Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 Notebook Review
It's only natural we check out the Lenovo Y700 17-inch version after having just finishing up the 15-inch version. As one would expect, this 17-inch model is more or less a physically larger version of its smaller sibling with no changes made to the chassis or design.
The Y700 17ISK is one the least expensive 17-inch gaming notebooks available with GeForce GTX 9xxM graphics. What inevitable compromises have been made and how does it compare to its Lenovo Y70 predecessor?
We recommend checking out our review on the recent 15-inch model for additional details as the two notebooks share nearly identical features.
Case
In our 2014 Lenovo Y70 review, we pointed out that the chassis had a few quality issues regarding the rear ventilation and speakers grilles. The manufacturer has wisely redesigned this area of the notebook to be thicker (27.9 mm vs 25.9 mm on the Y70) with larger grilles and tighter fitting pieces to reduce the chances of gaps and cracks. We commend Lenovo for addressing the issue directly and improving rigidity where it was needed the most.
Otherwise, everything else about the notebook is identical to the 15-inch model down to the cross-brushed aluminum outer lid and bottom, rubberized matte palm rests, and glossy plastic speaker grilles. The transition to a bigger screen size looks to have no ill effects on quality as both the base and lid are acceptably stiff with just minor creaking when attempting to twist them. The center of the keyboard does not warp easily to pressure while the single-bar hinge is tight enough that two hands are required to open the display when closed.
As for size and weight, the Y700 17ISK is quite dense at just over 3.5 kg compared to the 3 kg Acer Aspire Nitro VN7, 3 kg Aorus X7, and 2.7 kg MSI GS70. Thicker and more "proper" gaming notebooks like the 17-inch Asus G752 or MSI GT72S can be over 4 kg.
Connectivity
The 17-inch Y700 carries few connectivity options despite its larger footprint. Its 3x USB ports (only two of which are USB 3.0) and single video-out port may have been more acceptable on the 15-inch version, but are paltry for a 17-inch offering. In this case, competing models are offering much more than Lenovo.
Communication
WLAN is provided by a 1x1 Intel 3165 M.2 2230 module capable of theoretical transfer rates of up to 433 Mbps with integrated Bluetooth 4.2 and WiDi. It's an entry-level 802.11ac card, though certain SKUs also offer the higher-end Intel 8260 module for speeds of up to 867 Mbps. We experienced no connectivity issues during our time with the Y700.
No WWAN or GPS options are available on the Y series.
Accessories
Included extras are minimal with the Y700. More recently, Lenovo launched a line of gaming-centric accessories with keyboards, backpacks, and mice designed around the Y series.
Maintenance
The set of 14 Philips screws on the bottom panel can be easily removed while the panel itself can take some work to snap out. We use the term "snap" literally as the panel simply does not slide or lift out, but must be pulled until it snaps out of the additional hinges holding it down.
Once inside, users get direct access to the dual SODIMM slots, dual storage bays, dual fans, battery, and WLAN card. Nearly the entire board has been redesigned from the older Y70, so the Y700 17ISK has more in common with the Y700 15ISK than it does with its older sibling.
Warranty
The standard one-year limited warranty applies. A handful of competing manufacturers offer two years as standard instead, such as Gigabyte and certain resellers. As per usual for Lenovo products, a wide variety of options are available for warranty extensions.
Input Devices
Keyboard & Touchpad
Everything has carried over unscathed from the previous Y70 down to the two levels of red backlight lighting, key feedback and layout, and sizes of both the keyboard and touchpad. The touchpad itself is a smoother plastic compared to the rubberized palm rests surrounding it for better traction and control. Otherwise, our same comments on the feel and performance of the Y70 will also apply here.
We're still disappointed that the system carries no dedicated Auxiliary or Macro keys. We had the same complaint about the Y700 15ISK as well, but the omission is only more inexcusable on a physically larger system where extra space is at an abundance. Nonetheless, we appreciate the fact that the notebook uses full-size Arrow keys unlike on the Envy 17 or Acer Aspire Nitro VN7.
Display
Unlike the current crop of 15-inch Y700 SKUs, the 17-inch Y700 SKUs have only a single 1080p IPS option with no touchscreen support as of this writing. The same LP173WF4-SPF1 panel used here can also be found on many other costly 17-inch notebooks including the Asus G751JY, MSI PE70, and GT72. Texts and images appear clean and sharp without any noteworthy issues and with very good contrast levels. The semi-glossy panel covering the screen is quite thick, so colors and objects appear buried under additional layers.
Unfortunately, there is moderate to heavy backlight bleeding near the bottom corners of our test unit. It's significant enough to be noticeable when gaming with ambient lights turned down and on darker gameplay scenes. We saw no such issues on our 15-inch Y700 test model, so this is a bit peculiar.
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Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 349.7 cd/m²
Contrast: 1150:1 (Black: 0.304 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.99 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.34 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
84.8% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
55.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
62% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
84.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
67.4% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 17.30, 1920x1080 | Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS 17.30, 1920x1080 | Asus G752VT 17.30, 1920x1080 | MSI GS70-6QE16H21 17.30, 1920x1080 | Acer Aspire V Nitro Black Edition VN7-792G-74Q4 17.30, 1920x1080 | HP Envy 17-n107ng 17.30, 1920x1080 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | 4% | -1% | 8% | 5% | 7% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 67.4 | 69.2 3% | 66.3 -2% | 67 -1% | 67 -1% | 65.7 -3% |
sRGB Coverage | 84.8 | 87.8 4% | 84.5 0% | 97.3 15% | 91.3 8% | 97.2 15% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 62 | 64.4 4% | 61.8 0% | 67.6 9% | 66.7 8% | 67.6 9% |
Response Times | 31% | 4% | 6% | |||
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 51.6 ? | 30.4 ? 41% | 58 ? -12% | 49 ? 5% | ||
Response Time Black / White * | 34.4 ? | 27.2 ? 21% | 28 ? 19% | 32 ? 7% | ||
PWM Frequency | 198 ? | |||||
Screen | -9% | -2% | -4% | -3% | -44% | |
Brightness middle | 349.7 | 329.5 -6% | 357.2 2% | 172 -51% | 346 -1% | 341 -2% |
Brightness | 332 | 325 -2% | 339 2% | 161 -52% | 326 -2% | 325 -2% |
Brightness Distribution | 90 | 91 1% | 89 -1% | 85 -6% | 88 -2% | 91 1% |
Black Level * | 0.304 | 0.381 -25% | 0.366 -20% | 0.26 14% | 0.32 -5% | 1.05 -245% |
Contrast | 1150 | 865 -25% | 976 -15% | 662 -42% | 1081 -6% | 325 -72% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.99 | 4.45 -12% | 3.69 8% | 2.06 48% | 4.01 -1% | 4.6 -15% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 8.74 | |||||
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3.34 | 3.45 -3% | 3.05 9% | 2.42 28% | 3.58 -7% | 6.08 -82% |
Gamma | 2.23 99% | 2.03 108% | 2.21 100% | 2.45 90% | 2.23 99% | 2.43 91% |
CCT | 6111 106% | 6623 98% | 6164 105% | 6855 95% | 6426 101% | 7627 85% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 55.8 | 57.81 4% | 55 -1% | 62 11% | 62 11% | |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 84.8 | 84 -1% | 97 14% | 97 14% | ||
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -3% /
-5% | 9% /
3% | 2% /
-1% | 2% /
-0% | -10% /
-26% |
* ... smaller is better
The high quality of the LG Philips panel is shown by its high AdobeRGB and sRGB coverage of 56 percent and 85 percent, respectively. Less expensive panels typically cover 60 percent of sRGB while even costlier panels can cover nearly all of sRGB, such as on the Asus UX501 or Eurocom DLX7. A wide gamut is not as important for gaming purposes as it is for digital graphics work.
Further display measurements with an X-Rite spectrophotometer show the Y700 to be slightly better than last year's Y70 in terms of brightness, black levels, saturation, gamma, and grayscale without any calibration efforts from the end-user. Orange and Yellow colors, however, are represented less accurately than others. Measured colors become increasingly less accurate the higher the saturation level due to imperfect sRGB coverage. A quick calibration will improve grayscale and flatten RGB balance.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
34.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5.2 ms rise | |
↘ 29.2 ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 91 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
51.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 20 ms rise | |
↘ 31.6 ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 86 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms). |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM not detected | |||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. |
Outdoor visibility is average on a cloudy day and uncomfortable if under direct sunlight. Reflections still occur to a moderate degree despite the semi-glossy panel. Viewing angles are good as expected from an IPS panel with just slight changes to brightness and colors if viewing from extreme angles.
Performance
CPU and GPU options are limited to the Core i7-6700HQ and GTX 960M, respectively, for all current SKUs of the 17-inch Y700. The CPU can run as low as 800 MHz for power-saving purposes and use its integrated HD Graphics 530 GPU with the help of Optimus.
It's worth noting that the lowest-end SKU is equipped with a 2 GB GTX 960M instead of the standard 4 GB GTX 960M. We recommend avoiding this configuration for better gaming results.
RAM is provided by two DDR4-2133 SODIMM modules for a total of 16 GB. The notebook sports just two slots maximum even if its large size may suggest otherwise.
Processor
Raw CPU power from the Skylake core is essentially on par with the Core i7-4720HQ while operating at a lower TDP and with more powerful integrated graphics. CPU performance gains when moving from Haswell to Skylake are wider during multi-threaded loads than single-threaded loads. As an example, our Y700 is 30 percent faster in multi-core operations than the i7-4700HQ in our older Y70 configuration, while single-core operations are almost on pair according to CineBench results.
See our dedicated CPU page on the Core i7-6700HQ for more benchmarks and comparisons.
Cinebench R15 | |
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL | |
Acer Aspire VN7-791G-79GT | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50 | |
Acer Aspire E17 E5-752G-T7WY | |
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL | |
Acer Aspire VN7-791G-79GT | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50 | |
Acer Aspire E17 E5-752G-T7WY |
Cinebench R11.5 | |
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL | |
Acer Aspire VN7-791G-79GT | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50 | |
Acer Aspire E17 E5-752G-T7WY | |
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL | |
Acer Aspire VN7-791G-79GT | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50 | |
Acer Aspire E17 E5-752G-T7WY |
Cinebench R10 | |
Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL | |
Acer Aspire VN7-791G-79GT | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50 | |
Acer Aspire E17 E5-752G-T7WY | |
Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
MSI GE62 2QC-468XPL | |
Acer Aspire VN7-791G-79GT | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Y50 | |
Acer Aspire E17 E5-752G-T7WY |
System Performance
PCMark benchmarks rank the Y700 well ahead of last year's Lenovo Y70 and close to other systems with the same Skylake CPU and GTX 970M or 950M graphics. A good portion of the performance gap can be attributed to the primary SSHD in our older Y70 unit, which will always rank lower than a modern dedicated SSD like the one in our Y700 in PCMark tests.
Subjectively, the notebook runs smoothly without any recurring software hitches or odd issues. Though a rare occurrence, the notebook would sometimes not wake properly from Sleep. We're unable to reliably repeat the issue, but it's worth mentioning that our recent 15-inch Y700 also suffered from the same Sleep and wake problem as well.
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Asus G752VT | |
MSI GS70-6QE16H21 | |
HP Envy 17-n107ng | |
Acer Aspire V Nitro Black Edition VN7-792G-74Q4 | |
Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS |
PCMark 7 Score | 5954 points | |
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3848 points | |
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 4762 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 5044 points | |
Help |
Storage Devices
The system offers a primary M.2 2280 slot and secondary 2.5-inch SATA III bay instead of just a single bay as in last year's Y70. Dual bays are especially important for gaming systems where users are more likely to invest in both primary SSDs for speed and higher capacity mechanical drives for storing games. Our configuration is equipped with a 128 GB Samsung MZNLN128HCGR-000L2 SSD and 1 TB WDC WD10SPCX-24HWST1 7 mm in height.
Performance from the primary drive is typical of a SATA III SSD with an average sequential read rate of around 500 MB/s. Its sequential write rate, however, is slower than expected at just 146 MB/s. Competing systems that support NVMe blow the Y700 out of the water in terms of raw speed and performance.
Meanwhile, the Western Digital HDD provides an average transfer rate of 90.3 MB/s according to HD Tune. This is good for a 5400 RPM drive, although newer 7200 RPM drives often cross the 100 MB/s mark in comparison.
See our growing list of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmarks and comparisons.
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung MZNLN128HCGR-000L2 | Lenovo Y70-70 Touch GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache | Aorus X3 Plus v5 GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung SM951 MZVPV512HDGL m.2 PCI-e | Acer Aspire VN7-572G-72L0 GeForce GTX 950M, 6500U, Lite-On CV1-8B128 | MSI GS70-6QE16H21 GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ256G8NU | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AS SSD | -4940% | 226% | -51% | -24% | |
Copy Game MB/s | 232.6 | 927 299% | 201.1 -14% | ||
Copy Program MB/s | 164.9 | 368.6 124% | 172.5 5% | ||
Copy ISO MB/s | 255.9 | 1158 353% | 276.7 8% | ||
Score Total | 842 | 31 -96% | 2652 215% | 1254 49% | 718 -15% |
Score Write | 222 | 12 -95% | 630 184% | 145 -35% | 126 -43% |
Score Read | 414 | 12 -97% | 1345 225% | 746 80% | 400 -3% |
Access Time Write * | 0.043 | 14.15 -32807% | 0.032 26% | 0.237 -451% | 0.075 -74% |
Access Time Read * | 0.09 | 18.76 -20744% | 0.041 54% | 0.241 -168% | 0.139 -54% |
4K-64 Write | 123.6 | 1.02 -99% | 368.3 198% | 106.4 -14% | 60.4 -51% |
4K-64 Read | 329.3 | 1.17 -100% | 1113 238% | 690 110% | 329.5 0% |
4K Write | 83.8 | 1.03 -99% | 114 36% | 20.13 -76% | 55 -34% |
4K Read | 34.03 | 0.51 -99% | 46.24 36% | 9.83 -71% | 20.85 -39% |
Seq Write | 146.3 | 103.4 -29% | 1474 908% | 180.9 24% | 109.7 -25% |
Seq Read | 503 | 103.7 -79% | 1859 270% | 465.3 -7% | 501 0% |
* ... smaller is better
GPU Performance
3DMark shows the GTX 960M to be roughly 40 percent ahead of the GTX 950M in the Envy 17 and 40 percent behind the GTX 970M in the Aorus X3 Plus v5. The numbers are relative, so the performance gap between the 960M and 970M is larger than between the 950M and 960M. Regardless, the Y700 lies exactly where we expect a system with the GTX 960M to be.
3DMark 11 Performance | 5598 points | |
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 83108 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 17447 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 4016 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score | 1998 points | |
Help |
Gaming Performance
The GTX 960M is powerful enough for 1080p60 at lower settings or 1080p30 at near maximum settings. Newer and more demanding titles like Fallout 4 will buckle the system if maximum settings are used.
See our full review on the GTX 960M and our dedicated GPU page for more technical information and benchmarks.
BioShock Infinite | |
1366x768 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
Alienware 15 (R9 M295X) | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
Alienware 15 (R9 M295X) | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5 |
Sleeping Dogs | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:High (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5 | |
1920x1080 Extreme Preset AA:Extreme (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5 |
Tomb Raider | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
Alienware 15 (R9 M295X) | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
Alienware 15 (R9 M295X) | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5 |
Metro: Last Light | |
1366x768 High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
Alienware 15 (R9 M295X) | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5 | |
1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
Alienware 15 (R9 M295X) | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
Microsoft Surface Book Core i5 |
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor | |
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Alienware 15 (R9 M295X) | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset (HD Package) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 | |
Alienware 15 (R9 M295X) | |
MSI PX60 QD-034US |
Batman: Arkham Knight | |
1920x1080 High / On (Interactive Smoke & Paper Debris Off) AA:SM AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
1920x1080 High / On AA:SM AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Eurocom Sky DLX7 |
Fallout 4 | |
1920x1080 High Preset AA:T AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 | |
Aorus X3 Plus v5 |
low | med. | high | ultra | |
Sleeping Dogs (2012) | 145.9 | 92.7 | 24.3 | |
Tomb Raider (2013) | 180 | 114.6 | 53.5 | |
BioShock Infinite (2013) | 137.6 | 121.7 | 45.9 | |
Metro: Last Light (2013) | 102.5 | 59.4 | 31.5 | |
Thief (2014) | 66.4 | 55.6 | 28.1 | |
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) | 79.3 | 43.5 | 32.8 | |
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) | 61 | 34 | 23 | |
Metal Gear Solid V (2015) | 59.9 | 59.3 | 39.2 | |
Fallout 4 (2015) | 56.9 | 30.6 | 25 |
Stress Test
We stress the notebook with synthetic benchmarks to identify any potential throttling or stability issues. With just Prime95 active to stress the CPU, the i7-6700HQ is able to run at its steady 3.1 GHz maximum without any issues whilst maintaining a relatively low average CPU temperature of about 66 C. Results are similar with FurMark for the Nvidia GPU with the core throttling just slightly to 1032 MHz from its base 1097 clock rate. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously will cause core temperatures to max out at about 70 C since throttling occurs for both the CPU and GPU.
Unigine Heaven stress is a more realistic representation of gaming loads. When under these conditions, the CPU and GPU will stabilize in the 55 C and 65 C range, respectively, with consistent GPU Boost at 1176 MHz. The CPU will fluctuate accordingly depending on the onscreen demand.
Running on battery power will impact CPU Turbo Boost while GPU performance remains unaffected. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 8082 points and 5179 points, respectively, compared to 8749 points and 5237 points when on mains. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the results are not unlike what we found on our 15-inch Y700 test unit.
CPU Clock (GHz) | GPU Clock (MHz) | Average CPU Temperature (C) | Average GPU Temperature (C) | |
Prime95 Stress | 3.1 | -- | ~66 | -- |
FurMark Stress | -- | 1032 | -- | ~62 |
Prime95 + FurMark Stress | 2.5 | 967 | ~70 | ~67 |
Unigine Heaven Stress | 0.8 - 3.5 | 1176 | ~55 | ~65 |
Emissions
System Noise
The cooling system has been repositioned and slightly redesigned from its Y70 beginnings. Now, the system mimics that of the smaller 15-inch Y700 in layout and features with its dual fans and heat pipes.
When idling, the system is completely silent at around 28 dB(A). Continuous browsing or video playback will bump fan noise up to the 37 dB(A) range before quickly spinning down to a constant 31 to 32 dB(A) range, which is very odd fan behavior. Thus, while fan noise is generally quiet during everyday use, it's quite obvious when the fans pick up in speed because of the sound spike.
Gaming will cause a constant fan noise of just above 40 dB(A), which is about typical for a gaming notebook. Thinner and more powerful models like the GS70 can be even louder while thicker models like the G752 will run noticeably softer under similar loads. Running both FurMark and Prime95 will induce fan noise of up to 51 dB(A), which is thankfully an unlikely scenario for end users.
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Samsung MZNLN128HCGR-000L2 | Acer Aspire V Nitro Black Edition VN7-792G-74Q4 GeForce GTX 960M, 6700HQ, Toshiba MQ02ABD100H | MSI GS70 6QE-036XPL GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Toshiba HG6 THNSNJ128G8NU | HP Envy 17-n107ng GeForce GTX 950M, 6700HQ, Samsung SSD PM851 MZNTE512HMJH | Lenovo Y70-70 Touch GeForce GTX 860M, 4710HQ, Western Digital WD10S21X SSHD 1TB + 8GB SSD-Cache | Asus G752VT GeForce GTX 970M, 6700HQ, Samsung PM951 NVMe MZVLV128 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Noise | -4% | -17% | -12% | 1% | -4% | |
Idle Minimum * | 28 | 32.6 -16% | 32.5 -16% | 33.6 -20% | 31 -11% | 32.9 -18% |
Idle Average * | 28.1 | 32.6 -16% | 34.2 -22% | 37.5 -33% | 31 -10% | 33 -17% |
Idle Maximum * | 31.5 | 33.4 -6% | 36.1 -15% | 37.5 -19% | 31 2% | 33.1 -5% |
Load Average * | 40.6 | 36.5 10% | 50.3 -24% | 42 -3% | 39.1 4% | 36.2 11% |
Load Maximum * | 51 | 48 6% | 54.5 -7% | 42.6 16% | 39.7 22% | 45.8 10% |
off / environment * | 31.3 |
* ... smaller is better
Noise Level
Idle |
| 28 / 28.1 / 31.5 dB(A) |
HDD |
| 30 dB(A) |
Load |
| 40.6 / 51 dB(A) |
| ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min: , med: , max: BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance) |
Temperature
Surface temperatures when idling are flat on both sides with warmer spots near the center of the notebook. The hot spots grow more obvious when under maximum load as they concentrate around the right side of the notebook on surfaces adjacent to the heat pipes. Thus, the right half of the keyboard will feel significantly warmer than the left when gaming or under other high loads.
When compared to last year's Y70, the 17-inch Y700 runs much cooler even after taking into account the different ambient temperatures during measurements. The rearranged cooling system means that the all-important WASD keys stay relatively cool on the Y700 series unlike on the Y70. The palm rests also remain cool unlike on thinner systems such as the GS70. Average surface temperatures are not all that different from the Acer Aspire Nitro VN7, either.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.8 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 38.8 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.7 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 25.8 °C / 78.4 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (+3.1 °C / 5.6 F).
Speakers
Sound quality from the 2 W stereo JBL speakers and dedicated 3 W subwoofer is good with no static or imbalance when on higher volume settings. It would've been easy for Lenovo to cut corners on sound quality, but the internal speakers are a high point for the Y700 series. Nonetheless, costlier gaming notebooks tend to have additional and separate inputs for microphone and SPDIF/optical for more external options.
Battery Life
Lenovo has upped the capacity of the non-removable battery from 54 Wh to 60 Wh on the Y700. Combine this with the more efficient Skylake CPU and Maxwell GPU and overall runtimes are already better than last year's Y70. Runtimes are very good in general for a gaming notebook at roughly 5.5 hours of constant WLAN use.
The power adapter itself is roughly 14.5 x 6.5 x 3 cm in size and unfortunately does not offer an extra USB port for charging a la the Aorus X3 Plus v5.
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0 60 Wh | Lenovo Y70 DU004HUS 54 Wh | Asus G752VT 67 Wh | MSI GS70-6QE16H21 56 Wh | Acer Aspire V Nitro Black Edition VN7-792G-74Q4 53 Wh | HP Envy 17-n107ng 62 Wh | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | -18% | -44% | -47% | -20% | 15% | |
Reader / Idle | 688 | 438 -36% | 230 -67% | 238 -65% | 410 -40% | 898 31% |
WiFi v1.3 | 334 | 183 -45% | 180 -46% | 254 -24% | 452 35% | |
Load | 91 | 92 1% | 72 -21% | 64 -30% | 96 5% | 73 -20% |
WiFi | 218 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Lenovo's updated Y700 series is a reasonable improvement over the previous Y50 and Y70. Users now have a stronger chassis with two storage bays alongside the expected performance benefits from Skylake and a dedicated SSD.
At the same time, the system feels incredibly barebones especially for its size. We haven't felt a gaming system so devoid of features since the Razer Blade 14. Owners will miss out on options for G-Sync, NVMe, USB Type-C, mDP, SPDIF/optical out, optical drive, Thunderbolt, RAID, and dedicated Macro keys. The backlight bleeding in particular has us worried about quality control despite the high quality IPS panel used.
If none of the omitted features are concerning, then the Y700 is a good buy for its strong CPU and GPU performance. Buyers can save hundreds by skipping over novelty features found on costlier competitors.
Lenovo Ideapad Y700 17ISK 80Q0
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12/30/2015 v4(old)
Allen Ngo