 3DMark 2011 benchmarks scores indicate that the performance of the installed graphics solution should roughly be on par with a dedicated Radeon HD 8750M GPU. The gaming benchmarks did not confirm this. The IdeaPad rarely, if at all, comes close to a correspondingly equipped laptop. The Z50-75 managed to render most games in a low (to sometimes medium) resolution and low (to sometimes medium) quality settings smoothly. Therefore, it is likely that something will happen in some games in the future providing the drivers are optimized accordingly. The Radeon R6 M255DX graphics solution supports AMD's Mantle interface, and we tested the game Thief with and without Mantle. The frame rates averagely climbed by 23.6% to 18.4 fps (min.), 13.1 fps (med.), 10.1 fps (high) with enabled Mantle. Battlefield 4 also supports Mantle. However, the tool fraps refused to record the frame rates when the Mantle interface was enabled. Consequently, we cannot provide any results for this game.

Buyers looking for an affordable, gaming-suitable laptop will find considerably better alternatives in the 400 to 500 Euro (~$501 to ~$627) price range. For example, the Aspire E1-572G (Core i5-4200U, Radeon HD 8750M). This device is now available for 470 Euros, ~$590 (or 400 Euros, ~$501, without a Windows operating system). Also, entry-level versions of the Akoya P6647 (Core i5-4200M, GeForce 825M) are available for below 500 Euros (~$627).

low med. high ultra
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) 37.3 26.4 17.3
Diablo III (2012) 59.2 39.7 32
Hitman: Absolution (2012) 19.6 18.1 9.3
Dead Space 3 (2013) 66.7 30.7 24.8
Tomb Raider (2013) 70.7 39.7 25.5
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) 100.3 44.6 25.3
BioShock Infinite (2013) 42.1 24 19.5
Metro: Last Light (2013) 19.2 16.1 10.5
Company of Heroes 2 (2013) 15.9 16.1 9.6
Saints Row IV (2013) 19.5 16.6 11
F1 2013 (2013) 30 24 25
Battlefield 4 (2013) 34.2 21.9 16.5
X-Plane 10.25 (2013) 26 15.1 7.5
Thief (2014) 14.1 10.9 8.4
Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) 23.6 22.4 11.7
GRID: Autosport (2014) 66.2 26.9 19.2
Risen 3: Titan Lords (2014) 26.2 15.9 7.9
Fifa 15 (2014) 35.8 29.4
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571)
GeForce 825M, 4200M, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4200U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
Lenovo G510-59416358
Radeon R5 M230, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Tomb Raider
45%
11%
22%
-31%
1024x768 Low Preset
70.7
123.3
74%
91.2
29%
92.6
31%
52.6
-26%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x
39.7
58.8
48%
44
11%
45.5
15%
26.7
-33%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x
25.5
28.7
13%
23.9
-6%
30.8
21%
16.8
-34%
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
72%
79%
-18%
1024x768 Low
100.3
187.2
87%
91.6
-9%
1366x768 Medium
44.6
79.7
79%
79.1
77%
33.6
-25%
1366x768 High AA:on
25.3
41.8
65%
44
74%
20.1
-21%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
45% / 45%
42% / 36%
51% / 51%
-25% / -25%

Emissions

System Noise

The fan spins at a low speed with a quiet, consistent noise in idle mode. The fan does not get exceedingly loud during load either. We measured almost equal noise levels of 37 dB(A) during medium load via 3DMark06 and 36.2 dB(A) during full load in the stress test via Furmark and Prime95. That is not surprising since the processor was throttled during the stress test. It overall looks identical in the Aspire; the Akoya produced more noise during load.

Noise Level

Idle
32.4 / 32.9 / 33.1 dB(A)
HDD
33.2 dB(A)
DVD
37.2 / dB(A)
Load
37 / 36.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

The IdeaPad Z50-75 in the stress test
The IdeaPad Z50-75 in the stress test

The GPUs performed the stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) in the same manner in both AC and battery modes. While the integrated GPU clocked with 200 to 300 MHz, the dedicated GPU ran at full speed (855 MHz). The CPU clocked with 1.2 to 1.4 GHz in AC mode and 1.1 GHz in battery mode. The IdeaPad does not struggle with heatwaves. We measured a maximum temperature of 40 °C on one measuring point even during the stress test. The CPU's throttling is noticed here. Both the Aspire and Akoya reach higher temperatures.

Max. Load
 36.9 °C
98 F
37 °C
99 F
26.5 °C
80 F
 
 39 °C
102 F
39.5 °C
103 F
27 °C
81 F
 
 32.6 °C
91 F
35.9 °C
97 F
30.6 °C
87 F
 
Maximum: 39.5 °C = 103 F
Average: 33.9 °C = 93 F
25.8 °C
78 F
34 °C
93 F
36 °C
97 F
26.2 °C
79 F
32.8 °C
91 F
40 °C
104 F
29.1 °C
84 F
29.6 °C
85 F
31.6 °C
89 F
Maximum: 40 °C = 104 F
Average: 31.7 °C = 89 F
Power Supply (max.)  40.3 °C = 105 F | Room Temperature 24.1 °C = 75 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.9 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.5 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.1 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (35.9 °C / 96.6 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-7.1 °C / -12.8 F).

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The idle power consumptions of the IdeaPad and Aspire are identical. The Akoya consumes more power because it is equipped with a standard mobile processor (no ULV). The three comparison devices basically range on a similar level during load. However, the IdeaPad consumed the least power in the stress test because the laptop's CPU is throttled strongly.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.8 / 9.6 / 11.4 Watt
Load midlight 41.6 / 38.6 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

The battery in the IdeaPad lasted for 5:11 h in idle mode. The Aspire (9:02 h) achieves a considerably better runtime. Idle mode is ascertained using Battery Eater's Reader's test. The screen is set to its minimum brightness, the energy-saving profile is enabled, and the wireless modules are off. The IdeaPad shut down after 1:14 h in load. The Aspire (1:20 h) is on par with that. The load runtime is determined with Battery Eater's Classic test using maximum screen brightness, the high-performance profile, and enabled radio modules.

The IdeaPad closed the Wi-Fi test after 2:35 h. The Akoya (3:26 h) and the Aspire (4:26 h) last longer. Websites are automatically opened every 40 seconds using the energy-saving profile and a screen brightness of approximately 150 cd/m². We test the video playback time by running the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.264 encoding, 1920x1080 pixels) in a loop. The energy-saving profile is enabled, the radio modules are disabled and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The IdeaPad lasted for 2:20 h here.

In total, the IdeaPad serves with abysmal, no longer contemporary battery runtimes. The IdeaPad Z50-70 sister model achieved twice the runtime in most of our battery tests. That is, however, not least due to the Z50-70's higher battery capacity (41 Wh) in contrast to the Z50-75's (32 Wh).

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
5h 11min
WiFi Surfing
2h 35min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
2h 20min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 14min
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75
Radeon R6 M255DX, A8-7100, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0
Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-70 (59427656)
GeForce 840M, 4510U, Seagate ST1000LM014 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Acer Aspire E1-572G-54204G75Mnkk
Radeon HD 8750M, 4200U, TOSHIBA MQ01ABD075
Medion Akoya P6647 (MD98571)
GeForce 825M, 4200M, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
Lenovo G510-59416358
Radeon R5 M230, 4200M, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Battery Runtime
76%
51%
33%
57%
Reader / Idle
311
672
116%
542
74%
605
95%
H.264
140
WiFi
155
281
81%
266
72%
206
33%
283
83%
Load
74
97
31%
80
8%
68
-8%

Verdict

Lenovo's IdeaPad Z50-70 is an affordable 15.6-inch all-round laptop. The installed quad-core processor provides enough power for applications from the office and Internet fields. Furthermore, it is possible to play some computer games. The gaming performance should satisfy casual gamers. The IdeaPad always operates quietly and barely heats up. Accessing the hardware is no problem owing to the big maintenance cover. The screen will not win any awards but is acceptable in view of the laptop's price. The poor battery runtimes have to be reproached. We are accustomed to these rates from multimedia laptops based on Core i7 processors and premium-range graphics cores. In our opinion, the Z50-75 will have a hard time finding buyers because there are better laptops in this price range. We would like to mention the Aspire E1-572G here. It offers more CPU performance, more gaming power, longer battery runtimes, and a matte screen.

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In review: Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de
In review: Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75. Test model courtesy of Cyberport.de

Specifications

Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75 (IdeaPad Z50 Series)
Processor
AMD A8-7100 4 x 1.8 - 3 GHz, Kaveri
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon R6 M255DX - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 855 MHz, Memory: 900 MHz, 14.200.1004.0, CrossFire
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3, single-channel, two memory banks (one bank filled)
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel, LG Philips, glossy: yes
Mainboard
AMD Bolton
Storage
WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0, 1000 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 860 GB free
Soundcard
AMD Hudson-2 High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio jack, Card Reader: SD
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Qualcomm Atheros AR956x (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0
Optical drive
HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GUA0N
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 265 x 380 x 26 ( = 10.43 x 14.96 x 1.02 in)
Battery
32 Wh Lithium-Ion, 14.4 V, 2200 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Cyberlink PhotoDirector 3, Cyberlink PowerDirector 10, Cyberlink PowerDVD 10, Cyberlink Power2Go, McAfee LiveSafe-Internet Security (trial), MS Office 365 (trial), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.5 kg ( = 88.19 oz / 5.51 pounds), Power Supply: 349 g ( = 12.31 oz / 0.77 pounds)
Price
549 Euro

 

The display lid features a rippled texture.
The display lid features a rippled texture.
The hinges...
The hinges...
...keep the lid firmly in place.
...keep the lid firmly in place.
The lid's maximum opening angle is approximately 130 degrees.
The lid's maximum opening angle is approximately 130 degrees.
Lenovo's typical AccuType keyboard is on-board.
Lenovo's typical AccuType keyboard is on-board.
A number pad is available.
A number pad is available.
The small orange-colored lettering of the FN keys is barely perceptible.
The small orange-colored lettering of the FN keys is barely perceptible.
The touchpad is encircled by a silver bezel.
The touchpad is encircled by a silver bezel.
The DVD burner read and writes all kinds of DVDs and CDs.
The DVD burner read and writes all kinds of DVDs and CDs.
The speakers are on the laptop's underside.
The speakers are on the laptop's underside.
Three screws secure the maintenance cover.
Three screws secure the maintenance cover.
The hardware can be accessed after removing the cover.
The hardware can be accessed after removing the cover.
Webcam, mics, light sensor.
Webcam, mics, light sensor.
Vent.
Vent.
Power button.
Power button.

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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Compare Prices

Pros

+Quiet operating noise
+Low temperature development
+Large maintenance cover
+Generous storage capacity
 

Cons

-Poor battery runtimes
-Viewing angle dependent screen w/ bluish cast

Shortcut

What we like

The quiet operating noise and low heat development.

What we'd like to see

Better battery runtimes.

What surprises us

Lenovo ships the Z50-75 with a battery that has a lower capacity than the model included for the Z50-70.

The competition

Medion Akoya P6647, Acer Aspire E1-572GAsus X555LN-XO112H, HP Pavilion 15-p008ng, Dell Inspiron 15-5547, Acer Aspire E5-551-T8X3, Lenovo G510, HP Compaq 15-a024sgLenovo IdeaPad Z50-70.

Rating

Lenovo IdeaPad Z50-75 - 09/23/2014 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
71 / 98 → 72%
Keyboard
60%
Pointing Device
68%
Connectivity
65 / 81 → 80%
Weight
60 / 20-67 → 85%
Battery
74%
Display
71%
Games Performance
63 / 85 → 74%
Application Performance
54 / 92 → 59%
Temperature
90%
Noise
87 / 95 → 92%
Audio
50%
Average
68%
71%
Multimedia - Weighted Average
Sascha Mölck, 2014-10- 6 (Update: 2016-02-18)