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Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB (i5-8250U, UHD620) Laptop Review

Design at a low price. The prices for the notebooks from Lenovo’s budget IdeaPad 300 series start at about 350 Euros ($407). For this, buyers get a well-designed, portable notebook. Our review device with an Optane-accelerated hard drive, Core i5-8250U CPU and Intel UHD Graphics 620 costs 600 Euros ($698). You can learn what you can expect from the laptop with this hardware configuration in our review.
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S

With the IdeaPad 330S, Lenovo offers a lot of hardware options at low prices. The prices range from 350 Euros ($407) up to 1000 Euros ($1163), depending on the model. Available processors range from the simple Intel Pentium 4415U up to the powerful Core i7-8550U. Besides different RAM and storage configurations, buyers can also choose between various graphics solutions. 

Our review device comes with Intel’s Core i5-8250 CPU, integrated UHD Graphics 620 GPU, 8 GB of RAM and a 1 TB hard drive. The HDD is accelerated with the help of a 16 GB Optane module, therefore it should offer faster read and write speeds. Our review configuration costs 600 Euros ($698).

Because the competition also offers powerful laptops in this price range, we compare the Lenovo notebook against several similarly priced devices. The competing devices include: The Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A, the VivoBook 15 from Asus and MSI’s PL62. A comparison with the similarly priced Lenovo ThinkPad E580 may also prove interesting for prospective buyers.

Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE (IdeaPad 330S Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8250U 4 x 1.6 - 3.4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2400, Dual-Channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, BOE0700, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U + iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
WDC WD10SPZX-24Z10T0 + Intel Optane 16 GB, 854 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm combined audio jack, Card Reader: SD
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19 x 358 x 244 ( = 0.75 x 14.09 x 9.61 in)
Battery
52 Wh, 4535 mAh Lithium-Ion, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 7 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9, (1280x720)
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: chiclet-style, Keyboard Light: no, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.87 kg ( = 65.96 oz / 4.12 pounds), Power Supply: 169 g ( = 5.96 oz / 0.37 pounds)
Price
600 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case – Robust laptop with a polished aluminum case

The case of the IdeaPad 330S is made of polished aluminum. This is why it looks very premium. Moreover, it is very rigid and can be carried with one hand without any creaking noises. The top of the display lid also consists of aluminum. The display lid is quite easy to bend or twist because of the thin bezels. However, the lid does not twist or bend when you are simply opening or closing it. 

The bottom cover of the IdeaPad 330S can be removed after all of the screws on the underside are undone. Once the bottom cover is removed, users can clean the internals or do some light maintenance work. 

Leonovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB
Leonovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB
Leonovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB
Leonovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB
Leonovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB
Leonovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB
Leonovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB

The dimensions of the 330S are somewhat smaller than those of other 15-inch notebooks. To achieve a smaller design, Lenovo shrank the bezels and removed a number of ports. With a weight of approximately 1.8 kilograms, the 330S takes a spot in the middle of our comparison group. The 330S is rather good for mobile use.

When the laptop sits on a table, opening the display lid with one hand is not possible, because the chassis does not provide enough counterweight for the stiff hinges of the screen.

Size Comparison

383 mm / 15.1 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs381 mm / 15 inch 263 mm / 10.4 inch 21.6 mm / 0.85 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs369 mm / 14.5 inch 252 mm / 9.92 inch 19.95 mm / 0.785 inch 1.9 kg4.24 lbs361 mm / 14.2 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 19.4 mm / 0.764 inch 1.6 kg3.58 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 1.9 kg4.12 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity – IdeaPad 330S with wireless AC

With the IdeaPad 330S, Lenovo has reduced the selections of ports to the bare minimum (USB, HDMI and audio jack). That being said, the notebook has one USB Type-C port and the SD card reader supports the following formats: SD, SDHC, SDXC and MMC.

Left side: power socket, HDMI-out, one USB 3.0 port, one USB Type-C port, combined audio jack
Left side: power socket, HDMI-out, one USB 3.0 port, one USB Type-C port, combined audio jack
Right side: SD card reader, one USB 3.0 port, Kensington lock slot
Right side: SD card reader, one USB 3.0 port, Kensington lock slot

SD Card Reader

The SD card reader of the IdeaPad 330S features support for the following formats: SD, SDHC, SDXC and MMC. With our reference-grade SD card (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II), the Lenovo laptop achieves subpar read and write rates. This is why it takes the next-to-last spot in our comparison chart.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
76.4 MB/s +157%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M510 microSD)
76 MB/s +156%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s +87%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
30.8 MB/s +4%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
29.7 MB/s
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26 MB/s -12%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
85.7 MB/s
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M510 microSD)
85.6 MB/s
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.39 MB/s
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.5 MB/s

Communication

Users of the IdeaPad 330S will have to do without an Ethernet port. However, the Lenovo laptop comes with an integrated Wi-Fi module that supports the fast wireless AC standard and operates in the 5 GHz spectral band. Because the 330S comes with a very simple antenna, it cannot achieve the same transfer rates as the VivoBook 15, but at 300 MB/s, it is still pretty fast when it comes to Wi-Fi.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Office
  (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years)
810 MBit/s +157%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
500 MBit/s +59%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
340 MBit/s +8%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
315 MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
299 MBit/s -5%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
193 MBit/s -39%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Office
  (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years)
852 MBit/s +179%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
647 MBit/s +112%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
326 MBit/s +7%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168
312 MBit/s +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
305 MBit/s
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
290 MBit/s -5%

Accessories

The box of the Lenovo IdeaPad 330S only contains a 45-watt power adapter. Various bags and portable storage devices can be purchased through Lenovo’s website.

Lenovo offers proprietary docking stations and a Travel Hub for the USB Type-C port. The Travel Hub costs 100 Euros ($116) and expands the selection of ports with a USB Type-A port as well as an Ethernet port, a VGA output and an HDMI port.

Lenovo Travel Hub
Lenovo Travel Hub
Lenovo Travel Hub
Lenovo Travel Hub

Maintenance

The bottom cover of the IdeaPad 330S can be removed once all the screws on the underside of the device are undone. After you remove the bottom cover you will have access to the innards of the device. This means that you will be able to clean the fan, replace the HDD or change the battery. A black plate covers the entire motherboard, to which it is secured by means of four screws. Once you remove this plate you will be able to access the Optane unit and the RAM. Our review device has 8 GB of RAM, 4 of which is replaceable.

Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - Maintenance options
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - Maintenance options
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - HDD and Intel Optane
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - HDD and Intel Optane
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - RAM
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - RAM

Warranty

The IdeaPad 330S comes with a 24-month warranty. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices – Lenovo laptop with a crisp keyboard

Keyboard

The IdeaPad 330S has a keyboard with relatively large keys, each of which has a clear actuation point. The keyboard is suited for fast typing. Only the function keys are problematic, because they are quite small. Besides the narrow numeric pad, there is also a very small enter key. The up and down arrow keys are also hard to use, because of their small size.

Touchpad

The 330S uses a ClickPad as a replacement for the mouse. It sits firmly in its place and allows for precise movements of the cursor. Fingertips can glide smoothly over the pad, which is why drag-and-drop movements do not present any challenges. The ClickPad has no trouble recognizing inputs in the lower left or the lower right corner. While the keyboard is very quiet, the mouse clicks with the ClickPad are quite audible in quiet environments.

Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - Input devices
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - Input devices
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - Touchpad
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S - Touchpad

Display – IdeaPad 330S with a Full HD panel

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement
Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding

Buyers of the IdeaPad 330S have a choice between a Full HD IPS panel with a resolution of 1920x1080 and an HD TN panel with a resolution of 1366x768. Our review device comes with the Full HD panel. It has an average screen brightness of 252 cd/m², which is why it is comparable to other competing devices. However, the brightness distribution of only 75% is somewhat below average.

267
cd/m²
260
cd/m²
259
cd/m²
255
cd/m²
283
cd/m²
255
cd/m²
211
cd/m²
248
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE0700 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 283 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 251.9 cd/m² Minimum: 5.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 75 %
Center on Battery: 283 cd/m²
Contrast: 449:1 (Black: 0.63 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.02 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.03
ΔE Greyscale 0.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
58% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.17% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
58.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
39.85% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
BOE0700, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
BOE NV156FHM-N49, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
LG Philips LP156WF9-SPK2, , 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
Chi Mei CMN15D6, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Chi Mei (CMN15D5), , 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-0%
-0%
95%
Display P3 Coverage
39.85
39.83
0%
39.35
-1%
85.4
114%
sRGB Coverage
58.8
58.5
-1%
59.2
1%
99.6
69%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.17
41.15
0%
40.65
-1%
82.9
101%
Response Times
-35%
29%
-15%
-4%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44 ?(21, 23)
48.4 ?(25.6, 22.8)
-10%
27.2 ?(13.2, 14)
38%
44 ?(23, 21)
-0%
43.3 ?(22, 21.3)
2%
Response Time Black / White *
31 ?(17, 14)
37.6 ?(21.2, 16.4)
-21%
24.8 ?(14, 10.8)
20%
14 ?(10, 4)
55%
13.8 ?(9.5, 4.3)
55%
PWM Frequency
86000 ?(90)
22030 ?(99)
-74%
250 ?(20)
-100%
25970 ?(19)
-70%
Screen
-20%
-40%
-159%
-200%
Brightness middle
283
292
3%
257
-9%
227
-20%
246
-13%
Brightness
252
272
8%
246
-2%
200
-21%
225
-11%
Brightness Distribution
75
84
12%
89
19%
82
9%
81
8%
Black Level *
0.63
0.3
52%
0.34
46%
0.46
27%
0.51
19%
Contrast
449
973
117%
756
68%
493
10%
482
7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.02
5.8
-44%
4.54
-13%
10.88
-171%
11
-174%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.77
22.4
-155%
16
-82%
18.36
-109%
32.4
-269%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.03
3.61
10%
4.6
-14%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
0.8
2.3
-188%
4.6
-475%
12.18
-1423%
11.6
-1350%
Gamma
2.35 94%
2.12 104%
2.44 90%
2.58 85%
1.91 115%
CCT
6552 99%
6223 104%
7096 92%
14446 45%
11807 55%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38
37.6
-1%
37.5
-1%
74
95%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
58
58
0%
59.2
2%
63
9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-18% / -19%
-4% / -24%
-26% / -85%
-102% / -151%

* ... smaller is better

According to our CalMAN measurements, the screen of the IdeaPad 330S has a subpar contrast ratio of 449:1 and an elevated black value of 0.63 cd/m². This is why the colors are hard to tell apart and the blacks look grayish. In everyday use, the screen content looks rather “warm”, which can be attributed to a low color volume, especially in the blue part of the spectrum. The 330S covers only 38% of the AdobeRGB color space and 58% of the sRGB color space. These values are typical for notebooks in this price range.

CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Color accuracy (after calibration)
CalMAN - Color accuracy (after calibration)
CalMAN - Saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN - Saturation (after calibration)
CalMAN - Grayscale (after calibration)
CalMAN - Grayscale (after calibration)
Color-space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 38%
Color-space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 38%
Color-space coverage (sRGB) - 58%
Color-space coverage (sRGB) - 58%

Outside, the IdeaPad 330S can only be used in the shade or on cloudy days. The display brightness is barely sufficient to make screen content readable in strong artificial light.

Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use
Outdoor use

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
31 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 14 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. » 81 % 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
44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21 ms rise
↘ 23 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. » 69 % 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 86000 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 86000 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 86000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

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.

The viewing angles of the IPS panel in the IdeaPad 330S are very good. The screen content can be read from almost any angle without any distortions or color degradation.

Vewing angles
Vewing angles

Performance – Office notebook with some throttling

Buyers of the IdeaPad 330S have a wide choice of hardware configurations. These range from a simple office notebook with an Intel Pentium 4415U to a gaming machine with a Core i7-8550U and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050.

Our review device features 8 GB of RAM, an Intel Core i5-8250U processor and Intel’s UHD Graphics 620. Therefore, it can run even demanding office applications and older games without any problems.

 

Processor

The Core i5-8250U in the IdeaPad 330S is a quad-core CPU with a base clock of 1.6 GHz and a boost clock of 3.4 GHz. It is significantly faster than its predecessor, the Core i5-7200U. Thanks to the improved manufacturing process, the Core i5-8250U is about 40% faster than its predecessor. The performance of the CPU depends strongly on the cooling solution. This processor usually performs worse when it is under load over an extended period of time.

In our Cinebench loop, the CPU performance drops by 6% shortly after the start.

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Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

The IdeaPad 330S achieves subpar results in the Cinebench benchmark. The score lies well below what other devices with the Core i5-8250U can achieve, which is why the Lenovo laptop takes last place in our comparison chart.

You can see how the Intel Core i5-8250U stacks up against other processors on our CPU benchmarks page.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +54%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
Intel Core i7-8550U
168 Points +20%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points +2%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
142 Points +1%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (81 - 147, n=97)
141.1 Points +1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
140 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +183%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
Intel Core i7-8550U
655 Points +34%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U
  (320 - 730, n=101)
570 Points +17%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel Core i5-8250U
553 Points +13%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
Intel Core i5-8250U
518 Points +6%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
511 Points +5%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
488 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
140 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
488 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
51.1 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Help

System Performance

In the PCMark 8 benchmark, the Lenovo IdeaPad 330S achieves average results, which are comparable to what you might expect from other notebooks in this price range. The Lenovo laptop is beaten by almost all of its competitors in the Home section of the benchmark. In day-to-day use, the IdeaPad 330S is very responsive. It does not suffer from any lags or long loading times. 

You can learn how well other notebooks perform in our benchmarks on our Benchmarks page.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +47%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
3609 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3358 - 4081, n=67)
3296 Points -9%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3175 Points -12%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
3157 Points -13%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
2801 Points -22%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
2449 Points -32%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points +21%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
8110 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
7589 Points -6%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5855 - 9289, n=67)
7398 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
7268 Points -10%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
5513 Points -32%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
5150 Points -36%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +29%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
5999 Points +4%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
5777 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3851 - 6653, n=67)
5725 Points -1%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
5241 Points -9%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4474 Points -23%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
4308 Points -25%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +111%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
2957 Points +9%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
2799 Points +3%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2613 - 3082, n=67)
2733 Points 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
2723 Points
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
2689 Points -1%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
2560 Points -6%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +18%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3903 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
3729 Points +3%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
3704 Points +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
3621 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2986 - 4458, n=69)
3584 Points -1%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
3424 Points -5%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
4901 Points +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
4783 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
GeForce MX130, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4775 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2699 - 5106, n=58)
4646 Points -3%
Average of class Office
  (1854 - 5610, n=12, last 2 years)
3746 Points -22%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3621 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4783 points
PCMark 10 Score
3609 points
Help

Storage Devices

The IdeaPad 330S comes with a 1 TB HDD, which is accelerated with the help of an Optane module. The Optane drive has 16 GB of flash storage and makes loading times shorter by improving read performance. In our storage benchmarks, the Optane-accelerated HDD achieves read and write rates similar to low-priced SSDs. The Optane module is built into several models without any additional cost.

You can learn how the Optane-HDD combo compares against other storage devices on our HDD/SSD Benchmarks page.

Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
 
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
 
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Global Average -3
 

CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-15%
-79%
11%
15%
Read Seq
886
916
3%
118.7
-87%
499.5
-44%
603 ?(33.6 - 5063, n=2990)
-32%
Write Seq
158.2
135
-15%
109.6
-31%
265.8
68%
455 ?(10.4 - 5683, n=2992)
188%
Read 512
857
787
-8%
43.73
-95%
314.3
-63%
382 ?(11.4 - 3461, n=2979)
-55%
Write 512
156.6
134.3
-14%
107.4
-31%
266.3
70%
365 ?(4.1 - 4354, n=2979)
133%
Read 4k
109.3
33.34
-69%
0.437
-100%
29.24
-73%
25.9 ?(0.102 - 5814, n=2989)
-76%
Write 4k
66.6
92.4
39%
8.23
-88%
78.4
18%
58.1 ?(0.009 - 884, n=2987)
-13%
Read 4k QD32
269.3
199.2
-26%
0.575
-100%
402.5
49%
207 ?(0.015 - 1291, n=2954)
-23%
Write 4k QD32
162.4
118.8
-27%
6.135
-96%
264.9
63%
161.8 ?(0.033 - 1021, n=2955)
0%
Sequential Read: 886 MB/s
Sequential Write: 158.2 MB/s
512K Read: 857 MB/s
512K Write: 156.6 MB/s
4K Read: 109.3 MB/s
4K Write: 66.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 269.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 162.4 MB/s

Graphics Card

In the IdeaPad 330S, the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 is responsible for image rendering. With a core clock of 1150 MHz, this graphics unit is only suitable for applications that do not require a lot of GPU power. It can only handle simple and older games. The graphics chip benefits significantly from dual-channel RAM. Because the RAM in our review device runs in dual-channel mode, it gets a boost in GPU performance.

In the 3DMark 11 benchmark, the Lenovo laptop provides slightly above-average results, when compared to other notebooks with the Intel UHD Graphics 620. However, it still cannot keep up with the competitors that have dedicated graphics cards.

To find out what kind of performance you can expect from Intel’s UHD Graphics 620, visit our GPU Benchmarks page.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +226%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
4876 Points +170%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2882 Points +60%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8550U
2802 Points +55%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1805 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1629 Points -10%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points +137%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
12654 Points +26%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8550U
12406 Points +23%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
10069 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
7532 Points -25%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points +631%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8550U
2322 Points +317%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2310 Points +315%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points +108%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
938 Points +68%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
557 Points
3DMark 11 Performance
1990 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
8327 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
538 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The Intel UHD Graphics 620 in the IdeaPad 330S can run casual and older games smoothly, but only on low settings and at low resolutions, because the performance of the GPU is not even sufficient to run five-year-old titles on decent settings. Here, notebooks with dedicated GPUs provide a lot more performance.

To learn which games you can run with the Intel UHD Graphics 620, visit our Gaming Benchmarks page.

BioShock Infinite
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
34 fps +240%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
22.8 fps +128%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
10 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (4.5 - 17, n=176)
9.2 fps -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
7.6 fps -24%
1366x768 High Preset
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
98 fps +228%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
60.5 fps +102%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
29.9 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.1 - 35.9, n=187)
27.5 fps -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
22.9 fps -23%
1366x768 Medium Preset
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
115 fps +236%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
69.9 fps +104%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
34.2 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (11.5 - 45.5, n=187)
32.8 fps -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
27.7 fps -19%
1280x720 Very Low Preset
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
194 fps +192%
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
119.5 fps +80%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
66.4 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (18.3 - 90.2, n=187)
60.7 fps -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
46.1 fps -31%
Thief
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FXAA & High SS AF:8x
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
7.1 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6 - 7.1, n=2)
6.55 fps -8%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FXAA & Low SS AF:4x
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
15.1 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (8.5 - 15.1, n=5)
12.9 fps -15%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
15.2 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (10.4 - 19.7, n=10)
14.4 fps -5%
1024x768 Very Low Preset
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (16.3 - 34.3, n=10)
24.3 fps +6%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
22.9 fps
Rise of the Tomb Raider
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
12.8 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3 - 14.5, n=11)
5.23 fps
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
15.8 fps +108%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
7.6 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (4.9 - 32, n=42)
7.23 fps -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
6.1 fps -20%
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
29.2 fps +99%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
14.7 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6.5 - 49.3, n=62)
13 fps -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
10.6 fps -28%
1024x768 Lowest Preset
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
GeForce MX130, i5-8550U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
37.3 fps +53%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
24.3 fps
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (10.4 - 110.7, n=82)
21.4 fps -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G
17.2 fps -29%
low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 24.3 14.7 7.6
BioShock Infinite (2013) 66.4 34.2 29.9 10
Thief (2014) 22.9 15.2 15.1 7.1
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 24.3 14.7 7.6

Emissions – Lenovo notebook for quiet environments

System Noise

In day-to-day use, the IdeaPad 330S is practically silent. The simple office programs and Internet browsing do not present too much of a challenge for the CPU, which is why the fan is silent most of the time. In demanding applications, the fan is very quiet and is often drowned out by the ambient noise. 

Therefore, the IdeaPad 330S from Lenovo is suitable for quiet environments.

Noise Level

Idle
30.9 / 30.9 / 31.3 dB(A)
HDD
31.9 dB(A)
DVD
0 / dB(A)
Load
34.1 / 36.5 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 30.5 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.932.232.935.734.92531.830.331.235.831.83134.531.632.737.534.54029.930.831.331.529.95029.530.729.436.629.56328.129.629.827.628.18030.330.329.727.230.310029.430.330.625.129.412526.526.525.325.826.516026.124.224.624.326.120024.323.423.723.124.325024.224.321.922.724.231523.825.421.921.723.840022.32421.220.722.350021.523.520.32021.563020.622.119.519.820.680021.423.219.418.621.4100023.726.418.918.223.7125023.325.818.117.923.3160022.625.618.217.822.6200022.22517.917.522.2250024.627.918.217.624.6315023.825.918.117.923.8400019.422.218.21819.4500019.321.418.218.119.363001920.518.318.119800018.619.51918.218.6100001918.918.318.1191250019.819.719.31819.81600018.618.419.318.118.6SPL34.136.530.930.634.1N1.92.31.41.31.9median 22.3median 24median 19.3median 18.2median 22.3Delta2.32.61.81.22.3hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

The IdeaPad 330S does not become hot when idle. The temperatures at the top of the chassis right below the screen barely break the 30 °C (86 °F) mark. Under load, the temperatures do not exceed the 40 °C (104 °F) mark. During our one-hour stress test, the core temperatures peak at 69 °C (156.2 °F), which leads to a reduction in the clock rate. Because our stress test represents an extreme case scenario, any issues associated with thermal throttling should not arise during normal use.

Max. Load
 35.1 °C
95 F
39.2 °C
103 F
34 °C
93 F
 
 33.6 °C
92 F
37.9 °C
100 F
29.6 °C
85 F
 
 29.4 °C
85 F
27.8 °C
82 F
26.6 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 39.2 °C = 103 F
Average: 32.6 °C = 91 F
35 °C
95 F
39.7 °C
103 F
35.1 °C
95 F
28.5 °C
83 F
27.1 °C
81 F
32.8 °C
91 F
26.5 °C
80 F
27.1 °C
81 F
30 °C
86 F
Maximum: 39.7 °C = 103 F
Average: 31.3 °C = 88 F
Power Supply (max.)  42 °C = 108 F | Room Temperature 24 °C = 75 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.6 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.2 °C / 103 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 39.7 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.5 °C / 82 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 29.4 °C / 84.9 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 (-1.7 °C / -3 F).
Heat distribution at idle (upper side)
Heat distribution at idle (upper side)
Heat distribution at idle (underside)
Heat distribution at idle (underside)
Heat distribution under load (upper side)
Heat distribution under load (upper side)
Heat distribution under load (underside)
Heat distribution under load (underside)

Speakers

Pink Noise
Pink Noise

The speakers of the IdeaPad 330S are not very loud and do not sound good. The sound reproduction is not balanced and the speakers become very tinny at high volume.

We recommend using headphones or external speakers for a better listening experience.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.735.733.72533.135.833.13133.337.533.34031.231.531.25030.236.630.26327.727.627.78029.827.229.810029.925.129.912525.225.825.216026.724.326.720030.123.130.125047.122.747.131562.121.762.140064.520.764.550056.62056.663059.519.859.580067.218.667.2100062.318.262.3125060.217.960.2160052.617.852.6200062.417.562.4250058.917.658.9315059.317.959.3400058.81858.8500057.318.157.363005418.154800054.118.254.11000058.618.158.61250061.11861.11600060.518.160.5SPL72.430.672.4N28.81.328.8median 58.8median 18.2median 58.8Delta7.51.27.535.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GEApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (67.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.1% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (17% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (14% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 56% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 34% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 61% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 32% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management – Six hours of battery life with the IdeaPad 330S

Energy Consumption

The Lenovo IdeaPad 330S is an energy-efficient notebook. Our measurements reveal a slightly elevated power draw when idle. However, under load, the laptop draws significantly less power than the competition. Because the power consumption peaks at 34 watts, the 45-watt AC adapter should have no trouble supplying the notebook with enough energy.  

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.47 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5 / 7.6 / 8.6 Watt
Load midlight 25.6 / 34 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.
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, , IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba KBG30ZMT128G, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
i5-8550U, GeForce MX130, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
i5-7300HQ, GeForce MX150, , TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
i5-8250U, GeForce MX130, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
 
Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
1%
-37%
-109%
-38%
-9%
-23%
Idle Minimum *
5
3.4
32%
5.9
-18%
9.2
-84%
5.1
-2%
3.81 ?(1 - 12.4, n=259)
24%
4.27 ?(2.2 - 9.4, n=107, last 2 years)
15%
Idle Average *
7.6
6.7
12%
7
8%
13.6
-79%
7.6
-0%
6.94 ?(2.8 - 15.7, n=261)
9%
7.32 ?(3.8 - 20.6, n=107, last 2 years)
4%
Idle Maximum *
8.6
7.7
10%
8.5
1%
14.7
-71%
8.2
5%
8.75 ?(3.8 - 30, n=259)
-2%
9.1 ?(4.8 - 23.9, n=107, last 2 years)
-6%
Load Average *
25.6
31.1
-21%
54.5
-113%
64
-150%
49.4
-93%
35 ?(8.1 - 51.6, n=259)
-37%
40.4 ?(8.7 - 75.2, n=106, last 2 years)
-58%
Load Maximum *
34
42.9
-26%
55.7
-64%
89.2
-162%
68
-100%
47.5 ?(22 - 96.3, n=261)
-40%
57.4 ?(11.1 - 101.4, n=107, last 2 years)
-69%
Witcher 3 ultra *
50.6
42.1

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

In our practically oriented Wi-Fi test, the IdeaPad 330S lasts for about six hours. Therefore, the Lenovo laptop takes a spot in the middle of our comparison chart when it comes to battery runtimes. However, an average office notebook usually lasts an hour longer in this battery test.

According to Lenovo, the IdeaPad 330S supports Quick Charging and can get two hours of battery life after being plugged in for 15 minutes. However, to use this function, you will have to get an optional 65-watt power adapter from Lenovo.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
12h 34min
WiFi Websurfing
5h 50min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 53min
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E580-20KSCTO1WW
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Asus VivoBook 15 F510UF-ES71
i5-8550U, GeForce MX130, 42 Wh
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
i5-7300HQ, GeForce MX150, 41.4 Wh
Acer Aspire 5 A515-51G-509A
i5-8250U, GeForce MX130, 48 Wh
Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
7%
-34%
-25%
19%
53%
Reader / Idle
754
864
15%
867
15%
1414 ?(527 - 2359, n=23, last 2 years)
88%
WiFi v1.3
350
421
20%
232
-34%
262
-25%
350
0%
589 ?(272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
68%
Load
113
96
-15%
162
43%
117 ?(56 - 209, n=65, last 2 years)
4%
H.264
435
525
691 ?(348 - 1112, n=40, last 2 years)

Verdict – Good performance for a low price

Pros

+ rigid aluminum case
+ good keyboard
+ 16 GB Optane module included in the base configuration

Cons

- low display brightness
- CPU performance
- slow SD card reader
In review: Lenovo IdeaPad 330S. Review device provided courtesy of: Lenovo Germany.
In review: Lenovo IdeaPad 330S. Review device provided courtesy of: Lenovo Germany.

In our review, the IdeaPad 330S proves to be a solid all-rounder that can perform most of the common computing tasks. The Intel CPU provides enough power for the smooth operation of Windows 10 and many other applications. Moreover, users can replace the Optane unit with an SSD. However, this will require some sleight of hand. That being said, the Optane-accelerated HDD in the IdeaPad 330S performs much better than traditional hard drives. The 330S cannot run any demanding games.

The IdeaPad 330S impresses with a good amount of performance and earns a recommendation, thanks in large part to its low price.

The 600-Euro ($698) IdeaPad 330S gets a clear recommendation from us. Our review device evinces no flaws in terms of the build quality and both the keyboard and the ClickPad sit firmly in their positions. The poor selection of ports can be easily overcome with the help of the USB Type-C port. We have two major points of criticism: 1) the slow SD card reader and 2) the low display brightness. Moreover, the CPU performs a little worse than expected.

Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE - 09/14/2018 v6(old)
Mike Wobker

Chassis
88 / 98 → 90%
Keyboard
74%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
38 / 80 → 48%
Weight
65 / 20-67 → 95%
Battery
87%
Display
85%
Games Performance
59 / 68 → 86%
Application Performance
86 / 92 → 93%
Temperature
93%
Noise
92%
Audio
57%
Camera
27 / 85 → 32%
Average
72%
83%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB (i5-8250U, UHD620) Laptop Review
Mike Wobker, 2018-09-16 (Update: 2019-02-27)