Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE Notebook Review
For the original German review, see here.
Lenovo delivers a simple office laptop based on Bay Trail in the B50-10. The laptop is no stranger to us. We previously tested an identically built sister model with the IdeaPad 100-15IBY. The only difference between both models is found in the screen. While the IdeaPad is furnished with a glossy panel, a matte unit is installed in the B50-10. Low-cost laptops from other manufacturers count as rivals of the B50-10. We would name Acer's Aspire ES1-512, HP's 255 G3, HP's 250 G4 and Toshiba's Satellite C50D-B here.
Display
The matte, 15.6-inch screen in the B50-10 has a native resolution of 1366x768 pixels. The screen's contrast of 533:1 is acceptable in view of the price level. The brightness of 230.4 cd/m² could be higher. The screen exhibits PWM flickering in brightness levels of 90 percent and lower at a frequency of 200 Hz. This can lead to headaches or eye problems in sensitive users. The user will always be exposed to flickering in battery mode since the brightness decreases, which results in permanent PWM. The power supply also causes flickering - as very evident in the black/white response times. The upper screenshot was taken without the power supply, and the lower one with it. Flickering appears in both cases; the above photo due to PWM and one below due to the power supply. We have rarely encountered such a poor solution.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 199 cd/m²
Contrast: 533:1 (Black: 0.46 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 8.34 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.86
ΔE Greyscale 9.48 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
57% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.56% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.21% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.38
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 200 Hz | ≤ 90 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 200 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 200 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8439 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
The screen presents a DeltaE 2000 color shift of 8.34 in delivery state. A rate less than 3 would be desirable. Furthermore, the screen displays a visible bluish tint.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 20 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 10 ms rise |   |
| ↘ 10 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 41 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (20.7 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 28 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 13 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 15 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 35 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.4 ms). | ||
Lenovo furnishes the B50-10 with a viewing dependent TN panel. Thus, the screen is not legible from every position. The laptop is not really outdoor suitable. The low brightness in AC mode drops even further in battery mode. Consequently, the laptop can at most be used in shaded surroundings or under cloudy skies.
Performance
With the B50-10, Lenovo has a 15.6-inch laptop in its line-up suitable for simple office and Internet applications. Our review sample is priced at around 299 Euros (~$333); other configurations are available. The identically built IdeaPad 100-15IBY line-up expands the offer.
Processor
Intel's Pentium N3540 (Bay Trail) quad-core processor is inside the B50-10. It is a low-performance CPU that is at most suitable for basic office and Internet applications. The low TDP of 7.5 watts allows passively cooling the CPU, which is also implemented here. The processor clocks at a base speed of 2.16 GHz. This clock can be boosted up to 2.66 GHz via Turbo. The maximum speed is utilized in both AC and battery mode.
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE | |
| Lenovo B50-70 MCC2GGE | |
| HP 250 G4 T6P08ES | |
| Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 300-15IBR | |
| Acer Extensa 2519-C7DC | |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
The laptop runs smoothly, and we did not encounter any problems. However, the user should be aware that the installed SoC is not designed for maximum performance. This, for example, becomes evident when opening bloated websites. The PCMark benchmark scores correspond to the performance capacities of the installed SoC. It is possible to increase the system's total performance. Swapping the HDD for an SSD would seem logical. The system would then run faster and loading times would be shorter.
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 1413 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 1265 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 1426 points | |
Help | ||
Storage Device
Data can be stored on a 2.5-inch hard drive by Seagate. It spins at 5400 revolutions per minute and has a total capacity of 500 GB. The drive's transfer rates are on a normal level for a 5400 RPM model.
Graphics Card
Intel's HD Graphics GPU takes care of video output. The chip supports DirectX 11 and clocks at speeds of up to 896 MHz. The 3DMark benchmark scores are on a normal level for this graphics unit. The GPU cannot compete against rivals by AMD. Only the GPUs from the Braswell generation (Bay Trail successor) manage this.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 235 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 17239 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 1378 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming Performance
The installed hardware is much too weak for modern 3D games. At most, playable frame rates can be expected from the odd game. Gaming-eager users will have to be satisfied with basic casual games found in the Windows Store.
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BioShock Infinite (2013) | 12.2 | 5.6 | 4.8 |
Emissions and Energy Management
System Noise
Despite passive cooling, the B50-10 is not noiseless. The hard drive's audible noise is responsible for this. Swapping the HDD for an SSD would ensure silence.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 33.5 / 33.5 / 33.5 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 34 dB(A) |
| DVD |
| 36.6 / dB(A) |
| Load |
| 33.5 / 33.5 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 31.2 dB(A) | ||
Temperature
The B50-10 performed our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark run for at least one hour) in AC and battery mode in the same manner. The processor clocked at 1.2 GHz and the graphics core at 660 to 720 MHz for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. The CPU then throttles to 500 MHz while the GPU's speed climbs to 720 to 769 MHz. The laptop does not get exceedingly hot due to clear processor throttling. Forty degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) was only surpassed on one measuring point.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.1 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 34.3 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.2 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.4 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 36.9 °C / 98.4 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (-9.3 °C / -16.7 F).
Power Consumption
The B50-10 has a relatively high idle power consumption despite the low-performance CPU. We measured a maximum power consumption of 9.2 watts. The requirement climbed to 15.4 watts in the first 30 to 40 minutes of the stress test. The rate dropped afterward since the CPU throttles even more strongly. The power supply has a nominal output of 45 watts.
| Off / Standby | 0.2 / 0.4 Watt |
| Idle | 4.8 / 7.5 / 9.2 Watt |
| Load |
16 / 15.4 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
Battery Runtime
Our practical Wi-Fi test simulates the load needed for opening websites. The "Balanced" profile is enabled, the energy-saving features are disabled, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The B50-10 achieves a runtime of 3:27 hours here - a poor rate.
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Lenovo's B50-10 is a basic, 15.6-inch office laptop. The installed Bay Trail processor copes with simple office and Internet applications. The laptop runs quietly and only heats up moderately. The 500 GB hard drive provides plenty of storage capacity. It is possible to swap the HDD for an SSD. However, that would involve opening the casing since the laptop does not have a maintenance hatch. The matte screen in the B50-10 delivers quite a decent contrast for the price level, although its brightness is too low. The keyboard will satisfy the needs of home use, but it is not suitable for prolific writers.
The battery life is not convincing. The opposite is true. Many low-cost opponents have more to offer in this regard.
Our review sample is priced at 299 Euros (~$333). The price without a Windows operating system is approximately 250 Euros (~$278). That is still a lot of money for a low-performance device that leaves us with a very cheap impression. More compelling devices are found in the low-cost sector, such as the recently tested Lenovo B50-70. The buyer gets a laptop with a Core i3 processor, maintenance hatch, two memory banks and Windows 8.1 for 350 Euros (~$390). However, this laptop also delivers poor battery life.
Lenovo B50-10 80QR0013GE
- 07/15/2016 v5.1 (old)
Sascha Mölck
Price comparison
