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Lenovo IdeaPad 330s-15ARR Laptop Review: A powerful Ryzen 5 2500U laptop paired with disappointing battery life

Little stamina. The IdeaPad 330s-15ARR scores well with its Ryzen 5-2500U APU, fast NVMe SSD, and dual-channel RAM. Its dim and poor battery life inhibit what is a good laptop though.

Lenovo sells a range of 15.6-inch office laptops under its IdeaPad 330s-15 series. These are not to be confused with the similarly named IdeaPad 330-15, which are heavier and bulkier than their 330s counterparts. The 330s-15 series is not unknown to us either, having reviewed the IdeaPad 330s-15IKB in September last year. The focus of this review is the 330s-15ARR, the Ryzen 5 2500U powered twin of the 330s-15IKB.

We will compare our review unit against comparably priced 15.6-inch business laptops. Our comparison devices will include the Acer Aspire 3 A315-51, Dell Inspiron 15 5575, Fujitsu LifeBook A357, HP Pavilion 15 and the HP 250 G7.

We will skip straight to the display for this review, with the 330s-15ARR having the same design, connectivity and input devices as the 330s-15IKB. We have also omitted the Speakers section from this review. Please see our IdeaPad 330s-15IKB review for our thoughts on these areas.

Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE (IdeaPad 330S Series)
Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U 4 x 2 - 3.6 GHz, Zen
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000) - 1024 MB VRAM, Core: 1100 MHz, Memory: 1200 MHz, Dual-Channel, Adrenalin 19.6.1 (26.20.11015.9003)
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2666, dual-channel, one occupied SO-DIMM slot, 4 GB soldered
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LG Philips LP156WFC-SPD1, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
AMD CZ FCH
Storage
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G, 256 GB 
, 1x M.2 slot, 1x SATA III slot for 2.5-inch drives, 215 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC236 @ AMD K17.1 - Audio Processor - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combined microphone and headphone jack, Card Reader: SD, SDHC, SDXC
Networking
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.4 x 358.4 x 244.1 ( = 0.76 x 14.11 x 9.61 in)
Battery
30 Wh, 4050 mAh Lithium-Ion, 7.4 V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, McAfee LiveSafe trial, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.87 kg ( = 65.96 oz / 4.12 pounds), Power Supply: 168 g ( = 5.93 oz / 0.37 pounds)
Price
599 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Size Comparison

378 mm / 14.9 inch 256 mm / 10.1 inch 30.9 mm / 1.217 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs382 mm / 15 inch 259 mm / 10.2 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2.1 kg4.63 lbs380 mm / 15 inch 258 mm / 10.2 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 2.1 kg4.59 lbs376 mm / 14.8 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 22.5 mm / 0.886 inch 1.9 kg4.18 lbs361.6 mm / 14.2 inch 245.6 mm / 9.67 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.9 kg4.08 lbs358.4 mm / 14.1 inch 244.1 mm / 9.61 inch 19.4 mm / 0.764 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
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
145 MB/s +132%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
87 MB/s +39%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
62.4 MB/s
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s -11%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
39 MB/s -37%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
31.4 MB/s -50%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
30.9 MB/s -50%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
29.7 MB/s -52%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
165.7 MB/s +124%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
73.9 MB/s
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s -12%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
37.5 MB/s -49%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
36 MB/s -51%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
34.1 MB/s -54%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Office
  (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years)
810 MBit/s +152%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
347 MBit/s +8%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
339 MBit/s +5%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
322 (268min - 368max) MBit/s
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
315 MBit/s -2%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
269 MBit/s -16%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
269 (182min - 363max) MBit/s -16%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
163 MBit/s -49%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Office
  (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years)
852 MBit/s +204%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
429 MBit/s +53%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
345 MBit/s +23%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
337 MBit/s +20%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
305 MBit/s +9%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
281 (257min - 287max) MBit/s 0%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821
280 MBit/s 0%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
280 (275min - 283max) MBit/s
020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340360Tooltip
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø279 (275-283)
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø281 (257-287)
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø322 (268-368)
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES RealTek Semiconductor, Device ID: C821; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø269 (182-363)

Display

Lenovo equips the 330s-15ARR with the same matte 15.6-inch IPS display that we found in our 330s-15IKB review unit. The display operates natively at 1,920x1,080, while our review unit achieves an excellent 1,233:1 contrast ratio thanks to its impressively low 0.215 cd/m² black value. These are both considerably higher than our 330s-15IKB review unit, although the display in the 330s-15ARR only achieves an average maximum brightness of 241.8 cd/m², 4% dimmer than the one in its sibling.

Neither are impressive, and Lenovo should equip its 330s-15 series with displays that can achieve at least 300 cd/m² in our opinion. None of our comparison devices achieve this though, while only the HP Pavilion 15 has a contrast ratio beyond 1,000:1, our other minimum expectation for displays. On a positive note, the display in the 330s-15ARR does not use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate its brightness. No eye strain or headaches here, then.

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Our review unit suffers from minor backlight bleed
Our review unit suffers from minor backlight bleed
289
cd/m²
252
cd/m²
264
cd/m²
214
cd/m²
265
cd/m²
218
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
217
cd/m²
232
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP156WFC-SPD1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 289 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 241.8 cd/m² Minimum: 12 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 74 %
Center on Battery: 247 cd/m²
Contrast: 1233:1 (Black: 0.215 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.16 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 6.18
ΔE Greyscale 3.79 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
57% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.1% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.34
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
TN, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
TN LED, 1366x768, 15.60
Display
4%
4%
-4%
-7%
6%
5%
Display P3 Coverage
38.1
39.85
5%
39.61
4%
36.7
-4%
35.37
-7%
40.23
6%
40.02
5%
sRGB Coverage
57.2
58.8
3%
59.5
4%
55
-4%
53.2
-7%
60
5%
59.8
5%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.4
41.17
4%
40.93
4%
37.91
-4%
36.54
-7%
41.6
6%
41.37
5%
Response Times
-29%
15%
-13%
-13%
-11%
-24%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
34 ?(16, 18)
44 ?(21, 23)
-29%
41 ?(22, 19)
-21%
40 ?(18, 22)
-18%
38 ?(21, 17)
-12%
40 ?(22, 18)
-18%
50 ?(28, 22)
-47%
Response Time Black / White *
24 ?(14, 10)
31 ?(17, 14)
-29%
12 ?(7, 5)
50%
26 ?(16, 10)
-8%
27 ?(16, 11)
-13%
25 ?(20, 5)
-4%
24 ?(20, 4)
-0%
PWM Frequency
86000 ?(90)
25000 ?(90)
25000 ?(20)
250 ?(20)
Screen
-3%
-44%
1%
-3%
-47%
-45%
Brightness middle
265
283
7%
205
-23%
186
-30%
260
-2%
185
-30%
197
-26%
Brightness
242
252
4%
205
-15%
180
-26%
241
0%
166
-31%
195
-19%
Brightness Distribution
74
75
1%
88
19%
88
19%
87
18%
76
3%
78
5%
Black Level *
0.215
0.63
-193%
0.52
-142%
0.15
30%
0.39
-81%
0.37
-72%
0.43
-100%
Contrast
1233
449
-64%
394
-68%
1240
1%
667
-46%
500
-59%
458
-63%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.16
4.02
35%
11.15
-81%
5.94
4%
5.23
15%
11.26
-83%
10.35
-68%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
18
8.77
51%
19.08
-6%
10.81
40%
7.73
57%
18.65
-4%
16.02
11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
6.18
4.03
35%
2.98
52%
6.07
2%
4.2
32%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.79
0.8
79%
12.62
-233%
4.44
-17%
4.22
-11%
11.56
-205%
11.25
-197%
Gamma
2.34 94%
2.35 94%
2.38 92%
2.81 78%
2.62 84%
2.1 105%
2.08 106%
CCT
7258 90%
6552 99%
14189 46%
6272 104%
6104 106%
11788 55%
11592 56%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
36
38
6%
38
6%
35
-3%
34
-6%
38
6%
38
6%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
57
58
2%
59
4%
55
-4%
53
-7%
60
5%
60
5%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-9% / -5%
-8% / -28%
-5% / -1%
-8% / -5%
-17% / -32%
-21% / -32%

* ... smaller is better

With that said, our review unit has unacceptably high DeltaE colour deviations and disappointingly low colour space coverages. None of our comparison devices perform well here either though.

Positively, the display does not suffer from a blue tint as many do, and we were able to improve its colour accuracy with additional calibration. We have included our calibrated ICC profile in the box above our comparison table should you wish to use it.

CalMAN: Colour Accuracy
CalMAN: Colour Accuracy
CalMAN: Greyscale
CalMAN: Greyscale
CalMAN: Colour Saturation
CalMAN: Colour Saturation

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
24 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 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. » 48 % 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
34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16 ms rise
↘ 18 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. » 40 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to 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 not detected

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 330s-15ARR has stable viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel, making it readable from practically any angle. However, its maximum brightness is simply too dim for using the device comfortably outside. The matte finish helps diffuse distracting reflections, but the display looks completely washed out even on a cloudy day.

Using the IdeaPad 330s-15ARR outside on an overcast day
Using the IdeaPad 330s-15ARR outside on an overcast day
Viewing Angles
Viewing Angles

Performance

The 330s-15ARR currently retails for around €400 (~$452), although our review unit configuration costs between €550 (~$622) and €600 (~$678). Lenovo sells other variants too. Any model will be powerful enough for office and Internet-based applications.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
 
 

Processor

Lenovo has equipped our review unit with an AMD Ryzen 5 2500U Raven Ridge APU, a quad-core processor that has a 2 GHz base clock speed. The APU can reach up to 3.6 GHz thanks to AMD Precision Boost, which operates much like Intel Turbo Boost does. The APU utilises AMD simultaneous multithreading (SMT) to execute up to 8 threads. Again, SMT is AMD’s alternative to Intel Hyper-Threading.

Our review unit scores around 10% less than the Intel Core i5-8265U in single-threaded benchmarks such as Cinebench R15 Single 64Bit, and only 7% more than the Core i5 7200U. The APU comes into its own in multi-core optimised tasks though, as demonstrated by our comparison table below. Our review unit tops our CB R15 Multi 64Bit table, scoring a whopping 28% more than our best placed Intel powered comparison device.

The APU cannot maintain its peak clock speeds for long though. While it initially operates at 3.1 to 3.2 GHz in CB R15 Multi 64Bit, it quickly throttles to between 2.8 and 2.9 GHz. Likewise, clock speeds fluctuate between 1.6 and 3.6 GHz in single-core benchmarks.

These clock speeds only apply with the 330s-15ARR on charge though. By contrast, the APU initially operates at 2.4 GHz during multi-core benchmarks, before inexplicably boosting to between 2.6 and 2.9 GHz. Single-thread benchmarks fluctuate between 1.6 and 2.4 GHz too.

System information during a CB R15 Multi 64Bit on charge
System information during a CB R15 Multi 64Bit on charge
System information during a CB R15 Single 64Bit on charge
System information during a CB R15 Single 64Bit on charge
System information during a CB R15 Multi 64Bit on battery
System information during a CB R15 Multi 64Bit on battery
System information during a CB R15 Single 64Bit on battery
System information during a CB R15 Single 64Bit on battery

We also subjected our review unit to a looped CB R15 Multi 64Bit benchmark. We left the benchmark running for around 30 minutes to see how it manages its performance under sustained load.

Impressively, the APU maintains turbo clock speeds for 11 to 12 minutes, during which it generally scores between 610 and 618 points. The APU fluctuates between 2.8 and 2.9 GHz at this time. It then throttles to just above 2 GHz though, which causes the CB R15 Multi 64Bit score to plummet to 465 points, a level that the system consistently maintains after that. The 330s-15ARR still outperforms all but the HP 250 G7 of our comparison devices after throttling sets in though.

03570105140175210245280315350385420455490525560595Tooltip
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U: Ø505 (465.19-617.99)
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø486 (482.38-503.85)
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U: Ø431 (417.88-605.96)
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE Intel Core i5-7200U, Intel Core i5-7200U: Ø324 (321.43-326.09)
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA Intel Core i3-8130U, Intel Core i3-8130U: Ø335 (332.21-338.59)
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4 AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U: Ø289 (272.26-292.43)
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø461 (452.07-488.22)
CPU clock speeds during a CB R15 Multi 64Bit loop
CPU clock speeds during a CB R15 Multi 64Bit loop
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4381
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
16471
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
7632
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
137 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
618 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
48.44 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +57%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U
153 Points +12%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
140 Points +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
140 Points +2%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
137 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (124 - 142, n=15)
136.2 Points -1%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U
128 Points -7%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
124 Points -9%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
107 Points -22%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +123%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
618 Points
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
606 (417.88min - 605.96max) Points -2%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (510 - 642, n=16)
598 Points -3%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U
504 Points -18%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
488 Points -21%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
338 Points -45%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U
326 Points -47%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
306 Points -50%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Single 32Bit
Average of class Office
  (3465 - 9351, n=12, last 2 years)
6404 Points +46%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
5476 Points +25%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U
4979 Points +14%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
4381 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (4103 - 4473, n=6)
4371 Points 0%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
3729 Points -15%
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Office
  (6611 - 40266, n=12, last 2 years)
27456 Points +67%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
16471 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (13850 - 16471, n=6)
15426 Points -6%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
12142 Points -26%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U
11119 Points -32%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
6745 Points -59%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Office
  (181.3 - 764, n=120, last 2 years)
553 Points +57%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
352 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (338 - 357, n=4)
351 Points 0%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Office
  (356 - 5904, n=120, last 2 years)
3055 Points +123%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1367 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (1103 - 1367, n=4)
1267 Points -7%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Office
  (last 2 years)
16771 Points +37%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
12280 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (10506 - 12280, n=5)
11390 Points -7%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
6935 Points -44%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
6766 Points -45%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U
6418 Points -48%
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Office
  (last 2 years)
4096 Points +21%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3383 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (3234 - 3477, n=5)
3379 Points 0%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
3107 Points -8%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
2952 Points -13%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U
2860 Points -15%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Office
  (4762 - 35532, n=19, last 2 years)
18933 Points +83%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
10341 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (9434 - 10871, n=8)
10029 Points -3%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
7470 Points -28%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U
7066 Points -32%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Average of class Office
  (2776 - 7072, n=19, last 2 years)
5099 Points +37%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U
3919 Points +6%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3713 Points
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U
3648 Points -2%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (3275 - 3789, n=8)
3641 Points -2%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
1979 ms * -40%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1421 ms * -0%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U (Edge 44)
1414 ms *
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (1138 - 1443, n=10)
1349 ms * +5%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U (Edge 41)
1320 ms * +7%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
999 ms * +29%
Average of class Office
  (479 - 1966, n=111, last 2 years)
742 ms * +48%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Office
  (21416 - 93596, n=52, last 2 years)
69674 Points +166%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U (Edge 41)
27818 Points +6%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U (Edge 44)
26237 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (21539 - 29587, n=10)
25871 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
22772 Points -13%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
20430 Points -22%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Office
  (117.1 - 544, n=19, last 2 years)
369 Points +94%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U (Edge 41)
208.9 Points +10%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U (Edge 44)
189.9 Points
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
189.2 Points 0%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U (Edge 42)
188.5 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U
181.8 Points -4%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
  (118.2 - 209, n=10)
178.6 Points -6%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
130 Points -32%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The combination of a quad-core Ryzen APU, a fast NVMe SSD and dual-channel RAM makes for fast and smooth system performance. We encountered no lags, stutters or any other problems during our tests, with the 330s-15ARR performing well in daily use.

In short, the device has more than enough power for general office and Internet-based tasks. Our PCMark results below underline this, with the 330s-15ARR outscoring all our comparison devices overall.

PCMark 7 Score
6542 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3326 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3381 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4447 points
PCMark 10 Score
3600 points
Help
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +48%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
3609 Points 0%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
3600 Points
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
3573 Points -1%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
3230 Points -10%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (2501 - 3685, n=12)
3182 Points -12%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron SSD 1100 SED 256GB MTFDDAK256TBN
3106 Points -14%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
2534 Points -30%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points +35%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
8110 Points +12%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
7660 Points +5%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
7272 Points
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
6696 Points -8%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron SSD 1100 SED 256GB MTFDDAK256TBN
6539 Points -10%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (5288 - 7272, n=12)
6483 Points -11%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
5206 Points -28%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +42%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
6171 Points +18%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
6079 Points +16%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
5777 Points +10%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron SSD 1100 SED 256GB MTFDDAK256TBN
5386 Points +3%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
5250 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (3113 - 5574, n=12)
4571 Points -13%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
4110 Points -22%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +73%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
3318 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (2351 - 3363, n=12)
2971 Points -10%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
2723 Points -18%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
2620 Points -21%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron SSD 1100 SED 256GB MTFDDAK256TBN
2311 Points -30%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
2249 Points -32%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
2066 Points -38%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +28%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
3621 Points +9%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron SSD 1100 SED 256GB MTFDDAK256TBN
3433 Points +3%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
3404 Points +2%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (3049 - 3550, n=14)
3340 Points 0%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
3326 Points
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
3302 Points -1%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
3254 Points -2%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Vega 3, R3 2200U, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
3185 Points -4%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U
4783 Points +8%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
HD Graphics 620, i5-7200U, Micron SSD 1100 SED 256GB MTFDDAK256TBN
4565 Points +3%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
4542 Points +2%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8130U, Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
4534 Points +2%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
4467 Points 0%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4447 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (3437 - 4870, n=11)
4211 Points -5%
Average of class Office
  (1854 - 5610, n=12, last 2 years)
3746 Points -16%

Storage Devices

Lenovo has equipped our review unit with a 256 GB Western Digital SN520 SSD. The M.2 2242 drive is something of a rarity, with most OEMs including M.2 2280 ones instead.

Our review unit had around 215 GB available at delivery, the remainder of which is distributed between the recovery partition and the Windows 10 installation. The NVMe SSD achieved decent transfer speeds in CrystalDiskMark, outperforming all other drives in our comparison table. The 512 GB version averaged 36% higher transfer speeds in the HP 250 G7 though, which is a surprising performance difference.

Lenovo has also included a 2.5-inch drive bay should you need more storage. The company pre-installs the SATA III cable and mounting frame, allowing you to add a drive without having to purchase any additional components.

A look at the Western Digital SN520 SSD in our review unit
A look at the Western Digital SN520 SSD in our review unit
A 2.5-inch drive can be retrofitted if necessary
A 2.5-inch drive can be retrofitted if necessary
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Sequential Read: 1303 MB/s
Sequential Write: 749 MB/s
512K Read: 858 MB/s
512K Write: 513 MB/s
4K Read: 27.99 MB/s
4K Write: 97.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 261.3 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 196 MB/s
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
 
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW512G7
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Micron SSD 1100 SED 256GB MTFDDAK256TBN
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Kingston RBUSNS8180S3128GI1
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LM035
Average WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-43%
36%
-21%
-50%
-38%
-95%
5%
Write 4K
120.4
179.3
49%
105.8
-12%
72.1
-40%
101.4
-16%
3.776
-97%
118.5 ?(81.7 - 172.9, n=13)
-2%
Read 4K
41.23
47.7
16%
29.22
-29%
25
-39%
26.75
-35%
0.439
-99%
42 ?(34.4 - 47.9, n=13)
2%
Write Seq
1293
158.1
-88%
1265
-2%
581
-55%
413.2
-68%
383
-70%
74.9
-94%
1123 ?(645 - 1302, n=13)
-13%
Read Seq
1289
892
-31%
1184
-8%
1065
-17%
488.9
-62%
432.4
-66%
136.3
-89%
1208 ?(803 - 1388, n=13)
-6%
Write 4K Q32T1
206
162.2
-21%
450.6
119%
201
-2%
161.5
-22%
292.1
42%
4.585
-98%
324 ?(187.6 - 461, n=13)
57%
Read 4K Q32T1
275.7
320.4
16%
556
102%
278.6
1%
184.8
-33%
225.1
-18%
1.135
-100%
322 ?(231 - 506, n=13)
17%
Write Seq Q32T1
1301
160.2
-88%
1455
12%
584
-55%
432.3
-67%
382.8
-71%
114.5
-91%
1091 ?(518 - 1302, n=13)
-16%
Read Seq Q32T1
1739
933
-46%
1717
-1%
1824
5%
531
-69%
526
-70%
146
-92%
1729 ?(1688 - 1751, n=13)
-1%

Graphics Card

The 330s-15ARR relies on the Radeon RX Vega 8 GPU, which AMD integrates within the Ryzen 5 2500U APU. The GPU supports DirectX 12 and can reach a maximum of 1,100 MHz when required.

Our review unit performed at expected levels in 3DMark, with it typically scoring double what UHD Graphics 620 GPU powered laptops can achieve. The RX Vega 8 even outperforms some dedicated solutions such as the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 and GeForce MX230, which is mighty impressive considering that it is an integrated solution.

Ice Storm Unlimited
Ice Storm Unlimited
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Night Raid
Night Raid
3DMark 06 Standard Score
13329 points
3DMark 11 Performance
3800 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
54920 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
12881 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
2262 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
794 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +59%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3706 Points
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i7-8565U
3582 Points -3%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (1668 - 4317, n=44)
3447 Points -7%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
3318 Points -10%
HP Pavilion 15-cs0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2895 Points -22%
Dell Vostro 15-5581
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8265U
2476 Points -33%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2381 Points -36%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
2121 Points -43%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1805 Points -51%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1658 Points -55%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
1527 Points -59%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8130U
1366 Points -63%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points +35%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i7-8565U
17999 Points +2%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
17712 Points
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (7309 - 19399, n=37)
15327 Points -13%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
15299 Points -14%
HP Pavilion 15-cs0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
13610 Points -23%
Dell Vostro 15-5581
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8265U
13240 Points -25%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
11226 Points -37%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
10858 Points -39%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
10069 Points -43%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
8169 Points -54%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
7584 Points -57%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Radeon RX Vega 3, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
7049 Points -60%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8130U
6911 Points -61%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points +64%
Lenovo Ideapad S340-14IWL-81N70056GE
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i7-8565U
2729 Points +10%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2476 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
2369 Points -4%
HP Pavilion 15-cs0003ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8250U
2347 Points -5%
Dell Vostro 15-5581
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8265U
2267 Points -8%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (1095 - 2901, n=41)
2224 Points -10%
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1715 Points -31%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
1714 Points -31%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1043 Points -58%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Radeon RX Vega 3, AMD Ryzen 3 2200U
996 Points -60%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel HD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-7200U
970 Points -61%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8130U
819 Points -67%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
557 Points -78%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Office
  (242 - 3186, n=113, last 2 years)
1323 Points +88%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, Intel Core i5-8265U
710 Points +1%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
705 Points
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (523 - 790, n=23)
673 Points -5%
Dell Vostro 15-5581
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i5-8265U
649 Points -8%
HP 15-da0405ng
NVIDIA GeForce MX110, Intel Core i5-8250U
464 Points -34%

Gaming Performance

This does not make the 330s-15ARR a gaming laptop in disguise though. Complex modern titles such as "Assassin’s Creed Odyssey", "Hitman 2" and "Metro Exodus" are beyond the capabilities of the RX Vega 8, but it will play older triple-A titles such as "The Witcher 3" at acceptable framerates.

You must put up with playing the game at minimum graphics settings though, but games such as "BioShock Infinite", "League of Legends" and "PUBG" are playable at high graphics settings. Likewise, we could only achieve these framerates with the resolution set to 1,366x768.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 115 72.1 59.4 16.7
The Witcher 3 (2015) 37.1 20 9.7 6.9
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 58.4 52.1 39.6 33
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) (2017) 42.4 19 16 13.9
F1 2018 (2018) 34 19 14 12
Assassin´s Creed Odyssey (2018) 23 11 9 6
Hitman 2 (2018) 19 9.8 9.1 6.4
Just Cause 4 (2018) 31.2 18.2 13.9 11.5
Metro Exodus (2019) 17.2 7.1 5.3 3.1
League of Legends (2019) 102 79.2 70 69
BioShock Infinite - 1366x768 High Preset
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
59.4 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (17.2 - 68, n=16)
52.2 fps -12%
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
29.9 fps -50%
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
AMD Ryzen 3 2200U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 3
28.5 fps -52%
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
23.6 fps -60%
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
Intel Core i5-7200U, Intel HD Graphics 620
21.6 fps -64%
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
Intel Core i3-8130U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
19.4 fps -67%
The Witcher 3 - 1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Office
  (8.4 - 149, n=102, last 2 years)
71.3 fps +92%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
37.1 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (22 - 50.7, n=18)
34.7 fps -6%
Dota 2 Reborn - 1366x768 med (1/3)
Average of class Office
  (10.9 - 127, n=124, last 2 years)
75.8 fps +45%
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
  (39.9 - 76.3, n=29)
58.9 fps +13%
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
52.1 fps
League of Legends - 1920x1080 Very High AA:on
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
69 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
69 fps 0%

Emissions

Fan Noise

The 330s-15ARR always runs quietly, although rarely silently. This is also true when the system is idling, during which it occasionally peaks at 31.3 dB(A). The fan remains quiet when we pushed our review unit hard too. We recorded a peak volume of 35.2 dB(A) during our stress test, which most people should only hear when using the 330s-15ARR in a quiet room.

Noise Level

Idle
30.6 / 31.3 / 31.3 dB(A)
Load
33.2 / 35.2 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: 30.6 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.333.732.833.833.32532.632.831.234.332.63135.835.73637.335.84032.130.533.233.432.15029.929.83233.229.96329.931.331.229.829.98027.826.428.227.727.810026.228.32725.726.212526.326.524.725.526.316025.624.924.324.925.62002424.223.724.2242502324.122.923.32331523.624.921.322.223.640022.22321.621.222.250021.32220.42021.363020.522.419.819.520.58002122.119.418.721100022.825.120.418.322.8125021.924.319.31821.9160021.824.61917.421.8200021.524.518.717.621.5250022.525.720.417.622.5315022.624.318.117.922.6400018.820.51817.918.8500018.519.718.118.218.5630018.419.318.218.218.4800018.518.718.418.118.51000018.518.318.318.218.51250018.418.318.318.218.41600018.218.318.318.218.2SPL33.235.231.330.633.2N1.721.41.31.7median 21.8median 24.1median 19.4median 18.2median 21.8Delta2.52.71.82.12.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
R5 2500U, Vega 8
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
R5 2500U, Vega 8
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
i3-8130U, UHD Graphics 620
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
R3 2200U, Vega 3
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
Average of class Office
 
Noise
-1%
-0%
-1%
-1%
1%
-3%
2%
10%
off / environment *
30.6
30.5
-0%
30.7
-0%
30.5
-0%
30.3
1%
30
2%
30.4
1%
29.3 ?(23.2 - 31.8, n=40)
4%
24.5 ?(21.1 - 29.9, n=103, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Minimum *
30.6
30.9
-1%
30.9
-1%
31.4
-3%
30.3
1%
30
2%
31.4
-3%
29.7 ?(24.5 - 32.8, n=41)
3%
24.7 ?(22.4 - 29.9, n=103, last 2 years)
19%
Idle Average *
31.3
30.9
1%
31.6
-1%
31.4
-0%
30.3
3%
30
4%
31.4
-0%
29.9 ?(24.5 - 32.8, n=41)
4%
24.9 ?(22.4 - 30.8, n=103, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Maximum *
31.3
31.3
-0%
31.6
-1%
31.6
-1%
30.3
3%
30
4%
31.6
-1%
30.2 ?(24.5 - 34.2, n=41)
4%
25.9 ?(22.8 - 34.9, n=103, last 2 years)
17%
Load Average *
33.2
34.1
-3%
34.3
-3%
33.5
-1%
37
-11%
36.7
-11%
31.9
4%
33.8 ?(27.1 - 43.9, n=41)
-2%
34.8 ?(22.8 - 47.6, n=103, last 2 years)
-5%
Load Maximum *
35.2
36.5
-4%
33.8
4%
35.9
-2%
36.9
-5%
34.5
2%
40.9
-16%
36.1 ?(31.2 - 52, n=41)
-3%
39.9 ?(27.3 - 49.8, n=103, last 2 years)
-13%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

System information during a FurMark and Prime95 stress test
System information during a FurMark and Prime95 stress test

As mentioned earlier, we subjected our review unit to a combined FurMark and Prime95 stress test to see how the system operates under extreme load. This stress test pushes devices harder than most people would do in daily use, for reference.

We left our stress test running for an hour, by the end of which the APU had dropped to 1 GHz, having started at around 2.1 to 2.2 GHz before throttling to between 1.5 and 1.6 GHz. By contrast, the integrated GPU could only peak at 300 MHz and had dropped to a constant 200 MHz by the end of the stress test.

This heavy throttling allows the 330s-15ARR to keep its surface temperatures in check though. The hottest area of our review unit only reached a maximum of 37.4 °C (~99 °F), with most areas remaining at around 25 °C (~77 °F). The device should never feel hot to the touch in daily use too.

Max. Load
 31.4 °C
89 F
35.1 °C
95 F
29.4 °C
85 F
 
 31 °C
88 F
34.7 °C
94 F
26.4 °C
80 F
 
 26.5 °C
80 F
27 °C
81 F
24.6 °C
76 F
 
Maximum: 35.1 °C = 95 F
Average: 29.6 °C = 85 F
30.8 °C
87 F
37.4 °C
99 F
34 °C
93 F
24.2 °C
76 F
33 °C
91 F
31 °C
88 F
24.4 °C
76 F
25.6 °C
78 F
26.9 °C
80 F
Maximum: 37.4 °C = 99 F
Average: 29.7 °C = 85 F
Power Supply (max.)  40.5 °C = 105 F | Room Temperature 22.7 °C = 73 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 29.6 °C / 85 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 35.1 °C / 95 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 37.4 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27 °C / 81 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 27 °C / 80.6 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 (+0.7 °C / 1.3 F).
Heatmap of the top of the device under load
Heatmap of the top of the device under load
Heatmap of the bottom of the device under load
Heatmap of the bottom of the device under load
Heatmap of the top of the device at idle
Heatmap of the top of the device at idle
Heatmap of the bottom of the device at idle
Heatmap of the bottom of the device at idle
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
R5 2500U, Vega 8
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
R5 2500U, Vega 8
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
i3-8130U, UHD Graphics 620
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
R3 2200U, Vega 3
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
Average of class Office
 
Heat
-7%
5%
9%
1%
-1%
-10%
-5%
-6%
Maximum Upper Side *
35.1
39.2
-12%
35.1
-0%
37.3
-6%
33.2
5%
40
-14%
45
-28%
40.1 ?(32 - 58.4, n=39)
-14%
41 ?(30.4 - 50, n=108, last 2 years)
-17%
Maximum Bottom *
37.4
39.7
-6%
42.4
-13%
37.3
-0%
38.8
-4%
34.6
7%
41.2
-10%
42.7 ?(33 - 53.8, n=39)
-14%
43.6 ?(26.2 - 63.6, n=108, last 2 years)
-17%
Idle Upper Side *
30
30.8
-3%
25.4
15%
23.7
21%
28.8
4%
29.2
3%
29.5
2%
28.1 ?(23.7 - 38.6, n=39)
6%
28.3 ?(21.6 - 38.6, n=107, last 2 years)
6%
Idle Bottom *
30.6
32
-5%
25.8
16%
23.9
22%
31.5
-3%
30.9
-1%
31.7
-4%
29.4 ?(23.5 - 40, n=39)
4%
29.6 ?(22.2 - 47.3, n=107, last 2 years)
3%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.333.833.32533.134.333.13132.137.332.14031.333.431.3503133.2316329.629.829.68028.627.728.61002825.72812527.325.527.31602724.92720027.924.227.925044.423.344.431560.622.260.64006621.26650058.92058.963062.419.562.480069.418.769.4100069.918.369.9125065.51865.5160061.317.461.3200063.917.663.9250058.817.658.8315059.617.959.640005717.957500062.618.262.6630060.818.260.8800056.318.156.31000057.318.257.31250059.218.259.21600055.618.255.6SPL75.630.675.6N33.51.333.5median 59.2median 18.2median 59.2Delta7.62.17.6hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (69.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 66% of all tested devices in this class were better, 10% similar, 24% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 68% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

The 330s-15ARR is relatively power efficient by RX Vega 8 standards, consuming around 6% less than the average of devices that we have reviewed. However, it consumes more than all our comparison devices. Our review unit consumes a minimum of 5.2 W at idle, which rose to a maximum of 46.6 W during our FurMark and Prime95 combined stress test. The system can only maintain this peak consumption temporarily before the APU throttles to around 38 W. In practical terms, this means that its 45-W power supply can keep the 330s-15ARR charging even when the system is being pushed to its limits.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.35 / 0.45 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.2 / 8.3 / 8.2 Watt
Load midlight 38 / 46.6 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-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
R5 2500U, Vega 8
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
R5 2500U, Vega 8
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
i3-8130U, UHD Graphics 620
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
R3 2200U, Vega 3
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000)
 
Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
13%
24%
6%
23%
8%
3%
-7%
-2%
Idle Minimum *
5.2
5
4%
3.2
38%
4.5
13%
3.65
30%
5.4
-4%
5
4%
5.68 ?(3.7 - 11.5, n=42)
-9%
4.27 ?(2.2 - 9.4, n=107, last 2 years)
18%
Idle Average *
8.3
7.6
8%
5.7
31%
7.3
12%
6.8
18%
8.2
1%
8.4
-1%
8.75 ?(5.86 - 21.8, n=42)
-5%
7.32 ?(3.8 - 20.6, n=107, last 2 years)
12%
Idle Maximum *
8.2
8.6
-5%
6.1
26%
9.4
-15%
6.9
16%
8.4
-2%
9.2
-12%
10.1 ?(6.36 - 22.2, n=42)
-23%
9.1 ?(4.8 - 23.9, n=107, last 2 years)
-11%
Load Average *
38
25.6
33%
36.5
4%
34
11%
29.1
23%
32.2
15%
30
21%
37.8 ?(24.1 - 55.3, n=42)
1%
40.4 ?(8.7 - 75.2, n=106, last 2 years)
-6%
Load Maximum *
46.6
34
27%
37.5
20%
41.9
10%
34
27%
32.6
30%
44.7
4%
46.2 ?(26.5 - 65.6, n=42)
1%
57.4 ?(11.1 - 101.4, n=107, last 2 years)
-23%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Lenovo equips the 330s-15ARR with a measly 30 Wh battery, which is never going to last long between charges in a 15.6-inch laptop. Our review unit only managed 4:03 hours in our practical Wi-Fi test before it needed recharging, which puts it dead last in our comparison table. We conduct this test by running a script that simulates the load required to render websites and adjust the display to approximately 150 cd/m², for reference. We also leave the Windows 10 power plan on Balanced.

Our review unit performed equally poorly in our looped H.264 video test with a runtime of 4:21 hours. We disable all power saving features and radios for this test, although we keep the display at 150 cd/m².

In short, the 330S-15ARR has dreadful battery life. It cannot compete with its sibling, the 330s-15IKB, either on account of its 22 Wh smaller battery. The inclusion of a 2.5-inch drive bay is the reason for this battery capacity discrepancy, and it is not one that seems worth it following these results.

The IdeaPad 330s-15ARR has only a 30 Wh battery
The IdeaPad 330s-15ARR has only a 30 Wh battery
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
7h 20min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 44)
4h 03min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
4h 21min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 30min
Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE
R5 2500U, Vega 8, 30 Wh
Lenovo IdeaPad 330S-15IKB-81F500N5GE
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 52 Wh
HP 250 G7 6HM85ES
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 41 Wh
HP Pavilion 15-cw0003ng
R5 2500U, Vega 8, 41 Wh
Fujitsu Lifebook A357-A3570MPH06DE
i5-7200U, HD Graphics 620, 49 Wh
Acer Aspire 3 A315-51-30YA
i3-8130U, UHD Graphics 620, 37 Wh
Dell Inspiron 15 5575-98MH4
R3 2200U, Vega 3, 42 Wh
Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
47%
48%
17%
94%
16%
6%
140%
Reader / Idle
440
754
71%
833
89%
504
15%
570
30%
1414 ?(527 - 2359, n=23, last 2 years)
221%
H.264
261
426
63%
230
-12%
691 ?(348 - 1112, n=40, last 2 years)
165%
WiFi v1.3
243
350
44%
339
40%
302
24%
471
94%
281
16%
251
3%
589 ?(272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
142%
Load
90
113
26%
91
1%
126
40%
77
-14%
117 ?(56 - 209, n=65, last 2 years)
30%

Pros

+ matte IPS screen
+ Full HD resolution
+ NVMe SSD
+ space for a 2.5-inch drive
+ good keyboard
+ fast card reader

Cons

- low maximum display brightness
- average Wi-Fi speeds
- small battery
- awful battery life

Verdict

The Lenovo IdeaPad 330s-15ARR (81FB00C7GE) laptop review. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 330s-15ARR (81FB00C7GE) laptop review. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 330s-15ARR is a 15.6-inch budget office laptop that may attract people with its stylish design and thin display bezels. The combination of a Ryzen 5 2500U APU and 8 GB of DDR4 RAM is powerful enough for all general Office and internet-based applications too, with the latter offering better multi-core performance than competing Intel chips. The integrated Radeon RX Vega 8 GPU can even handle some light gaming, which is a plus.

Likewise, Lenovo has equipped the 330s-15ARR with a fast NVMe SSD that keeps the system running smoothly. We like the inclusion of a 2.5-inch drive bay too, should you need more storage. You could always upgrade the pre-installed M.2 SSD though. Performing either upgrade requires disassembling the device, but this is a relatively simple task by modern laptop standards.

We are also fans of the keyboard in the 330s-15ARR, which is pleasant to type on thanks to its large and well-spaced out keys. Keyboard backlighting should not be an optional extra in 2019 though, even for laptops at this price.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 330s-15ARR is a stylish office laptop that impressed us in many areas. Its dim display, weak Wi-Fi and awful battery life sell short what could have been a good laptop though.

Its matte IPS display scores well for its stable viewing angles and great contrast ratio too. However, its maximum brightness is simply too dim, while its colour space coverages are equally disappointing.

Battery life is one of the weak points of the IdeaPad 330s-15ARR though. Lenovo equips the laptop with only a 30 Wh battery, which was always going to result in short runtimes. Lenovo equips the otherwise identical 15IKB with a 52 Wh battery, so double check which model you are buying before it is too late, as the latter has considerably better battery life than the former.

Likewise, while we like that Lenovo has included a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C port, we cannot understand why it did not include support for DisplayPort or USB power delivery. The speed of the integrated Wi-Fi module is another sore point too, and one which could have been easily avoided had Lenovo included a faster alternative instead. Overall, the IdeaPad 330S-15ARR is a good laptop blighted by severe shortcomings.

Lenovo Ideapad 330S-15ARR-81FB00C7GE - 06/22/2019 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
88 / 98 → 90%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
40 / 80 → 50%
Weight
65 / 20-67 → 95%
Battery
76%
Display
83%
Games Performance
67 / 68 → 98%
Application Performance
78 / 92 → 85%
Temperature
94%
Noise
92%
Audio
57%
Camera
27 / 85 → 32%
Average
72%
82%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo IdeaPad 330s-15ARR Laptop Review: A powerful Ryzen 5 2500U laptop paired with disappointing battery life
Sascha Mölck, 2019-06-22 (Update: 2019-06-23)