Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE Notebook Review
For the original German review, see here.
Big, affordable and ready for performance: These three traits are allegedly found in Lenovo's new G51-35 for a low 450 Euros (~$505). AMD's A8 processor is installed and finds support in 8 GB of working memory. The user can store data on a 1 TB hard drive. It should be equipped for routine applications with that and also be able to face up to rivals such as Acer's Aspire ES1-521. Other, similarly configured laptops like Toshiba's Satellite C55D will also be used for comparison in the test.
Case & Connectivity
The matte black casing of our review sample corresponds to the typical Lenovo-style of this price range. Thanks to the selected surface texture, the device is pleasant and safe to hold. It is not a lightweight at 2.2 kilograms. The height of 2.5 centimeters is also within the standards. Unfortunately, the device's haptics are not convincing. We often discover sharp edges and inadequately rounded parts. Furthermore, the sharp edges do not indomitably contribute to carrying comfort. The display cover and keyboard unit dent easily. The maintenance hatch on the underside does not close flush with the casing. The display is not easy to open despite small hinges, but it only shakes marginally. We cannot say how the hinges will behave after prolonged use. Overall, the build has clear room for improvement.
The mentioned maintenance hatch allows accessing hard drive, working memory, fan and Wi-Fi module. The battery can be removed separately without releasing screws.
We check the SD-card reader's performance with our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card. The read rate is 33.62 MB/s and the write rate 31.19 MB/s in ASSD benchmark. We achieved 26.5 MB/s in copying standard JPG image files (approx. 5 MB each). That is an outcome in the lower field of rates that we have observed.
Input Devices
The installed chiclet keyboard shines with an ideal key size. The drop is a bit too short and soft, and the keyboard unfortunately yields slightly when typing on it. However, the input device should be satisfactory for occasional office work.
Thanks to its lightly roughened surface, the touchpad situated in the lower area has superb gliding qualities. Multi-touch gestures, such as scrolling through websites, are identified and implemented impeccably. The touchpad always responded reliably to inputs with exception of the corners.
Display
The ChiMei panel has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Lenovo uses a TN panel here, and consequently the viewing-angle stability is very poor. However, this kind of screen is not unusual in this price range. The average brightness of 195 cd/m² is low, which could be particularly annoying in rooms with direct light sources. Furthermore, the glossy surface has an unfavorable effect. By comparison: the Acer is 40 cd/m² brighter.
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Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 207 cd/m²
Contrast: 589:1 (Black: 0.35 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 8.96 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.89
ΔE Greyscale 9.27 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
56.26% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
35.89% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.85% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
56.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
37.59% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.38
| Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-7410, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0 | Toshiba Satellite C55D-C-10P Carrizo-L Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-7410, Toshiba MQ01ABD100 | Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX | Fujitsu Lifebook A514 HD Graphics 4400, 4005U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN128HCHP | HP 350 G2 L8B05ES Radeon R5 M240, 5200U, Seagate Momentus ST750LM022 HN-M750MB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 11% | 6% | 16% | 16% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 37.59 | 41.6 11% | 39.83 6% | 43.77 16% | 43.59 16% |
| sRGB Coverage | 56.3 | 62.3 11% | 59.5 6% | 65.1 16% | 64.8 15% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 38.85 | 43.01 11% | 41.19 6% | 45.24 16% | 45.06 16% |
| Response Times | 130% | ||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 43.6 ? | 47 ? -8% | |||
| Response Time Black / White * | 25.6 ? | 26 ? -2% | |||
| PWM Frequency | 200 ? | 1000 ? 400% | |||
| Screen | 5% | -3% | 3% | 1% | |
| Brightness middle | 206 | 216 5% | 245 19% | 231 12% | 251 22% |
| Brightness | 195 | 220 13% | 238 22% | 216 11% | 231 18% |
| Brightness Distribution | 88 | 85 -3% | 88 0% | 84 -5% | 86 -2% |
| Black Level * | 0.35 | 0.28 20% | 0.42 -20% | 0.39 -11% | 0.53 -51% |
| Contrast | 589 | 771 31% | 583 -1% | 592 1% | 474 -20% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 8.96 | 10.46 -17% | 10.49 -17% | 8.08 10% | 7.92 12% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 14.26 | 16.84 -18% | |||
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 9.27 | 11.5 -24% | 11.47 -24% | 9.05 2% | 8.9 4% |
| Gamma | 2.38 92% | 2.29 96% | 2.52 87% | 2.44 90% | 2.18 101% |
| CCT | 11213 58% | 12724 51% | 13286 49% | 10926 59% | 9917 66% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 35.89 | 40 11% | 38 6% | 41 14% | |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 56.26 | 62 10% | 60 7% | 65 16% | |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 8% /
7% | 44% /
24% | 10% /
7% | 9% /
5% |
* ... smaller is better
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 25.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 19.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 6 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 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 58 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 43.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 23.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 20.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 71 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). | ||
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 8619 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Typical for this price range are the high aberrations in colors and grayscale levels. They are in a DeltaE range of 9. An evident bluish tint is visible in a pre-calibrated state. However, calibrating completely eliminates it (linked color profile).
The rather low brightness is noticed unpleasantly outdoors. We could only find a suitable workplace in a shadowy environment.
Performance
AMD's A8 processor alongside AMD's integrated Radeon R5 graphics card is the core component. The installed 8 GB of working memory operates in single-channel mode and can be expanded via the empty slot. The present combination provides enough power for the office sector and has some limited reserves for multimedia applications. The 15.6-inch laptop is not equipped for the gaming world.
Processor
The incorporated AMD A8-7410 has a base clock of 2.2 GHz that can reach up to 2.5 GHz via Boost. The manufacturer states a maximum power dissipation of 12 - 25 watts (TDP). We test the quad-core processor's performance with Cinebench R15.
The review sample achieves 174 points in the multi-core test, which is on par with Toshiba's rival. Acer's ES1-521 still sports AMD's A8-6410 from the former generation, and consequently its score is 20 points lower.
According to Cinebench R15, performance losses will have to be counted with when often using the review sample without its power supply. Only 146 points is reached in battery mode.
System Performance
The 15.6-inch laptop's system generally runs quite smoothly. Occasional lags occurred when multitasking. Users who want a responsive system might consider upgrading via an SSD. With 1960 points, the system is on par with its rivals in PCMark 8 Home.
| PCMark 8 | |
| Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
| Home Score Accelerated v2 | |
| Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
| Home Score Accelerated v2 | |
| Toshiba Satellite C55D-C-10P Carrizo-L | |
| Home Score Accelerated v2 | |
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 1960 points | |
Help | ||
Storage Device
A 5400 RPM, 1 TB hard drive is installed for storing data. The storage by Western Digital has sequential read and write rates of approximately 100 MB/s. The chosen hard drive model and the resulting outcomes are common for this low price range, and consequently our selection of rivals is on par.
| Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-7410, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPCX-24UE4T0 | Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-6410, Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD5000LPVX | Toshiba Satellite C55D-C-10P Carrizo-L Radeon R5 (Beema/Carrizo-L), A8-7410, Toshiba MQ01ABD100 | HP 350 G2 L8B05ES Radeon R5 M240, 5200U, Seagate Momentus ST750LM022 HN-M750MB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 3.0 | 10% | -8% | -10% | |
| Read Seq | 100 | 109.6 10% | 105.8 6% | 100.2 0% |
| Write Seq | 99.8 | 107.5 8% | 98.3 -2% | 97.8 -2% |
| Read 4k | 0.424 | 0.419 -1% | 0.358 -16% | 0.364 -14% |
| Write 4k | 0.966 | 1.171 21% | 0.776 -20% | 0.738 -24% |
Graphics Card
We know AMD's integrated Radeon R5 from Acer's Aspire ES1. The internal graphics card is also used in the newer Carrizo L platform here. Its application field is mainly limited to basic routine tasks. It will hardly be possible to submerge into the world of computer games. 3DMark 11 confirms this insight. It still achieves a solid 120 points more with 860 points than the almost identically built Toshiba's Satellite C55D.
The additional performance loss in battery mode is particularly aggravating: We only achieve 647 points as soon as the review sample is used without its power supply.
| 3DMark 11 | |
| Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
| 1280x720 Performance | |
| Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
| 1280x720 Performance | |
| Toshiba Satellite C55D-C-10P Carrizo-L | |
| 1280x720 Performance | |
| Acer Aspire E5-722-662J | |
| 1280x720 Performance | |
| HP Pavilion 13-a093na x360 | |
| 1280x720 Performance | |
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 860 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming Performance
We already discovered the meager performance in the graphics benchmark, which also indicates limited gaming readiness. We only managed smooth frame rates using minimum setting in the game BioShock Infinite. However, users who want occasional diversion from office routine should either opt for older classics or prefer casual games from the Windows Store.
| BioShock Infinite | |
| 1280x720 Very Low Preset | |
| Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
| HP Pavilion 17-f050ng | |
| HP Pavilion 13-a093na x360 | |
| 1366x768 Medium Preset | |
| HP Pavilion 17-f050ng | |
| Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
| HP Pavilion 13-a093na x360 | |
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BioShock Infinite (2013) | 33.7 | 18.05 | 15.37 |
Emissions & Energy Management
System Noise
We had to listen very attentively despite a permanently spinning fan. Only a quiet fan noise could be perceived even during load. Acer's rival proves that this behavior is not unusual. Toshiba's Satellite C55D shows the opposite side. With a noise level of up to 43.7 dB(A), it can produce a very audible soundscape.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 30.6 / 30.6 / 30.6 dB(A) |
| HDD |
| 30.7 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 31.5 / 31.5 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  ECM8000 + Voltcraft SL-451 (15 cm distance) environment noise: 29.4 dB(A) | ||
Temperature
The full score is also achieved here. Lenovo's G51 never heats up significantly. The hot spot during load is just 34 °C. However, the power supply gets warmer at almost 46 °C.
Following these many praising words in the Emissions section, we look at the clock rates and core temperatures inside. We examine the CPU's performance capacity in a stress test scenario via Prime95 and FurMark. The clock rate clearly drops below the base clock of 2.2 GHz to 1.6 GHz right after initiation. This restricting frequency behavior makes it easy for the processor to almost always maintain a temperature of below 50 °C.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 36.1 °C / 97 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 33.6 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.2 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33 °C / 91.4 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (-5.4 °C / -9.7 F).
Speakers
Two stereo speakers that deliver a relatively decent volume are responsible for the soundscape. However, the sound spectrum is mainly focused on the mids. Voices were rendered with enough high trebles during Skype calls, but basses were completely absent. The installed speakers are perfectly suitable for undemanding series and YouTube sessions. Music fans should preferably connect external devices for playback.
Power Consumption
At up to 10.6 watts, the review sample already proves thirstier than some other rivals based on Intel components. The similarly built Toshiba Satellite C55D even requires up to 12.1 watts. Our review sample only demands 30 watts at most during load, which is on par with the rivals. The included 45-watt power supply thus easily copes with all requirements.
| Off / Standby | 0.28 / 0.6 Watt |
| Idle | 5.8 / 9.1 / 10.6 Watt |
| Load |
25.4 / 29.7 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
Battery Runtime
Lenovo installs a 4-cell battery with a capacity of 31.7 Wh for mobile use. We test its endurance in a real-world scenario by simulating Internet browsing at a brightness of 150 cd/m². Our review sample went idle after approximately 3.5 hours. Acer's Aspire ES1 does a much better job with a runtime of almost five hours.
| Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing | |
| Acer Aspire ES1-521-87DN | |
| Toshiba Satellite C55D-C-10P Carrizo-L | |
| Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE | |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The design of Lenovo's G51 is predisposed for occasional use. Although our review sample does not ascend the summits of affordable 15-inch devices, it does not have to hide despite some points of criticism. The mediocre build with sharp edges was annoying. On the other hand, the casing could reap in plus points in maintenance options and easy to remove battery. The weak TN panel is unfortunate as it can hardly be used reasonably outdoors due to its low brightness.
Users who only reside in the office world will be happy with the performance. The benchmarks also conveyed this impression. However, users who like to immerse themselves into the gaming world will have to look for an alternative. The low emissions that ensure a pleasantly subdued work atmosphere speak for that. Then again, the battery's weak performance has to be seen unfavorably. The review sample only achieved 3.5 hours in our Wi-Fi test.
Lenovo's G51-35 delivers just what is expected from a 450-Euro (~$505) laptop - and no more.
Taking a look at the named rivals is quite recommendable. Potential buyers with a bigger budget should definitely take a look at Acer's Aspire ES1 or other 15.6-inch laptops. We also refer to our Top 10 under 500 Euros.
Lenovo G51-35 80M8002HGE
- 05/13/2016 v5.1 (old)
Nino Ricchizzi
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