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Lenovo E31-70 Notebook Review

Reliable Companion. A mobile 13-inch notebook should be highly reliable and also feature solid input devices to make the user's life easier. The E31-70 is Lenovo's affordable offering in this segment. This much we can say beforehand: the notebook meets most of the requirements.

For the original German review, see here.

With their E31-70, Lenovo targets office and business users looking for an entry-level notebook. In order to compete successfully in this segment, Lenovo equips their notebook with an Intel Core i3 Broadwell processor and integrates a fingerprint reader to allow for secure user authentication. Outfitted with 4 GB of RAM and a 500 GB SSHD, the review unit sells for 470 Euros (~$524) at the time of writing. The HP ProBook 430 G3, which we reviewed last year, has dropped to about the same price level. In addition to similar components, the ProBook features a more powerful Intel Core i5-6200U CPU.

Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE (E31 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i3-5005U 2 x 2 GHz, Broadwell, Dual-Core, 15 W TDP
Graphics adapter
Intel HD Graphics 5500, Core: 850 MHz, 10.18.14.4264
Memory
4 GB 
, DDR3-1600, Single-Channel
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixel 118 PPI, InfoVision M133NWN1 R4, TN
Mainboard
Intel Broadwell-U PCH-LP (Baseline)
Storage
Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive, 500 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 8 GB Cache, 5400 RPM, 425 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Broadwell PCH-LP - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Audio-Combo, Card Reader: SD, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3160 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21.5 x 320 x 230 ( = 0.85 x 12.6 x 9.06 in)
Battery
35 Wh Lithium-Ion, Two cells
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.584 kg ( = 55.87 oz / 3.49 pounds), Power Supply: 292 g ( = 10.3 oz / 0.64 pounds)
Price
470 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity

The E31 features a matte plastic chassis with non-slip surfaces except for the back of the display lid. The build quality is solid and the various parts fit together well. The 2.2 cm thin notebook feels good to the touch thanks to the many rounded edges. With a weight of 1.6 kg, the E31 is easily transportable as well. Unfortunately, both the keyboard as well as the display lid yield under pressure. Lenovo also didn't incorporate a maintenance cover on the bottom.  

The notebook comes with the usual array of physical ports. Two USB 3.0 ports are probably sufficient, although their placement is not ideal: both are located on the ridge edge of the notebook.

In addition to the Kensington lock slot, the E31 features an additional security feature in the form of a fingerprint reader. The integrated SD-card reader is moderately fast according to AS SSD with a transfer speed of 30 MB/s. When we checked the actual transfer rates with JPEG files (5 MB each) with our reference SD card Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II, we only saw a maximum of 10.3 MB/s, which is very low.

Back
Back
Left side: Kensington lock slot, power, VGA, SD-card reader, audio combo-jack
Left side: Kensington lock slot, power, VGA, SD-card reader, audio combo-jack
Right side: 2x USB 3.0, Ethernet, HDMI
Right side: 2x USB 3.0, Ethernet, HDMI
Front
Front
326 mm / 12.8 inch 233 mm / 9.17 inch 21 mm / 0.827 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs326 mm / 12.8 inch 233.5 mm / 9.19 inch 21 mm / 0.827 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs320 mm / 12.6 inch 230 mm / 9.06 inch 21.5 mm / 0.846 inch 1.6 kg3.49 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Input Devices

The chiclet-style keyboard scores with perfectly-sized keys and enough grip to prevent the fingers from sliding around, as the slightly curved surfaces are rough to the touch. The typing experience is good overall, although the feedback could be a little better and the key travel longer. Unfortunately, Lenovo didn't equip the notebook with a backlit keyboard, which would have made late-night office work much easier.

The touchpad underneath the keyboard measures 10 x 5 cm and recognizes inputs accurately save in the very corners. Our review notebook could've benefited from slightly less input lag, however. The mouse buttons are solidly designed as they produce a muffled sound that never gets annoying. Button travel is pleasantly long and very uniform.

The new E31-70 comes with decent input devices
The new E31-70 comes with decent input devices

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

Our review configuration shipped with a TN panel from Infovision with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. The display tilts back 180 degrees, so it's easy to adjust it to the perfect angle, even though the panel lacks great viewing-angle stability. With a brightness of 204 cd/m², the display is quite dim and the contrast ratio is extremely low at only 341:1. The display of the similarly-priced HP 430 G3 isn't much better, however.

205
cd/m²
207
cd/m²
215
cd/m²
187
cd/m²
206
cd/m²
199
cd/m²
181
cd/m²
207
cd/m²
194
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
InfoVision M133NWN1 R4 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 215 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 200.1 cd/m² Minimum: 4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 204 cd/m²
Contrast: 343:1 (Black: 0.6 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 9.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 10.94 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
73.36% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
46.92% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
50.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
73.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
49.25% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.76
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Toshiba Satellite Z30-B-100
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Toshiba THNSNJ256GMCU
Acer Aspire V3-372-57CW
Iris Graphics 550, 6267U, Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG2
HP ProBook 430 G3 P4N86EA
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
Display
-11%
-20%
-9%
Display P3 Coverage
49.25
43.79
-11%
39.18
-20%
44.98
-9%
sRGB Coverage
73.5
65.3
-11%
58.6
-20%
66.9
-9%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
50.9
45.31
-11%
40.51
-20%
46.61
-8%
Response Times
-31%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44.4 ?(22.8, 21.6)
41 ?(16, 25)
8%
Response Time Black / White *
20.4 ?(14, 6.4)
34.4 ?(11.6, 12.8)
-69%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(90)
Screen
8%
21%
-33%
Brightness middle
206
291
41%
247
20%
217.7
6%
Brightness
200
286
43%
239
20%
199
0%
Brightness Distribution
84
91
8%
81
-4%
80
-5%
Black Level *
0.6
0.69
-15%
0.38
37%
1.3
-117%
Contrast
343
422
23%
650
90%
167
-51%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
9.2
9.34
-2%
5.95
35%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
14.8
14.2
4%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
10.94
11.09
-1%
5.25
52%
Gamma
2.76 80%
2.23 99%
2.42 91%
CCT
13282 49%
12686 51%
6736 96%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
46.92
42
-10%
37.28
-21%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
73.36
65
-11%
58.37
-20%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-2% / 4%
-10% / 6%
-21% / -24%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
20.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 6.4 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. » 39 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22.8 ms rise
↘ 21.6 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. » 72 % 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)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
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 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Despite the matte display, outdoor usability isn't stellar
Despite the matte display, outdoor usability isn't stellar

The low brightness quite negatively impacts outdoor use. For this reason, it pays off to seek out shade. Thanks to the matte display, reflections then aren't much of an issue. The sRGB and AdobeRGB colors spaces are not covered adequately - but this isn't something we should expect in this price segment. The color spaces matter mostly to professional users working with photographs or videos.

The color and grayscale DeltaE-deviations for the review notebook are around 10, which is once again quite common given the price range. Unfortunately, the panel exhibits a bluish hue, which is easily noticeable with the naked eye. A calibration fortunately takes care of it (color profile is linked above). The display of the HP ProBook 430 G3 once again isn't any better.

CalMAN: Graylevels un-calibrated
CalMAN: Graylevels un-calibrated
CalMAN: Colors un-calibrated
CalMAN: Colors un-calibrated
CalMAN: Saturation un-calibrated
CalMAN: Saturation un-calibrated
CalMAN: Graylevels calibrated
CalMAN: Graylevels calibrated
CalMAN: Colors calibrated
CalMAN: Colors calibrated
CalMAN: Saturation calibrated
CalMAN: Saturation calibrated
AdobeRGB color-space coverage
AdobeRGB color-space coverage
sRGB color-space coverage
sRGB color-space coverage
 

Performance

The E31-70 is equipped with an Intel Core i3 CPU, which offers enough power to even handle some multimedia applications. The 4 GB of RAM only operate in single-channel mode. Other configurations ship with a more powerful  i5-5200U CPU, 8 GB RAM and a 128 GB SSD. The more modern configuration E31-80 combines a current-generation Intel i5-6200U Skylake CPU with either 4 or 8 GB RAM and an HDD or SSDs with a capacity of up to 256 GB. With prices of up to 700 Euros (~$780), these versions cost significantly more than our test configuration.

Unfortunately, Lenovo didn't include a maintenance cover.
Unfortunately, Lenovo didn't include a maintenance cover.
LatencyMon reveals some issues.
LatencyMon reveals some issues.

Processor

The Intel Core i3-5005U processor features a clock speed of up to 2 GHz. Intel's spec sheet attests the CPU a maximum power consumption (TDP) of 15 watts. The result of 209 points in the multi-core portion of the test is in line with expectations. The more powerful Intel Core i5-6200U Processor, which HP uses for their ProBook 430 G3, scores significantly better and reaches 286 points (a plus of 41%). The notebook is capable of delivering the same performance no matter if it is plugged in or running on battery power.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
HP ProBook 430 G3 P4N86EA
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
118 Points +42%
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
83 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550-20DGS00300
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
82 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
82 Points -1%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
81 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
HP ProBook 430 G3 P4N86EA
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
292 Points +40%
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
210 Points 0%
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
209 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550-20DGS00300
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
208 Points 0%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
206 Points -1%
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
5438
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
7048
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
3144
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
16.29 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.29 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.94 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
22.5 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
209 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
83 Points
Help

System Performance

During our time with the review notebook, we never encountered any difficulties with the performance. The SSHD of course can't compete with much faster pure SSDs. The PCMark 8 benchmark tests confirm our subjective impressions, as the E31-70 reached 2800 points. The HP ProBook 430 G2 scored 200 points more thanks to its more powerful CPU.

PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3043 Points +9%
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2782 Points
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2752 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 100-15IBD
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
2720 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550-20DGS00300
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2544 Points -9%
PCMark 7
Score
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
3043 Points
HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2984 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550-20DGS00300
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2784 Points -9%
Toshiba Satellite C55-C-1NE
GeForce 920M, 5005U, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2520 Points -17%
Productivity
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
2358 Points
HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1793 Points -24%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550-20DGS00300
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1600 Points -32%
Computation
HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
12117 Points +42%
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550-20DGS00300
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
11866 Points +39%
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
8521 Points
PCMark 7 Score
3043 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
2782 points
Help

Storage Devices

The notebook comes equipped with a 5400 RPM SSHD with 8 GB of SSD cache. The 2.5-inch drive is capable of sequential read and write reads of 116 MB/s and 120 MB/s, respectively. The drive of the HP ProBook 430 G3 was slower by up to 20 MB/s.

Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-25%
Read Seq
116.4
94.8
-19%
Write Seq
120.7
93.5
-23%
Read 4k
0.507
0.57
12%
Write 4k
4.156
1.246
-70%
Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
Transfer Rate Minimum: 28.2 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 115.7 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 90.2 MB/s
Access Time: 17.1 ms
Burst Rate: 146 MB/s
CPU Usage: -1 %

GPU Performance

The Lenovo E31-70 makes use of the integrated Intel HD Graphics 5500. Since the RAM operates in single-channel mode, the performance of the GPU is just average with a result of 980 points in the 3DMark 11. Various notebooks equipped with the same CPU and the RAM running in dual-channel mode can reach up to 1200 points here. The HP ProBook 430 G3 with its more powerful processor reached 250 points more.

Similar to the CPU performance, the output of the GPU remains at the same level when the notebook is unplugged from external power.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance
HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1477 Points +51%
Toshiba Satellite Radius 14 L40W-C-10Z
HD Graphics 5500, 5015U, HGST Travelstar 5K1000 HTS541010A9E680
1080 Points +10%
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
978 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550-20DGS00300
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
909 Points -7%
3DMark 11 Performance
978 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Lenovo's 13.3-inch business notebook wasn't designed for gaming. Those who want to play occasionally should consider older or casual games from the Windows store. BioShock Infinite from 2013 is just playable at 28 fps with the settings on low.

BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 12 20DK002EPB
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
45.1 fps +62%
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
27.9 fps
HP ProBook 430 G3 P4N86EA
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
25.04 fps -10%
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G2
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
0 fps -100%
1366x768 Medium Preset
HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G2
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
24.38 fps +45%
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 12 20DK002EPB
HD Graphics 5500, 5600U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
24.1 fps +43%
HP ProBook 430 G3 P4N86EA
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
18.87 fps +12%
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
16.8 fps
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 27.9 16.8 13.2

Emissions & Energy

System Noise

Comparison of the fan noise: idle vs. stress test
Comparison of the fan noise: idle vs. stress test

The E31-70 is generally very quiet and only becomes noticeably loud at 38 dB under heavier load conditions. The fan normally only kicks in when more demanding programs are launched. During idle, the notebook is barely audible at all, which is also true for the platter-based hard drive. Overall, the E31 emits very little noise, although we'd prefer the fan to hum at an even lower frequency.

Noise Level

Idle
30.1 / 30.1 / 30.1 dB(A)
HDD
30.3 dB(A)
Load
38.1 / 38.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   ECM8000 + Voltcraft SL-451 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.2 dB(A)

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

We also have only positive things to say about the observed temperatures. Only when subjected to higher loads does the 13.3-inch system get moderately warm at up to 41 °C. The competitor from HP gets a little hotter at up to 44 °C.

Last, but not least, we also want to check out the CPU temperatures. For our stress test, we use Prime95 and FurMark running in parallel. Right at the start, the CPU is subjected to throttling and the frequencies dip under the nominal clock rate. After about one hour, we observed an average clock speed of only 1550 MHz. 

When we re-ran the 3DMark 11 benchmark test right after the stress test, the resulting score was identical to the one right after a cold start.

Max. Load
 28.6 °C
83 F
38.6 °C
101 F
31.6 °C
89 F
 
 26.1 °C
79 F
35.3 °C
96 F
30.6 °C
87 F
 
 25.3 °C
78 F
26.5 °C
80 F
29 °C
84 F
 
Maximum: 38.6 °C = 101 F
Average: 30.2 °C = 86 F
31.9 °C
89 F
41.1 °C
106 F
37 °C
99 F
31.4 °C
89 F
39.4 °C
103 F
28.1 °C
83 F
33 °C
91 F
29.5 °C
85 F
28 °C
82 F
Maximum: 41.1 °C = 106 F
Average: 33.3 °C = 92 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.3 °C = 106 F | Room Temperature 21.7 °C = 71 F | Fluke 62 Max
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 30.2 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 30.7 °C / 87 F for the devices in the class Subnotebook.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38.6 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 41.1 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.6 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 30.7 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29 °C / 84.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.3 °C / 82.9 F (-0.7 °C / -1.3 F).

Speakers

The speakers get quite loud and have adequate tonal presence. Voices are easy to understand and even longer movie and series-sessions are nothing to shy away from. The tonal balance is a bit lean though so external speakers are still useful when a satisfying bass response is desired.

Power Consumption

During idle, the Lenovo notebook consumes just 4.2 to 7.4 watts. Under load, we observed a maximum power consumption of up to 37.1 watts. During our load test, the power consumption averaged 29 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.28 / 0.37 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.2 / 6.1 / 7.4 Watt
Load midlight 31.5 / 37.1 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
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 Life

The 2-cell battery has a capacity of 34.4 Wh. To establish the runtimes using a practically relevant scenario, we simulate web browsing with the display set to a brightness of 150 cd/m². The E31-70 shut down after 4 hours and 14 minutes. The HP ProBook 430 G3 has more stamina and lasted 2 hours longer.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
HP ProBook 430 G3 P5T00ES
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
377 min +48%
Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE
HD Graphics 5500, 5005U, Seagate ST500LM000 Solid State Hybrid Drive
254 min
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
4h 14min

Pros

+ decent input devices
+ satisfying system performance
+ doesn't get very loud or hot
+ loud speaker

Cons

- no maintenance cover
- dark display with low contrast
- battery life is just average

Verdict

In review: Lenovo E31-70. Test model courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de
In review: Lenovo E31-70. Test model courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de

Our 13.3-inch review notebook is a member of Lenovo's E31-series. The new notebook is aimed at the entry-level business user - a goal which Lenovo handily accomplished in our opinion. The chassis and the build quality might suffer from some flaws, but the overall execution is quite decent. The location of the USB ports leaves something to be desired, however. The TN panel with its limited viewing-angle stability doesn't get very bright and the contrast and the color accuracy aren't great, either. Considering the price, this doesn't really come as a surprise, however. 

All things considered, the E31-70 is a very capable 13.3-inch notebook which certainly has its place in the lower-priced segment of the business notebook market.

The system performance is also more than adequate for business tasks, although the power to handle more demanding software is lacking. The notebook neither gets very warm nor noisy. Since this notebook was designed for mobile use, the battery life is very important. During our practically relevant browsing test, the E31 shut down after just about 4 hours, which competitors can easily match or exceed. We recommend taking a look at the HP ProBook 430 G3, which is available for the same price at the time of writing.

Lenovo E31-70 80KX015RGE - 05/18/2016 v5.1(old)
Nino Ricchizzi

Chassis
78 /  98 → 80%
Keyboard
82%
Pointing Device
78%
Connectivity
41 / 80 → 51%
Weight
68 / 35-78 → 77%
Battery
77%
Display
75%
Games Performance
50 / 68 → 74%
Application Performance
64 / 87 → 73%
Temperature
92 / 91 → 100%
Noise
92%
Audio
55 / 91 → 60%
Camera
43 / 85 → 51%
Average
69%
78%
Subnotebook - Weighted Average

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Nino Ricchizzi, 2016-05-24 (Update: 2018-05-15)