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MagyarLenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 review: Enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU
The IdeaPad 3 series is undoubtedly part of Lenovo's bread-and-butter business: potential customers are spoilt for choice between countless equipment lines (Intel or AMD CPU, with/without dGPU) and common display formats (14-, 15.6- or 17.3 inches). Our test unit - an office notebook in 15.6-inch format - is powered by a Ryzen 5 5625U APU (Barcelo) from AMD and is currently available for around US$779. Competing devices include the Dell Inspiron 15 5515, the HP ProBook 450 G9, the Asus Vivobook 15 OLED and the Acer Aspire 5 A515-56.
Possible Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82.1 % | 02/2023 | Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 R5 5625U, Vega 7 | 1.6 kg | 19.9 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 84.7 % | 07/2022 | Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F R7 5700U, Vega 8 | 1.6 kg | 18 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 81.4 % | 02/2021 | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.9 kg | 18 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 85 % | 08/2022 | HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.7 kg | 19.9 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 | |
| 80.7 % | 04/2022 | Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W R7 5700U, Vega 8 | 1.8 kg | 18.6 mm | 15.60" | 1920x1080 |
Case - The IdeaPad is available in three colours
The latest incarnation of the IdeaPad is again housed in plastic casing that is available in three different colors (Abyss Blue, Arctic Grey, Misty Blue) - we have a silver-grey model. Appearance and design have not changed compared to the direct predecessor. The top of the base unit and the back of the lid still have a brushed-look coating. There is no maintenance hatch. The battery (screwed in, not glued) and internal components are accessible upon removal of the underside.
The chassis shows no processing deficiencies. However, the base unit and lid twist a little too much under torsional stress, attesting to a lack of rigidity. The hinges hold the lid firmly in position, but also wobble when the laptop is moved. The maximum opening angle is about 155 degrees. One-handed opening of the lid is possible.
In terms of dimensions and weight, the comparison devices don't differ much. The Inspiron is the most compact and lightest notebook in the field, while the IdeaPad is on par in terms of weight.
Features - IP3 offers USB-C
In terms of connections, the Lenovo computer offers standard fare: two USB-A ports (1x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB 2.0) and a USB-C slot (USB 3.2 Gen 1). The latter supports Power Delivery and DisplayPort via USB-C. Together with the HDMI slot, the notebook has two video outputs. A combined audio jack and a proprietary power supply slot round off the laptop's connectivity capabilities.
The connections are located in the rear areas of the left and right sides, so the space next to the palm rest remains cable free.
SD Card Reader
The SD memory card reader (reference card: AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) counts among the medium-fast models with transfer rates of 82.7 MB/s (transfer of 250 jpg image files of 5 MB each) and 87 MB/s (copying of large data blocks).
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Average of class Office (8 - 82.7, n=49, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Average of class Office (25 - 90.5, n=43, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F (AV Pro SD microSD 128 GB V60) | |
Communication
The WLAN transfer rates determined under optimal conditions (no other WLAN devices in the immediate vicinity, short distance between notebook and server PC) are good, but remain somewhat below the capabilities of the WiFi chip (Realtek RTL8852BE). An Ethernet slot is not on board.
Webcam
The webcam (0.9 MP) produces images at a maximum resolution of 1,280 x 720. There is a problem with color accuracy: colors deviate significantly from target. On the positive side, a mechanical shutter is available.
Acccessories
Apart from the usual documents (warranty information, quick start leaflet), no other accessories are included with the IP3.
Maintenance
Dismantling the underside is no great challenge. After removing the screws, the bottom shell can be detached with the help of a flat spatula. Users then have access to the PCIe 4 SSD (M.2-2242; an M.2 2280 model could also be installed), the WLAN module, the fan, the BIOS battery, the RAM, the speakers and the battery.
Warranty
Lenovo provides the IdeaPad with a two-year warranty in Germany. An extension to three years is available for about EUR 23. For a three-year on-site warranty, you would have to fork out an additional EUR 200.
Warranty terms may differ from country to country, so buyers are advised to double-check with the seller before purchase.
Input Devices - The Lenovo notebook does not have key lighting
Keyboard
The flat, slightly roughened keys of the unlit chiclet keyboard have short travel and a clear pressure point. Key resistance is acceptable, while the keyboard yields slightly during typing, but this did not prove annoying. Overall, Lenovo delivers a keyboard that is suitable for everyday use.
Touchpad
A multi-touch click pad (approx. 10.5 x 7 cm) serves as a mouse substitute. Its smooth surface makes gliding easy for the fingers, and reacts to inputs in the corners. The travel is short and the pressure point clear.
Display - Lenovo notebook with IPS panel
Lenovo equips the IdeaPad with a matte 15.6-inch screen (1,920 x 1,080) that does not show PWM flickering at any brightness setting. The brightness (312.3 cd/m²) and contrast (1,074:1) of the panel meet the respective targets (> 300 cd/m² and 1,000:1).
The screens of most competitors cannot keep up with the IdeaPad display in terms of brightness. The Vivobook is an exception, possessing an OLED screen that shines more brightly and, as is typical for OLEDs, offers a significantly higher contrast ratio and black level.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 330 cd/m²
Contrast: 1074:1 (Black: 0.31 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.39 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.77
ΔE Greyscale 3.56 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
39.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.47
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 Lenovo LEN156FHD, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60 | Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F BOE NV15N4V, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60 | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A LG Philips LGD065A, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60 | HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA Chi Mei CMN1512, , 1920x1080, 15.60 | Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W Samsung ATNA56YX03-0, OLED, 1920x1080, 15.60 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | -4% | 0% | 12% | 128% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 38.2 | 36.58 -4% | 38.32 0% | 42.76 12% | 99.9 162% |
| sRGB Coverage | 57.3 | 54.37 -5% | 57.5 0% | 63.9 12% | 100 75% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 39.5 | 37.79 -4% | 39.6 0% | 44.2 12% | 97.6 147% |
| Response Times | -101% | -76% | -29% | 89% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 27 ? | 44 ? -63% | 37 ? -37% | 28 ? -4% | 2 ? 93% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 13 ? | 31 ? -138% | 28 ? -115% | 20 ? -54% | 2 ? 85% |
| PWM Frequency | 1250 ? | ||||
| Screen | 8% | 9% | 2% | 412% | |
| Brightness middle | 333 | 251 -25% | 285 -14% | 234 -30% | 366 10% |
| Brightness | 312 | 241 -23% | 255 -18% | 218 -30% | 371 19% |
| Brightness Distribution | 82 | 87 6% | 84 2% | 85 4% | 96 17% |
| Black Level * | 0.31 | 0.23 26% | 0.325 -5% | 0.17 45% | 0.01 97% |
| Contrast | 1074 | 1091 2% | 877 -18% | 1376 28% | 36600 3308% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 5.39 | 5.14 5% | 4.23 22% | 5.04 6% | 1.9 65% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 19.18 | 18.41 4% | 7.94 59% | 18.04 6% | 4.26 78% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 4.77 | 3.75 21% | 4.13 13% | 2.3 52% | |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3.56 | 1.08 70% | 2.51 29% | 4.43 -24% | 1.27 64% |
| Gamma | 2.47 89% | 2.43 91% | 2.57 86% | 2.41 91% | 2.44 90% |
| CCT | 6290 103% | 6534 99% | 6626 98% | 6350 102% | 6338 103% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 37.79 | 36 | |||
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 54.37 | 57 | |||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -32% /
-11% | -22% /
-5% | -5% /
-0% | 210% /
305% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen colors are displayed quite adequately ex works, but at a deviation of just under 5.4, the target (DeltaE < 3) is missed. Calibration improves color reproduction only slightly, but ensures a more balanced grayscale.
The display is unable to reproduce the AdobeRGB (40%), sRGB (57%) and DCI-P3 (38%) color spaces and is therefore not made for application scenarios that depend on color fidelity. On the other hand, most competitors don't really fare any better. Only the Vivobook's display offers complete sRGB and DCI-P3 coverage.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 13 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 3 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. » 28 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 27 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 22 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 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 31 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.7 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 17915 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The viewing-angle-stable IPS panel can be read from any position. Outdoors, reading the screen is possible so long as the sun is not too bright.
Performance - The 15ABA7 is powered by a fast AMD APU
With the IdeaPad 3 15ABA7, Lenovo has an office notebook in its range that provides enough computing power for office and internet applications as well as light games. AMD APUs (Ryzen 3 to Ryzen 7) of the Barcelo generation are used in the series. The models available at the time of review were priced between US$500-900. This variant is available for ~US$779.
Testing Conditions
The notebook offers three manufacturer-specific fan modes (see table), which can be toggled via the key combination "Fn" + "Q". The modes High Performance (benchmarks) and Battery Saver (battery tests) were used.
| High Performance | Intelligent Cooling | Battery Saver | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power limit 1 | 26 watts | 19 watts | 13 watts |
| Power limit 2 | 32 watts | 25 watts | 18 watts |
Processor
The Ryzen 5 5625U APU does not belong to AMD's latest APU generation. The Barcelo architecture used here is a refresh of the Cezanne architecture of 2021. Nevertheless, the APU can still easily keep up in 2023.
The CPU part consists of a six-core processor that works with a base clock of 2.3 GHz. An increase up to 4.35 GHz is possible via Turbo. Simultaneous multithreading (two threads per core) is supported. The benchmark results are slightly above the CPU's average values.
The multi-thread test of the Cinebench R15 benchmark is carried out at 3.5 to 3.6 GHz, the single-thread test at 3.5 to 4.35 GHz. In battery mode, the CPU runs at 2 to 3.2 GHz (multi-thread) or 1.4 to 3.4 GHz (single-thread).
The CB15 loop test confirms sustained use of the CPU turbo at a medium-high level - this applies to the High Performance and Intelligent Cooling modes. The Battery Saver mode decreases Turbo to values just above the base clock.
Cinebench R15 Multi Sustained Load
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
| Performance Rating | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | |
| Average of class Office | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (8446 - 10645, n=7) | |
| Average of class Office (763 - 24250, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (54270 - 67729, n=7) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Average of class Office (4027 - 102228, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (1807 - 2314, n=7) | |
| Average of class Office (279 - 4442, n=119, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (67115 - 77047, n=7) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average of class Office (8031 - 113016, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (8128 - 9146, n=7) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average of class Office (404 - 14288, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (29835 - 37072, n=7) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Average of class Office (2054 - 54365, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (31782 - 91153, n=7) | |
| Average of class Office (5226 - 147611, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (481 - 592, n=7) | |
| Average of class Office (67.6 - 1018, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (4472 - 5653, n=7) | |
| Average of class Office (432 - 12755, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
| Average of class Office (4814 - 48177, n=120, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (7138 - 14839, n=7) | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
System Performance
The smoothly running system provides enough performance for office and internet applications as well as gaming at low settings. The PCMark results are very good. The transfer rates of the RAM are at a normal level for DDR4-3200 memory (16 GB, dual-channel mode).
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (5573 - 6025, n=5) | |
| Average of class Office (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (10033 - 10555, n=5) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average of class Office (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (8931 - 9462, n=5) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Average of class Office (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| Average of class Office (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (4920 - 5944, n=5) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| CrossMark / Overall | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Average of class Office (348 - 1891, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (1220 - 1330, n=5) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| CrossMark / Productivity | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (1305 - 1375, n=5) | |
| Average of class Office (393 - 1870, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| CrossMark / Creativity | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Average of class Office (340 - 1982, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (1171 - 1358, n=5) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| Average of class Office (258 - 2017, n=106, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (1103 - 1170, n=5) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 4711 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 5526 points | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 5830 points | |
Help | ||
| AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
| Average of class Office (7158 - 88119, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (19943 - 34187, n=7) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Average of class Office (7325 - 87297, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (22532 - 39612, n=7) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
| Average of class Office (7579 - 94965, n=121, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (21512 - 33048, n=7) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 5625U (91.7 - 103, n=7) | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average of class Office (44.3 - 188.3, n=122, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latency
The standardized latency monitor test (web surfing, 4k video playback, Prime95 at high load) revealed no abnormalities. The system appears suitable for real-time video and audio editing. Future software updates may lead to further improvement or even deterioration.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
The IdeaPad is equipped with a PCIe 4 SSD (M.2 2242; M.2 2280 models also fit) from Micron, which has a storage capacity of 512 GB. Transfer rates are good, but it is not one of the top SSDs. Performance drops due to thermal throttling do not occur. No space for additional storage media is offered.
* ... smaller is better
Sustained Read Performance: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
Graphics Card
The integrated Vega 7 iGPU belongs to the midclass in AMD's current range. It offers 448 shaders, supports DirectX 12 and reaches a maximum clock of 1,800 MHz. This speed can be maintained constantly, as the Witcher 3 test shows. However, this only applies when the High Performance or Intelligent Cooling modes are active. The 3DMark results are above the average for the installed iGPU.
| 3DMark 06 Standard Score | 22711 points | |
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 5528 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 21316 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 3088 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 1237 points | |
Help | ||
| GPUScore: Sacred Path - 2560x1440 Official | |
| Average of class Office (6 - 117.1, n=90, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (11 - 117.1, n=17) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Basemark GPU 1.2 | |
| 1920x1080 DX12 Medium Offscreen | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average of class Office (50 - 226, n=12, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (50 - 124, n=4) | |
| 1280x720 DX12 Simple Offscreen | |
| Average of class Office (209 - 810, n=12, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (209 - 560, n=4) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| 1920x1080 Vulkan Medium Offscreen | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average of class Office (19 - 315, n=40, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (104.6 - 289, n=10) | |
| 1280x720 Vulkan Simple Offscreen | |
| Average of class Office (119.6 - 1534, n=13, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (199 - 466, n=4) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| 1920x1080 OpenGL Medium Offscreen | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 () | |
| Average of class Office (20.7 - 119, n=2, last 2 years) | |
| 1280x720 OpenGL Simple Offscreen | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 () | |
| Average of class Office (118.9 - 205, n=2, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
Gaming Performance
The processing power of the integrated APU is sufficient for running a number of light games smoothly at low to medium settings - but the 15ABA7 is not a gaming notebook. Refresh rates are above the average of the integrated iGPU.
| The Witcher 3 - 1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing | |
| Average of class Office (7.82 - 106.3, n=96, last 2 years) | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (9.74 - 81.3, n=37) | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F | |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1280x720 Lite Quality | |
| Average of class Office (5.42 - 103.1, n=115, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 | |
| Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W | |
| Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 (17.1 - 41.1, n=40) | |
| Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A | |
| HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA | |
To check whether the frame rates remain largely constant over a longer periods of time, we ran "The Witcher 3" for around 60 minutes at Full HD resolution and maximum quality settings. The game character was not moved. There was no noticeable drop in frame rates.
Witcher 3 FPS Chart
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
| GTA V (2015) | 101 | 93 | 25.5 | 11.6 |
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 60.7 | 38.3 | 19 | 12.6 |
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 108.6 | 85.6 | 49.1 | 46 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 33.6 | 16.9 | 12.2 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 47 | 35.5 | 31.8 | |
| Far Cry 5 (2018) | 44 | 21 | 19 | 18 |
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 79.9 | 29.6 | 24.8 | 21.2 |
| F1 22 (2022) | 33.7 | 30.2 | 23.4 | 16.7 |
| Spider-Man Miles Morales (2022) | 21.2 | 17.5 | 14.7 | 13.3 |
| The Callisto Protocol (2022) | 17.6 | 11.6 | 6.5 | 6.4 |
| Need for Speed Unbound (2022) | 21 | 17.2 | 13.7 | 11.8 |
| High On Life (2023) | 33.9 | 16.1 | 16 | 10.2 |
| The Witcher 3 v4.00 (2023) | 24.9 | 18 | 15.3 | 11.1 |
Emissionen - Office-Notebook mit geringer bis moderater Erwärmung
Noise
In idle and everyday use (office, internet), the fan is usually silent and there is no noise. Under medium to high load (stress test, Witcher 3 test), noise levels can rise to 46 or 47.9 dB (A). These values are too high for an office notebook. The Intelligent Cooling and Battery Saver modes ensure generally lower levels of fan noise - at the expense of computing power.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 26 / 26 / 26 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 46 / 47.9 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 26 dB(A) | ||
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 Vega 7, R5 5625U, Micron 2450 512GB MTFDKCD512TFK | Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F Vega 8, R7 5700U, Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD | HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1255U, SK Hynix HFM512GD3JX013N | Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W Vega 8, R7 5700U, Intel SSD 670p SSDPEKNU512GZ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | 8% | 11% | 15% | 4% | |
| off / environment * | 26 | 25.4 2% | 24.5 6% | 25.5 2% | 26 -0% |
| Idle Minimum * | 26 | 25.4 2% | 24.5 6% | 25.5 2% | 26 -0% |
| Idle Average * | 26 | 25.4 2% | 24.5 6% | 25.5 2% | 26 -0% |
| Idle Maximum * | 26 | 25.4 2% | 26.4 -2% | 25.5 2% | 26.2 -1% |
| Load Average * | 46 | 34 26% | 32 30% | 28 39% | 41.4 10% |
| Load Maximum * | 47.9 | 40 16% | 39 19% | 27.7 42% | 41.4 14% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
In everyday use (office, internet), case temperatures remain in the green zone. Under load (stress test, Witcher 3 test), the notebook heats up moderately: temperatures just above 40 degrees Celsius are reached at three points. The CPU temperatures (approx. 71 degrees Celsius) are no cause for concern.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.1 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.3 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.8 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 23.9 °C / 75 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+3.8 °C / 6.9 F).
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 AMD Ryzen 5 5625U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 | Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 4000/5000) | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs | HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA Intel Core i7-1255U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs | Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 4000/5000) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | -13% | 15% | -14% | -10% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 41.1 | 39.4 4% | 33.6 18% | 40.5 1% | 39.6 4% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 42.3 | 45.4 -7% | 30.1 29% | 47.6 -13% | 48.4 -14% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 26.8 | 33.2 -24% | 25.5 5% | 32.6 -22% | 30.9 -15% |
| Idle Bottom * | 28.6 | 35.1 -23% | 26.1 9% | 34.2 -20% | 32.3 -13% |
* ... smaller is better
Stress Test
The stress test (Prime95 and Furmark in continuous operation) represents an extreme scenario for testing system stability under full load. The CPU and GPU begin the test with clock speeds of 3.8 to 3.9 GHz and 1,400 to 1,500 MHz respectively. As the test progresses, the values drop slightly.
Speakers
The stereo speakers produce an acceptable sound, but there is hardly any bass. For better sound experience, headphones or external speakers are recommended.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (75 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.4% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 52% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 39% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 58% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 25% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 69% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 32% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 60% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Power Management - The IdeaPad provides strong endurance values
Power Consumption
The power consumption is at a normal level for the hardware installed here. While the Witcher 3 test is run with constant power consumption, the demand drops slightly over the course of the stress test. The supplied power supply (65 watts) is sufficiently sized.
| Off / Standby | 0.38 / 0.75 Watt |
| Idle | 5 / 8.7 / 9.1 Watt |
| Load |
41 / 55.7 Watt |
   
| |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 R5 5625U, Vega 7, Micron 2450 512GB MTFDKCD512TFK, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60 | Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F R7 5700U, Vega 8, Toshiba KBG40ZNS512G NVMe, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60 | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60 | HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, SK Hynix HFM512GD3JX013N, , 1920x1080, 15.60 | Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W R7 5700U, Vega 8, Intel SSD 670p SSDPEKNU512GZ, OLED, 1920x1080, 15.60 | Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 17% | 17% | 16% | 23% | 7% | 5% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 5 | 3.8 24% | 3.3 34% | 4.5 10% | 4.1 18% | 4.66 ? 7% | 4.3 ? 14% |
| Idle Average * | 8.7 | 6.6 24% | 8.4 3% | 7.3 16% | 5 43% | 7.56 ? 13% | 7.35 ? 16% |
| Idle Maximum * | 9.1 | 8 12% | 8.9 2% | 8.1 11% | 4.8 47% | 8.95 ? 2% | 9.15 ? -1% |
| Load Average * | 41 | 33.4 19% | 30.1 27% | 32.8 20% | 38 7% | 38.7 ? 6% | 41.1 ? -0% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 41.9 | 33.6 20% | 32 24% | 34.8 17% | |||
| Load Maximum * | 55.7 | 54 3% | 45.4 18% | 47 16% | 52 7% | 51.9 ? 7% | 58.1 ? -4% |
* ... smaller is better
Power Consumption Witcher 3 / Stress Test
Power Consumption with an External Monitor
Battery Life
The 15.6-inch notebook achieved runtimes of 9:44 h and 11:04 h in the WLAN test (loading websites using a script) and video test (short film Big Buck Bunny, H.264 encoding, FHD, in a loop). During both tests, the notebook's energy-saving functions were deactivated and the display brightness set to about 150 cd/m². The wireless modules were also switched off during the video test.
Overall, the IdeaPad delivers very good battery runtimes - just like the Inspiron 15 and the ProBook 450 G9. The fact that the 15ABA7 lags behind the two competitors in the practical WLAN test is due to the lower battery capacity. The Lenovo laptop delivers the best runtime per watt-hour in WLAN mode.
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 R5 5625U, Vega 7, 45 Wh | Dell Inspiron 15 5515-H8P8F R7 5700U, Vega 8, 54 Wh | Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 48.85 Wh | HP ProBook 450 G9 6A180EA i7-1255U, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 51 Wh | Asus VivoBook 15 OLED M513UA-L1282W R7 5700U, Vega 8, 42 Wh | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 54% | 45% | 127% | -34% | 32% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1302 | 1436 ? 10% | ||||
| H.264 | 664 | 645 -3% | 705 ? 6% | |||
| WiFi v1.3 | 584 | 627 7% | 416 -29% | 604 3% | 388 -34% | 594 ? 2% |
| Load | 56 | 144 157% | 122 118% | 196 250% | 117.7 ? 110% | |
| Witcher 3 ultra | 162 | 152 ? |
Pros
Cons
Verdict: A largely all-rounder office notebook
Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7 should meet the needs of most users.
The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours. Another positive aspect is that power can be supplied either via the supplied, proprietary Lenovo power adapter or via a universal USB-C charger.
The matte 15.6-inch screen (FHD, IPS) revealed no serious weaknesses, but offers too little colour space coverage - a ~US$750 laptop should deliver more here. This also applies to other areas: for the price, we expect a backlit keyboard.
An alternative to the IdeaPad is the Dell Inspiron 15 5515. The devices are largely on par, but the Inspiron's iGPU is nominally a little stronger. An alternative with a great display would be the Asus Vivobook 15, which has a bright, high-contrast OLED screen with very good colour space coverage.
Price and Availability
The reviewed configuration (Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7) may not be available in all countries. Interested buyers are advised to check directly via Lenovo's webstore to see what variants are available under "IdeaPad 3 15". In the US, for example, a near identical variant (but with 8 GB RAM) is listed at US$709.99.
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15ABA7
-
02/14/2023 v7
Sascha Mölck
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Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
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