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Lenovo IdeaPad 720 (i5-7200U, RX 560) Laptop Review

Misleading first impressions. Lenovo is equipping its 2018 multimedia notebooks with 2016 processors. Even more surprising is the consistently solid concept, which does not shy away from the competition. The AMD Radeon graphics is a small highlight and one which allows for some gaming.

Lenovo is striving for a piece of the mid-range multimedia notebook market with its IdeaPad 720-15IKB. The IdeaPad 720 must combine a premium case with impressive system performance to stand out in this competitive segment. Lenovo describes the IdeaPad 720 as a device where “premium performance meets stylish design”. Our test device is equipped with an Intel Core i5-7200U processor, an AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop) GPU, 8 GB RAM, a 256 GB SSD and a 1 TB HDD. This configuration costs 950 Euros (~$1108), putting it just shy of the premium level 1,000-Euro mark (~$1166).

We will be comparing the IdeaPad 720 against several competitors. We have chosen the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5, which costs 1,100 Euros (~$1283) but packs a powerful Intel Core i5 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU, and 16 GB DDR4-2400 RAM. We will also be comparing the IdeaPad 720 against the ASUS ZenBook UX3430UN as it has comparable hardware to the Mi Notebook Pro. The UX3430UN has a 14-inch display in comparison to the IdeaPad 720’s 15.6-inch display.

The final two main devices against which we will be comparing the IdeaPad 720 are the HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000 and the Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU. Both devices offer more graphics performance thanks to their Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 GPUs. The Pavilion Power 15 is priced closely to the IdeaPad 720, while the Aspire 7 is slightly cheaper at around 900 Euros (~$1049).

Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB (IdeaPad 720 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-7200U 2 x 2.5 - 3.1 GHz, Kaby Lake, Dual-core, 15 W Thermal design power (TDP)
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop) - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1202 MHz, Memory: 1500 MHz, GDDR5, 22.19.128.3, AMD Dynamic Switchable Graphics
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4, Dual-Channel, one soldered channel and one SO-DIMM slot
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LG Philips LGD0573 LP156WF9-SPK2, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, 256 GB 
, Samsung PM961 256 GB SSD, 1 TB Western Digital HDD, 1083 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 headphone & microphone jack, Card Reader: SD, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 23 x 362.5 x 225 ( = 0.91 x 14.27 x 8.86 in)
Battery
40 Wh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: HARMAN optimised stereo speakers, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.03 kg ( = 71.61 oz / 4.48 pounds), Power Supply: 446 g ( = 15.73 oz / 0.98 pounds)
Price
959 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

At first glance, it appears that Lenovo has spared neither costs nor effort in designing the IdeaPad 720. The case is made from high-quality aluminum with a mineral-gray finish that gives the device a robust well-crafted appearance. Flipping the device over highlights some economizing though. Lenovo has fitted the IdeaPad 720 with a plastic bottom case rather than machine one from the same aluminum that has been used elsewhere.

The impressive workmanship continues with the display hinge too. The hinge is relatively stiff, so much so that we had to use two hands to open our test device. A benefit of this stiffness is that the display opens with hardly any wobbling. Opening the display reveals chrome borders around the trackpad, fingerprint reader and the display hinge. We can only speculate that these are intended to give the IdeaPad 720 a more premium look as they bring no additional functionality.

The battery is built-in. Accessing the battery and other components requires removing the plastic bottom case. There are no maintenance covers as we tend to see on business notebooks.

Overall, the IdeaPad 720 has a high-quality case. The Mi Notebook Pro i5 is the only comparable comparison device in this regard. By contrast, the Aspire 7 and Pavilion Power 5 have plastic cases, while the ZenBook UX3430UN only has an aluminum display lid.

The IdeaPad 720 has well-crafted aluminum surfaces
The IdeaPad 720 has well-crafted aluminum surfaces

The IdeaPad 720 measures 362.5 mm x 225 mm x 23 and weighs 2 kg. The relatively slim design and low weight make the device portable enough to be a welcome travel companion. The IdeaPad 720 is thicker than both the Mi Notebook Pro i5 and the ZenBook UX3430UN, with the former weighing the same as the IdeaPad 720. The Aspire 7 and the Pavilion Power 15 both weigh around 400 g more than the IdeaPad 720. Both devices have considerably larger footprints too.

Size Comparison

381.6 mm / 15 inch 262.8 mm / 10.3 inch 23.95 mm / 0.943 inch 2.4 kg5.34 lbs378 mm / 14.9 inch 252.2 mm / 9.93 inch 24.1 mm / 0.949 inch 2.4 kg5.2 lbs362.5 mm / 14.3 inch 225 mm / 8.86 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2 kg4.48 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 244 mm / 9.61 inch 15 mm / 0.591 inch 2 kg4.3 lbs324 mm / 12.8 inch 225 mm / 8.86 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.3 kg2.87 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

The IdeaPad 720 has enough ports for typical everyday needs. Lenovo has equipped the device with two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, one USB 3.0 Type-C port, an HDMI port, an SD card reader and an RJ45 Ethernet port among others.

Left-hand side: power connector, RJ45 Ethernet, 1 x USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-C, 3.5 mm jack, status LED
Left-hand side: power connector, RJ45 Ethernet, 1 x USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-C, 3.5 mm jack, status LED
Right-hand side: SD card reader, USB 3.0 Type-A, Kensington lock
Right-hand side: SD card reader, USB 3.0 Type-A, Kensington lock

SD Card Reader

The IdeaPad 720 has a full-sized SD card slot that we tested using our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference SD card in two scenarios. Firstly, we run AS SSD benchmark, in which our test device averaged 88 MB/s over three runs. This score is 27% better than the average performance of the multimedia notebooks that we have tested at the time of writing. The IdeaPad 720 has better SD card performance in AS SSD benchmark than all our comparison devices except for the Pavilion Power 15, which scored 50% higher than the IdeaPad 720. Our second SD card test is more practical. We copied a series of JPEG files that were approximately 5 MB each and measured the transmission speed. Our test device scored 80 MB/s in this test, which is 55% faster than the average performance of the multimedia laptops that we have tested and faster than all our comparison devices too.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 205, n=61, last 2 years)
93 MB/s +16%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
80.1 MB/s
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
73.5 MB/s -8%
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
68.3 MB/s -15%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.61 MB/s -56%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26 MB/s -68%
Dell Vostro 15 3568
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
22.2 MB/s -72%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
 
21.4 MB/s -73%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
131.7 MB/s +49%
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=57, last 2 years)
122.4 MB/s +39%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
88.1 MB/s
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
84.4 MB/s -4%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
36.8 MB/s -58%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.5 MB/s -69%
Dell Vostro 15 3568
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
23 MB/s -74%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
 
17.4 MB/s -80%

Communication

The IdeaPad 720 has an Intel Dual Band Wireless AC-3165 module that has 2X2 MIMO antennas and Bluetooth 4.1 support. This is a frequently used Wi-Fi modem, but for some reason, our test device performed notably poorly in iperf3 Client Wi-Fi tests. Our test device achieved a meager 174 Mb/s receive speed and a shockingly poor 48 Mb/s transmission speed. All our comparison devices are more than 200% quicker than our test device in terms of receive speeds, a gap which increases to 800% in most cases for transmission speeds.

These shockingly low speeds were not a one-off either as we were able to replicate the results at different times. We have seen similar speeds with other laptops, albeit rarely. Perhaps a driver update would help, but we cannot rule out a hardware defect as these Wi-Fi speeds are far too low for an Intel AC-3165.

Alternatively, the Ethernet port theoretically supports up to 1,000 Mb/s transfer speeds.

The IdeaPad 720 has an HD 720p webcam for which we cannot find any positive words. The colors and details are distorted while image noise increases dramatically in darker environments.

IdeaPad 720 HD webcam
IdeaPad 720 HD webcam
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 7 Plus
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (285 - 1094, n=5, last 2 years)
789 MBit/s +1544%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
664 MBit/s +1283%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
512 MBit/s +967%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
478 MBit/s +896%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
471 MBit/s +881%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
465 MBit/s +869%
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
415 MBit/s +765%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
48 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Multimedia
  (625 - 1675, n=5, last 2 years)
1127 MBit/s +548%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
648 MBit/s +272%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
645 MBit/s +271%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
637 MBit/s +266%
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
627 MBit/s +260%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
585 MBit/s +236%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
530 MBit/s +205%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
174 MBit/s

Accessories

The IdeaPad 720 comes with a 90 W power supply, some security information and a card detailing Lenovo’s technical support telephone number. Lenovo offers no accessories specific to the IdeaPad 720 on its website.

Maintenance

Accessing the internal hardware requires removing 11 screws from the bottom case and carefully prying the plastic bottom case from the rest of the device. We would recommend using specialist tools for this like a plastic spudger as the bottom case is also secured to the rest of the device with plastic fasteners, which could break if you use too much force. Removing the bottom case gives you access to the internal components including the internal storage, the battery and the fans among others.

The view of the internal components once the bottom case is removed.
The view of the internal components once the bottom case is removed.
The IdeaPad 720 has two fans.
The IdeaPad 720 has two fans.
A view of the M.2-2280 SSD and the Wi-Fi module.
A view of the M.2-2280 SSD and the Wi-Fi module.
A view of the SO-DIMM slot and the additional 1 TB HDD that are both hidden under protective covers.
A view of the SO-DIMM slot and the additional 1 TB HDD that are both hidden under protective covers.

Warranty

The IdeaPad 720 has two years manufacturer’s warranty, which can be extended to three years for 27 Euros (~$31). Lenovo also offers accidental cover for 56 Euros (~$65) which covers against drops and liquid damage. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

The IdeaPad 720 has a full-sized chiclet keyboard and numpad about which we can only speak positively. The keys are a decent size, with the numpad keys being slightly narrower than the rest. The overall writing experience is pleasant thanks to each key’s crisp and precise pressure point. The stroke is a bit shallow for our liking, but this does not detract from the writing experience overall. Key noise is dull except for the space bar too, which adds to the experience of writing on the IdeaPad 720. The only gripe that we have for the keyboard is the lack of backlighting, which we would have liked. 

Touchpad

The IdeaPad 720 has a decent touchpad too. The touchpad has a smooth finish and measures 7.5 x 10 cm, which should be sufficiently large for most users. Tracking and gestures work well even into the corners of the touchpad.

The overall impression of the touchpad is let down by Lenovo’s craftsmanship though. The gap between the top case and the lower part of the touchpad is inconsistent, which results in part of the touchpad not being quite flush with the top case. This is just an aesthetic issue, but one which is noticeable nonetheless.

IdeaPad 720 keyboard deck
IdeaPad 720 keyboard deck

Display

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array

Our test device has a Full HD 1080p display. This is the highest resolution display that Lenovo offers for the IdeaPad 720, with the only other option being an HD 720p display (1366x768).

We recorded an average maximum display luminosity of 249.8 cd/m² on both battery and mains power using X-Rite i1Pro 2. This value is typical of devices at this price and in this segment. The average maximum luminosity of all the 15-inch multimedia laptops that we have tested in the last 12 months is around 300 cd/m², so the IdeaPad 720 is around 20% below average in this regard. This is represented among our comparison devices too, where the IdeaPad 720 finishes third out of five, trailing the Mi Notebook Pro i5 and the ZenBook UX3430UN by 15% and 21%, respectively.

Positively, Lenovo has equipped the IdeaPad 720 with a matte display, which should help diffuse reflections when using the device. We would recommend checking out the Mi Notebook Pro i5 if you need a display with better color reproduction.

234
cd/m²
239
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
246
cd/m²
270
cd/m²
253
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
267
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LGD0573 LP156WF9-SPK2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 270 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 249.8 cd/m² Minimum: 2.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 270 cd/m²
Contrast: 1080:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.79 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 5.66 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
59% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
37% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.91% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
58.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.62% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.64
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
LG Philips LGD0573 LP156WF9-SPK2, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
BOE0747 NV156FHM-N61, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
Chi Mei CMN14D2 / N140HCE-EN1, , 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
ID: AU Optronics AUO41ED, , 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
BOE NV156FHM-N42 , , 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
60%
69%
0%
4%
Display P3 Coverage
38.62
66.5
72%
65.6
70%
38.81
0%
40.53
5%
sRGB Coverage
58.1
86.9
50%
97.4
68%
57.9
0%
59.9
3%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.91
63.5
59%
67.8
70%
40.03
0%
41.87
5%
Response Times
-22%
17%
0%
-28%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
42 ?(22, 20)
47.9 ?(22.4, 25.5)
-14%
30 ?(14, 16)
29%
38.8 ?(20, 18.8)
8%
49 ?(25, 24)
-17%
Response Time Black / White *
26 ?(15, 11)
33.7 ?(19.2, 14.5)
-30%
25 ?(14, 11)
4%
28 ?(16.4, 11.6)
-8%
36 ?(20, 16)
-38%
PWM Frequency
21800 ?(99)
20000 ?(90)
Screen
14%
18%
-5%
2%
Brightness middle
270
296
10%
377
40%
256.6
-5%
267
-1%
Brightness
250
288
15%
339
36%
243
-3%
250
0%
Brightness Distribution
87
89
2%
76
-13%
81
-7%
82
-6%
Black Level *
0.25
0.32
-28%
0.4
-60%
0.19
24%
0.31
-24%
Contrast
1080
925
-14%
943
-13%
1351
25%
861
-20%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.79
4.3
10%
3.33
30%
5
-4%
4.65
3%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.83
8.7
1%
8.02
9%
20.1
-128%
8.2
7%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.66
3
47%
4.89
14%
2.7
52%
2.65
53%
Gamma
2.64 83%
2.1 105%
2.37 93%
2.32 95%
2.44 90%
CCT
7179 91%
7100 92%
7620 85%
6599 98%
6820 95%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
37
56.83
54%
62
68%
36.7
-1%
38
3%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
59
86.86
47%
98
66%
57.7
-2%
59
0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.5
Total Average (Program / Settings)
17% / 19%
35% / 28%
-2% / -3%
-7% / -2%

* ... smaller is better

Our test device has a decent 0.25 cd/m² black value that is significantly lower than all our comparison devices except for the Pavilion Power 15, which has a black value that is 24% lower. This low black value ensures that the IdeaPad 720 reproduces deep blacks. This also benefits the contrast ratio, which we measured at 1,080:1. Again, the IdeaPad 720 has a better contrast ratio than its competitors except for the Pavilion Power 15.

Our test device has satisfactory color reproduction too. Using CalMAN software and a photo spectrometer, we measured 37% AdobeRGB accuracy and 59% sRGB accuracy. Our test device does have comparatively high grayscale deviations though, with a 5.66 DeltaE value. This is significantly higher than most of our comparison devices and results in a blue tint that is slightly noticeable to the naked eye.

Color values have similar DeltaE deviations, but these are typical for an IPS panel. Good color representation tends to be one of the characteristics of IPS panels.

Positively, the IdeaPad 720 does not use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate display brightness. Low PWM frequencies can cause eye strain and dizziness for those who are PWM sensitive. This is particularly present in the ZenBook UX3430UN, which has a 200 Hz PWM frequency. A frequency this low is likely to cause problems for those who are PWM sensitive.

CalMAN: ColorChecker – uncalibrated
CalMAN: ColorChecker – uncalibrated
CalMAN: Grayscale – uncalibrated
CalMAN: Grayscale – uncalibrated
CalMAN: Saturation sweeps – uncalibrated
CalMAN: Saturation sweeps – uncalibrated
AdobeRGB color-space coverage: 37%
AdobeRGB color-space coverage: 37%
sRGB color-space coverage: 59%
sRGB color-space coverage: 59%

The matte display means that we could use our test device in shady spots. However, the display brightness is too low to use the IdeaPad 720 in direct and indirect sunlight.

Using the IdeaPad 720 outdoors in the sun.
Using the IdeaPad 720 outdoors in the sun.
Using the IdeaPad 720 outdoors in the sun.
Using the IdeaPad 720 outdoors in the sun.
Using the IdeaPad 720 outdoors in the sun.
Using the IdeaPad 720 outdoors in the sun.
Using the IdeaPad 720 outdoors in the sun.
Using the IdeaPad 720 outdoors in the sun.

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
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15 ms rise
↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 57 % 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
42 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 20 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. » 63 % 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 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 IdeaPad 720 has stable viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel and its 180 ° display hinge.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

LatencyMon
LatencyMon

Lenovo has equipped the IdeaPad 720 with an Intel seventh-generation Core i5 processor released in summer 2016 rather than upgrading to the eighth-generation Intel Core processors. Lenovo combines the outdated CPU with a mid-range dedicated GPU, which should provide enough power for daily tasks and some gaming. The IdeaPad 720 has dual-channel RAM and a PCIe SSD for fast system performance.

Other configurations are not available for purchase at the time of writing, but Lenovo does list a few hardware options on its website. These include the choice between an Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU, an AMD Radeon RX 550 that is weaker than the GPU in our test device, and multiple internal storage options. Interestingly, Lenovo even lists a 16 GB Intel Optane SSD as an option too.

Processor

The IdeaPad 720 performed consistently in Cinebench R15.
The IdeaPad 720 performed consistently in Cinebench R15.

Our test device is powered by an Intel Core i5-7200U, a seventh-generation Intel Core Kaby Lake processor. The U suffix signifies that the Core i5-7200U is an ultra-low voltage (ULV) CPU.

The Core i5-7200U is a dual-core CPU that clocks between 2.5 and 3.1 GHz. The IdeaPad 720 trails many of our comparison devices principally because they have more powerful CPUs. The Mi Notebook Pro i5 and the ZenBook UX3430UN are both powered by the Intel Core i5-8250U, which is the direct successor to the Core i5-7200U. The Core i5-8250U is not only a quad-core processor, but it also clocks up to 3.6 GHz. This increase in power across Intel Core generations is reflected in our comparison tables.

The same applies to the Pavilion Power 15 and the Aspire 7, which have more powerful seventh-generation Intel Core HQ processors. It is worth bearing in mind though that HQ-series processors consume significantly more power than their U-series counterparts. Devices that are powered by HQ-series processors often have comparatively poor battery life as a result.

Our test device achieves a consistent score of 331 in Cinebench R15. Even the clock speed stays constant at 3.1 GHz. This is marginally faster than the average of Core i5-7200U-powered devices that we have tested. The IdeaPad 720 matches the other Core i5-7200U-powered device in Cinebench R15, namely the Acer Extensa 2540-580K.

The Core i5-8250U-powered devices perform much better in Cinebench R15, particularly in multi-core tests. By comparison to the 331 scored by our test device, the Mi Notebook Pro i5 scores almost 580 points for a short time that then averages out to 545 in the long run. The ZenBook UX3430UN scores slightly higher, while the Pavilion Power 15 leads the pack with 740 points. The IdeaPad 720 sits behind the Core i5-8250U and HQ-series processor in Cinebench R15 single core tests too.

The IdeaPad 720 performed just as well on battery power as it does on mains power.

Apparently, Lenovo is planning to release an IdeaPad 720 with an eighth-generation Intel Core processor. We currently do not know when this variant will be released nor do we know its price.

Please see our CPU benchmark page for further comparisons and analyses of current notebook processors.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=96, last 2 years)
249 Points +93%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
151 Points +17%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
147 Points +14%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
145 (144.66min - 144.78max) Points +12%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points +11%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
130 Points +1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
129 Points
Dell Vostro 15 3568
Intel Core i5-7200U
128 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-7200U
  (88 - 132, n=101)
126.3 Points -2%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=103, last 2 years)
2280 Points +589%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
740 Points +124%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
Intel Core i5-8250U
596 Points +80%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Intel Core i5-8250U
576 (544.28min - 575.47max) Points +74%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
513 Points +55%
Acer Extensa 2540-580K
Intel Core i5-7200U
332 Points 0%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Intel Core i5-7200U
331 Points
Average Intel Core i5-7200U
  (268 - 337, n=101)
325 Points -2%
Dell Vostro 15 3568
Intel Core i5-7200U
321 Points -3%
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
129 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
331 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
98.3 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Help

System Performance

The IdeaPad 720 performed well during our testing, with system performance always feeling fast to us. PCMark 8 Home results confirmed our subjective impression. The IdeaPad 720 performs better than some of its more powerful competitors thanks to its fast PCIe SSD.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (4484 - 5525, n=9, last 2 years)
5075 Points +14%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4464 Points
Average Intel Core i5-7200U, AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
4464 Points 0%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
4055 Points -9%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4042 Points -9%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3766 Points -16%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
3672 Points -18%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (3115 - 6078, n=9, last 2 years)
5278 Points +8%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4964 Points +2%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
4908 Points +1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4882 Points
Average Intel Core i5-7200U, AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
4882 Points 0%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4746 Points -3%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
4613 Points -6%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4464 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5657 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4882 points
Help

Storage Devices

CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark

The IdeaPad 720 has two internal storage drives, the largest of which is a 1 TB Western Digital HDD. This is a 5,400 RPM HDD that achieved 113 MB/s read and 111 MB/s write speeds in CrystalDiskMark.

The other drive is a 256 GB Samsung PM961 PCIe NVMe SSD, which is significantly faster than the 1 TB HDD. The PM961 in our test device achieved 1,713 MB/s read speeds and 1,129 MB/s write speeds. This performance is on par with the average of PM961 drives that we have tested and is significantly faster than the Mi Notebook Pro i5, which has a SATA rather than an NVMe connection.

Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
Average Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
-51%
17%
-60%
5%
Read Seq
1713
480.3
-72%
1260
-26%
491.6
-71%
1627 ?(800 - 2196, n=42)
-5%
Write Seq
1129
263.9
-77%
1241
10%
141.7
-87%
1136 ?(341 - 1423, n=42)
1%
Read 512
926
266.9
-71%
1039
12%
345.6
-63%
887 ?(406 - 1295, n=42)
-4%
Write 512
721
263.2
-63%
827
15%
142.6
-80%
781 ?(338 - 890, n=42)
8%
Read 4k
55.5
29.58
-47%
60
8%
18.83
-66%
53 ?(29.8 - 62.6, n=42)
-5%
Write 4k
124.5
68.4
-45%
154
24%
76.3
-39%
126.7 ?(46.6 - 176.9, n=42)
2%
Read 4k QD32
374.2
322.2
-14%
526
41%
348.5
-7%
419 ?(131.5 - 650, n=42)
12%
Write 4k QD32
290.4
243.3
-16%
435
50%
104.8
-64%
384 ?(94.9 - 621, n=42)
32%
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Sequential Read: 1713 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1129 MB/s
512K Read: 926 MB/s
512K Write: 721 MB/s
4K Read: 55.5 MB/s
4K Write: 124.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 374.2 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 290.4 MB/s

Graphics Card

Our test device is equipped with an AMD Radeon RX 560, a dedicated GPU with 2 GB GDDR5 VRAM. According to GPU-Z, the RX 560 in our test device has a 1,202 MHz clock speed. Our test device performs equivalently to the average of RX 560-equipped devices that we have tested in most benchmarks. The one minor exception is the IdeaPad 720’s performance in 3DMark Fire Strike at 1920x1080, where our test device trails the average by around 3%. Overall, the RX 560 is about 10% weaker than the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 and around 60% more powerful than the Nvidia GeForce MX150.

It is worth bearing in mind that graphics performance is 22% worse on the battery than it is on mains power.

Please see our GPU benchmark page for further comparisons between various GPUs.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Multimedia
  (3408 - 60250, n=87, last 2 years)
18296 Points +120%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-7200U
8329 Points
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
  (8296 - 8345, n=3)
8323 Points 0%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
7917 Points -5%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
7537 Points -10%
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
AMD Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5557 Points -33%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
4252 Points -49%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
4191 Points -50%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3867 Points -54%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (14679 - 150699, n=61, last 2 years)
57744 Points +58%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
38082 Points +4%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
36956 Points +1%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-7200U
36552 Points
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
  (36424 - 36552, n=3)
36501 Points 0%
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
AMD Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-7700HQ
27941 Points -24%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
18513 Points -49%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
17552 Points -52%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
17469 Points -52%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=87, last 2 years)
13540 Points +137%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i5-7300HQ
6164 Points +8%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
6002 Points +5%
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
  (5705 - 6258, n=3)
5900 Points +3%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), Intel Core i5-7200U
5705 Points
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
AMD Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-7700HQ
4041 Points -29%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
3389 Points -41%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i5-8250U
3263 Points -43%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3122 Points -45%
3DMark 11 Performance
6828 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
11994 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
4699 points
Help

Gaming Performance

While the Radeon RX 560 falls short of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050, newer games can still be played smoothly at medium graphics.

Please see our gaming benchmarks for a detailed look at which games can be played smoothly on the RX 560 and how it compares against other GPUs.

BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
67.5 fps +53%
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), i7-7700HQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
67 fps +52%
Asus GL503VD-DB74
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, ADATA SX7000NP 256 GB
66 fps +49%
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH
64.3 fps +45%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
63.1 fps +43%
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
63 fps +43%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
44.2 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
  (40.1 - 44.2, n=2)
42.1 fps -5%
HP Envy 17-ae143ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Liteonit CV3-8D128
35 fps -21%
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
GeForce MX150, i5-7300HQ
34 fps -23%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
29.7 fps -33%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
28.9 fps -35%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
28.89 fps -35%
Dragon Age: Inquisition - 1920x1080 High Graphics Quality
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
40.3 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
  (34.9 - 40.3, n=2)
37.6 fps -7%
HP Envy 17-ae143ng
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Liteonit CV3-8D128
26.4 fps -34%
The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Average of class Multimedia
  (11.2 - 290, n=89, last 2 years)
90.1 fps +164%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K8
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H, Crucial MX300 CT525MX300SSD1
47.1 fps +38%
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Hynix HFS128G39TND
46.7 fps +37%
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
40.9 fps +20%
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
40.2 fps +18%
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
39 fps +14%
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
  (34.1 - 35.2, n=2)
34.7 fps +2%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
34.1 fps
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
19.3 fps -43%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
17.06 fps -50%
Doom - 1366x768 Medium Preset
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
81.5 fps +34%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
60.9 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
60.9 fps 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
49.6 fps -19%
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), i7-7700HQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
37 fps -39%
Battlefield 1 - 1920x1080 High Preset AA:T
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
36.7 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
36.7 fps 0%
Dirt 4 - 1920x1080 High Preset AA:2xMS AF:8x
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
61.9 fps +24%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
49.8 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
49.8 fps 0%
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) - 1920x1080 High Preset
Acer Predator Helios 300 PH317-52-51M6
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Hynix HFS128G39TND
62.4 fps +37%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
45.4 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
45.4 fps 0%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
21.3 fps -53%
F1 2017
1920x1080 High Preset AA:T AF:8x
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
57 fps +21%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
47 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
47 fps 0%
1920x1080 Ultra High Preset AA:T AF:16x
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
36 fps +50%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
24 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
24 fps 0%
Destiny 2 - 1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:SM AF:16x
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
36.2 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
36.2 fps 0%
Assassin´s Creed Origins - 1920x1080 Medium Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
23 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
23 fps 0%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
18 (2min - 39max) fps -22%
Need for Speed Payback - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset
Gigabyte Aero 14-K8
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H, Crucial MX300 CT525MX300SSD1
52.4 fps +44%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
36.3 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
36.3 fps 0%
Star Wars Battlefront 2 - 1920x1080 High Preset
Gigabyte Aero 14-K8
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H, Crucial MX300 CT525MX300SSD1
58.3 fps +36%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
43 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
43 fps 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s-20L8S02E00
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
22.5 fps -48%
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1920x1080 Standard Quality
Average of class Multimedia
  (9.75 - 162.4, n=81, last 2 years)
63 fps +141%
Gigabyte Aero 14-K8
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-8750H, Crucial MX300 CT525MX300SSD1
37.4 fps +43%
Dell XPS 15 2018 i5 FHD 97Wh
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Lite-On CA3-8D256-Q11
32.5 fps +25%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
26.1 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
26.1 fps 0%
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002
12.6 fps -52%
Kingdom Come: Deliverance - 1920x1080 Medium Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
32.5 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
32.5 fps 0%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
18.4 (14min - 21max) fps -43%
Far Cry 5 - 1920x1080 Medium Preset AA:T
Average of class Multimedia
  (20 - 162, n=51, last 2 years)
77.3 fps +121%
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), i5-7200U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
35 fps
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
35 fps 0%
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
GeForce MX150, i5-8250U, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A
15 fps -57%
low med. high ultra4K
BioShock Infinite (2013) 151.4 141 129.6 44.2
Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014) 83.1 70 40.3 26.4
The Witcher 3 (2015) 99.5 64.4 34.1 19.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 71.9 51.6 30.6 24.1
Doom (2016) 38.7 60.9 22.2 15.4
Overwatch (2016) 224.2 176.1 95.4 47.9
Battlefield 1 (2016) 79 63.2 36.7 29.3
Rocket League (2017) 196.3 96.8 69
Dirt 4 (2017) 176.5 83.6 49.8 28.6
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) (2017) 108.2 49.4 45.4 12.5
F1 2017 (2017) 100 66 47 24
FIFA 18 (2017) 154.3 144.1 125.1 124.3
Destiny 2 (2017) 106 small graphical problems (no fullscreen-mode) 47 small graphical problems (no fullscreen-mode) 44.1 36.2
Assassin´s Creed Origins (2017) 36 23 19 9
Call of Duty WWII (2017) 56 () 39 () 21 ()
Need for Speed Payback (2017) 59 49.7 41.4 36.3
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) 70.1 47 43 17
Fortnite (2018) 151.3 87.4 63 50.2 35.9
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 54.4 26.1 6.5
Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018) 53.3 32.5 28.3 21.4
Far Cry 5 (2018) 63 35 30 27

Emissions

Fan Noise

The IdeaPad 720 has two fans and manages their noise well overall. The fans are practically always off at idle and only occasionally reach 30.3 dB(A). Fan noise is only noticeable under load, where we recorded it reaching 39.2 dB(A). Overall, the IdeaPad 720 is a relatively quiet device, as its peak fan noise is somewhat quieter than its competitors. The only criticism we have of the fans is the frequency at which they operate. The frequency is relatively high-pitched once both fans spin up. This is particularly annoying in quiet environments.

Noise Level

Idle
30.3 / 30.3 / 30.3 dB(A)
Load
39.2 / 39.2 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: 30.3 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203332.332.3332531.932.932.731.93132.834.734.332.84029.629.730.229.65030.530.332.730.56329.428.226.229.48026.52926.926.510026.525.524.526.512526.224.725.226.216025.92622.725.920025.725.622.125.725026.526.22226.531528.52920.128.540026.726.619.726.750026.726.919.226.763027.327.118.927.380025.425.918.325.4100028.228.517.828.2125028.928.617.628.9160027.627.417.327.6200027.927.717.527.92500303017.730315029.629.817.929.6400025.225.417.925.2500025.525.718.125.5630023.722.618.423.7800021.120.618.521.1100002219.718.5221250021.619.218.421.61600021.119.318.521.1SPL39.339.230.339.3N331.23median 26.5median 26median 18.5median 26.5Delta1.92.41.11.9hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB

Temperature

The IdeaPad 720 has relatively cool surface temperatures at idle, with our test device averaging 21.5 °C on the top case and 21.8 °C on the underside. Maximum idle temperatures are not much higher either, with the top reaching 22 °C, while the bottom can heat up to 23.6 °C.

Unfortunately, the IdeaPad 720 is worse at managing its surface temperatures under load. Heat distribution is uneven. Top case surface temperatures average 33.2 °C under load, while the hottest part reaches 41.2 °C. The hottest area is the centre and the left-hand side of the keyboard deck, while the palm rest and trackpad area average 25.6 °C.

The bottom case is largely cooler under load, with it only reaching a maximum of 36.4 °C and averaging 27.8 °C. Heat distribution is just as uneven though.

We subjected our test device to an hour-long combined FurMark and Prime95 stress test to achieve these surface temperatures. This is an extreme load scenario that you should not see in daily use. A more practical representation of surface temperatures under load is in our one-hour The Witcher 3 benchmark, during which our test device averaged 33 °C on top and 30.2 °C. Maximum temperatures were marginally lower too at 40.8 °C and 35.9 °C, respectively.

We also used FurMark and Prime95 stress tests to evaluate core temperatures. The CPU runs consistently at around 3 GHz during these stress tests and reaches 88 °C while doing so. The GPU performs equally well too and manages to maintain an average clock speed of just under 1.2 GHz.

Our test device performed equally as well in 3DMark11 and The Witcher 3 after running our FurMark and Prime95 stress tests than when we ran the former from a cold start. Overall, the IdeaPad 720 has a good cooling system, albeit it with uneven surface temperatures.

FurMark & Prime95 stress tests
FurMark & Prime95 stress tests
FurMark & Prime95 stress tests
FurMark & Prime95 stress tests
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The Witcher 3 ultra
 21.8 °C
71 F
21.6 °C
71 F
21.1 °C
70 F
 
 21.7 °C
71 F
22 °C
72 F
20.9 °C
70 F
 
 21.4 °C
71 F
21.5 °C
71 F
21.4 °C
71 F
 
Maximum: 22 °C = 72 F
Average: 21.5 °C = 71 F
21.1 °C
70 F
22 °C
72 F
21.9 °C
71 F
20.7 °C
69 F
23.6 °C
74 F
22.2 °C
72 F
21.2 °C
70 F
21.5 °C
71 F
22 °C
72 F
Maximum: 23.6 °C = 74 F
Average: 21.8 °C = 71 F
Power Supply (max.)  22.1 °C = 72 F | Room Temperature 20.3 °C = 69 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.2 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.2 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 36.4 °C / 98 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 21.5 °C / 71 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 33 °C / 91 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27.3 °C / 81.1 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+1.5 °C / 2.7 F).
Heat-map of the top case at idle
Heat-map of the top case at idle
Heat-map of the top case under load
Heat-map of the top case under load
Heat-map of the top case while playing The Witcher 3
Heat-map of the top case while playing The Witcher 3
Heat-map of the bottom case at idle
Heat-map of the bottom case at idle
Heat-map of the bottom case under load
Heat-map of the bottom case under load
Heat-map of the bottom case while playing The Witcher 3
Heat-map of the bottom case while playing The Witcher 3

Speakers

Unfortunately, the stereo speakers only have average sound quality despite the case being adorned with “Audio by HARMAN”. The speakers lack volume. We recorded an average 75.9 dB(A) maximum volume. The speakers lack presence too, although the mid and high tones are balanced.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs203232.3322532.632.732.63133.134.333.14030.430.230.45032.932.732.96329.226.229.28026.826.926.810026.524.526.51252525.2251602722.72720035.422.135.425053.32253.331560.420.160.440063.219.763.250061.819.261.863061.718.961.780068.718.368.7100068.117.868.1125064.417.664.4160066.817.366.8200064.617.564.625006117.761315059.217.959.2400056.817.956.850005518.155630053.618.453.6800061.918.561.91000067.918.567.91250066.118.466.11600057.418.557.4SPL75.930.375.9N34.11.234.1median 61median 18.5median 61Delta8.41.18.431.831.931.833313335.335.335.330.431.630.42837282929.82927.325.627.329.426.129.435.724.235.742.623.842.644.52344.551.921.351.95821.15861.620.461.658.319.558.361.518.961.567.818.467.864.71864.760.717.960.763.417.663.462.117.362.163.417.763.459.117.759.160.917.860.95718.15751.618.351.650.918.450.955.918.555.96318.66365.418.665.473.930.473.932.61.432.6median 59.1median 18.5median 59.16.11.36.138.94036.33736.736.334.835.334.936.336.43333.532.631.831.430.130.230.533.729.643.828.850.828.154.127.355.82857.228.359.725.861.925.763.925.366.425.668.524.459.824.867.124.261.324.259.524.262.724.161.223.958.323.854.123.853.123.949.437.475.5334.6median 25.6median 58.32.16.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKBAcer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TUHP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 80% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 15% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 65% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 29% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (67.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 60% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 33% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 44% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 49% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (11.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 91% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 79% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 17% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management

Power Consumption

Strikingly, the IdeaPad 720 has particularly high power consumption. Our test device consumes close to 10 W at idle, which is comparable only with the Pavilion Power 15, a device that has a much more powerful CPU. All our other comparison devices consume far less at idle than the IdeaPad 720.

Power consumption increases drastically to 86.7 W under maximum load and 84 W while playing The Witcher 3. Notably, devices like the Mi Notebook Pro i5 and the ZenBook UX3430UN have more powerful CPUs, but they are far more power-efficient under load.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.53 / 0.72 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 9.9 / 9.5 / 10.7 Watt
Load midlight 62 / 86.7 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 720-15IKB
i5-7200U, Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, SK Hynix HFS256G39TND-N210A, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Kingston RBUSNS8180DS3128GH, a-Si TFT-LCD, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Pavilion Power 15t-cb2000
i7-7700HQ, Radeon RX 550 (Laptop), HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus Zenbook UX430UN
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, SanDisk SD8SN8U512G1002, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
MSI PL62 MX150 7300HQ
i5-7300HQ, GeForce MX150, , TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Envy 17-ae143ng
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Liteonit CV3-8D128, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30
Average AMD Radeon RX 560 (Laptop)
 
Average of class Multimedia
 
Power Consumption
34%
29%
-17%
8%
-47%
41%
-16%
14%
5%
-19%
Idle Minimum *
9.9
3.7
63%
4.5
55%
9.4
5%
4
60%
18.7
-89%
3
70%
9.2
7%
4.8
52%
7.3 ?(4.7 - 9.9, n=2)
26%
7.28 ?(2.2 - 34.6, n=93, last 2 years)
26%
Idle Average *
9.5
7.5
21%
7.8
18%
9.7
-2%
6.9
27%
19.6
-106%
5.8
39%
13.6
-43%
8.3
13%
8.65 ?(7.8 - 9.5, n=2)
9%
11.8 ?(4.6 - 43, n=93, last 2 years)
-24%
Idle Maximum *
10.7
8
25%
8.1
24%
16.8
-57%
9.4
12%
21.7
-103%
6.2
42%
14.7
-37%
10.3
4%
9.55 ?(8.4 - 10.7, n=2)
11%
14.6 ?(5.6 - 44.9, n=93, last 2 years)
-36%
Load Average *
62
49
21%
52
16%
76.5
-23%
72.6
-17%
60.1
3%
54.1
13%
64
-3%
61
2%
69.3 ?(62 - 76.5, n=2)
-12%
77.3 ?(14.3 - 147, n=92, last 2 years)
-25%
Witcher 3 ultra *
84
50.6
40%
86.5
-3%
80.5
4%
45.9
45%
Load Maximum *
86.7
55.2
36%
59
32%
105.6
-22%
122
-41%
80.6
7%
56.4
35%
89.2
-3%
86
1%
96.4 ?(86.7 - 106, n=2)
-11%
119.3 ?(44 - 247, n=92, last 2 years)
-38%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Lenovo does not confirm battery capacity on either its website nor on the IdeaPad 720’s specification sheet. HWInfo informs us that our test device has a 40 Wh battery with a 45 Wh design capacity. Curiously, we can only find 30 Wh replacement batteries. Regardless, Lenovo promises up to 10 hours of battery life.

We set our test device to airplane mode and set brightness to its lowest level to measure our test device’s maximum idle runtime. We then run a script using Battery Eater. Our test device lasts 16 hours in this test, which is significantly better than the average idle runtime of multimedia laptops that we have tested.

We also subjected our test device to a more practical battery test that simulates the load required to render websites. We left all connectivity on and set display luminosity to 150 cd/m². Our test device lasted just over seven hours, which isn’t all that impressive. The Mi Notebook Pro i5, for example, lasts three hours longer than the IdeaPad 720.

Finally, we tested the minimum expected battery runtime by setting the display at maximum brightness and running the Battery Classic test. Our test device lasted only 50 minutes in this battery runtime under load test, which is a shorter runtime than all our comparison devices.

Our test device takes 2 h 24 m to fully recharge with the included 90 W power supply. Charging is nonlinear though, as it only took 54 minutes to charge the battery up to 50%, but it took almost 90 minutes to get past 80% charge.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
16h 03min
WiFi Websurfing
7h 05min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
9h 12min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 50min
Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB
i5-7200U, Radeon RX 560 (Laptop), 40 Wh
Asus Zenbook UX3430UN-GV174T
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 48 Wh
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5
i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 60 Wh
HP Pavilion 15 Power 1GK62AV
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 70 Wh
Acer Aspire 7 A715-71G-53TU
i5-7300HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 48 Wh
Average of class Multimedia
 
Battery Runtime
41%
66%
45%
-4%
37%
Reader / Idle
963
1367
42%
971
1%
592
-39%
933 ?(506 - 1571, n=25, last 2 years)
-3%
H.264
552
505
-9%
632
14%
306
-45%
680 ?(319 - 1481, n=49, last 2 years)
23%
WiFi v1.3
425
485
14%
597
40%
481
13%
336
-21%
560 ?(262 - 1204, n=92, last 2 years)
32%
Load
50
108
116%
122
144%
110
120%
94
88%
96.9 ?(39 - 215, n=73, last 2 years)
94%
Witcher 3 ultra
83
81.8 ?(57 - 104, n=5, last 2 years)

Verdict

Pros

+ premium case and design
+ useful input devices
+ system performance
+ consistent performance under load

Cons

- unusually slow Wi-Fi performance
- poor heat distribution
The Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB review. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB review. Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB joins the ranks of other 15-inch multimedia notebooks. Lenovo has tried to garner interest in the device by using a mostly aluminum case to give the IdeaPad 720 a solid appearance. All our comparison devices have plastic cases except for the Mi Notebook Pro i5.

Lenovo has put some effort into the IdeaPad 720’s input devices too. The keyboard has defined and crisp pressure points and a decent touchpad. The IdeaPad 720 should be suitable for office work on the strength of its input devices.

We would have preferred a brighter display as Lenovo has equipped the IdeaPad 720 with one that is only average for its class.

Our test device’s performance has left us somewhat conflicted though. While the Intel Core i5-7200U cannot compete with newer CPUs, the combination of a dedicated GPU and fast PCIe storage means that the IdeaPad 720 has excellent system performance.

Equally, there are positives and negatives regarding emissions too. While fan noise is minimal, the occasional high-pitched frequency is annoying, and surface temperatures are largely relatively cool albeit there are hot spots.

Battery life is nothing of note either. The IdeaPad 720 managed around seven hours in our Wi-Fi battery test, which puts the device among the midfield of all the 15-inch multimedia notebooks that we have tested in the last 12 months.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB is a device that is greater than the sum of its parts. The device lacks a stand-out feature, but Lenovo has done a good job. Overall, the IdeaPad 720 is a multimedia device that is suitable for daily use. 

We would recommend that you look at the HP Pavilion Power 15 if you are looking for more power and a better gaming experience. Likewise, the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i5 has better battery life and a better display. In short, the Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB does nothing to set itself out from the competition.

Lenovo IdeaPad 720-15IKB - 06/13/2018 v6(old)
Nino Ricchizzi

Chassis
85 / 98 → 87%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
48 / 81 → 60%
Weight
63 / 20-67 → 91%
Battery
90%
Display
86%
Games Performance
82 / 85 → 96%
Application Performance
90 / 92 → 98%
Temperature
90%
Noise
87 / 95 → 91%
Audio
56%
Camera
34 / 85 → 40%
Average
75%
85%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo IdeaPad 720 (i5-7200U, RX 560) Laptop Review
Nino Ricchizzi, 2018-06-21 (Update: 2019-03- 9)