Lenovo IdeaPad S530 (i5-8265U, UHD620) Subnotebook Review

The number of Lenovo devices that we review is quite large. Whether we are talking about gaming notebooks such as the Legion Y740-17ICH or All-in-One PCs such as the ThinkCentre M920z, smartphones such as the Lenovo Z5 Pro, Chromebooks such as the Chromebook C630 or office all-rounders such as the ThinkPad L390. Lenovo has a product for almost any user.
The 700-Euro (~$789) Lenovo IdeaPad S530 has been designed to attract buyers who need an ultra-portable notebook with a good system performance. To make sure that the device is up to snuff, the manufacturer relies on Intel’s Core i5-8265U with an integrated UHD Graphics 620 GPU, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. The battery is supposed to last for up to 8 hours and the inclusion of a USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port makes the lack of ports seem quite forgivable.
In addition to Lenovo notebooks such the ThinkPad L390 and the IdeaPad 730S-13IWL, the IdeaPad S530 has to compete with other notebooks in the same price range. The competing devices include: the Acer Spin 5 SP513-52N, Dell’s Inspiron 13 5379, the HP ProBook 430 G5 and Asus’s ZenBook 13 UX333FA.
Case - Subnotebook made of aluminium
The case of the IdeaPad S530 consists of aluminium, which is why the 13-inch notebook feels both rigid and light. The display lid is very stiff and can be opened with one hand. It has an opening angle of up to 180°. This is why it can be adjusted for any viewing position. There are no ports on the front and the back of the notebook. All the ports are located on the left and the right sides near the back of the device.
When compared to other 13-inch notebooks, the IdeaPad S530 has relatively small dimensions. The bezels of the Lenovo laptop are not as thin as those of the Asus ZenBook 13. Nevertheless, with a thickness of 5 mm (0.2 inches) on the left and the right, they are still quite small and fit in within the modern concept of “bezel-less” design. Lenovo’s notebook has a weight of 1.2 kg (2.6 lbs), which is why it can be considered quite light.
Connectivity - Lenovo IdeaPad S530 with USB Gen2 Type-C
The Lenovo IdeaPad S530 offers only the most basic ports. Users will have to do without an SD card reader, Kensington security slot and an Ethernet port. A lot of different ports can be replicated using the USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port, which is why the lack of ports is not so significant.
Communication
Users of the IdeaPad S530 have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1 at their disposal. The Wi-Fi module supports the fast Wireless AC standard and can operate in 5 GHz networks. Because the Lenovo laptop does not feature a 2x2 MIMO antenna, the upload (335 Mb/s) and download (311 Mb/s) speeds are well below average when compared to other devices in this price range.
Security
The Lenovo IdeaPad S530 comes with a built-in fingerprint sensor, which recognizes fingerprints quickly and has no trouble unlocking the system. The setup process went without any problems and during our log-in attempts the fingerprint scanner never failed to log us in.
Accessories
The box contains the notebook itself and the appropriate 65-watt power adapter. Lenovo does not offer any accessories specifically designed for the S530. However, you can buy generic accessories for this notebook such as bags, input devices, power banks and USB Type-C docking stations on Lenovo’s website.
Maintenance
The underside of the Lenovo IdeaPad S530 can be removed after you undo several Torx screws. Consequently, you will have access to the internal components, most of which are soldered-in (except for the SSD). This is why the RAM and the Wi-Fi module cannot be replaced. The SSD can be upgraded with a model that has a higher capacity.
Warranty
The IdeaPad S530 offers a 24-month warranty. It can be extended up to three years. Buyers can also add on-site service to their warranty package.
Input Devices - Light notebook for prolific writers
Keyboard
The keyboard of the IdeaPad S530 comes with large keys and a good actuation point. This is why those who type a lot will not be making misstrokes even after a long typing session. While the function keys are somewhat smaller, they are still easy to reach and press. However, the very small up and down arrow keys can really get in the way of work. The Lenovo laptop features a keyboard backlight for work in low-light conditions. The keys are illuminated very uniformly, which is why it is easy to type on the laptop when the backlight is switched on.
Touchpad
The IdeaPad S530 uses a ClickPad as a replacement for the mouse. It offers a large surface area for navigating the mouse pointer. The surface of the touchpad is very smooth and feels nice to the touch. You can execute the left or the right click by pressing on the surface near the bottom of the pad. This area has a clear, although somewhat weak, actuation point. The clicks are registered very reliably.
Display - Glossy screen in the IdeaPad S530
The IPS screen of the Lenovo IdeaPad S530 has a glossy surface and a native resolution of 1920x1080. The average brightness of 287 cd/m² is only slightly higher than those of other notebooks in our comparison chart, whereas the brightness distribution of 78% is a little below average when compared to the competing laptops.
Lenovo uses PWM for brightness control. This is why the display exhibits PWM flickering with a frequency of 192 Hz at 90% brightness and below. Because the frequency is really low, susceptible individuals may experience some adverse effects such as headaches and eyestrain.
Lenovo does not offer any other display options for the IdeaPad S530.
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Brightness Distribution: 78 %
Center on Battery: 306 cd/m²
Contrast: 1457:1 (Black: 0.21 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.96 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.89, calibrated: 2.69
ΔE Greyscale 6.9 | 0.5-98 Ø5.1
90% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.6% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
89.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
68.6% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL BOE07D7, , 1920x1080, 13.3" | Acer Spin 5 SP513-52N-54SF LC133LF102, , 1920x1080, 13.3" | Dell Inspiron 13-5379-9573 BOE BOE06A7, , 1920x1080, 13.3" | HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES LGD052D, , 1920x1080, 13.3" | Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA AU Optronics B133HAN05.C, , 1920x1080, 13.3" | Lenovo ThinkPad L390-20NR0013GE LP133WF2-SPL8, , 1920x1080, 13.3" | Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US B133HAN05.1, , 1920x1080, 13.3" | |
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Display | 4% | -35% | -37% | 4% | -37% | 1% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 68.6 | 69.8 2% | 41.2 -40% | 40.23 -41% | 67.9 -1% | 40.42 -41% | 65.6 -4% |
sRGB Coverage | 89.7 | 94.6 5% | 61.7 -31% | 60.3 -33% | 97.4 9% | 60.4 -33% | 95.5 6% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 65.6 | 69.3 6% | 42.6 -35% | 41.59 -37% | 69.2 5% | 41.8 -36% | 66.7 2% |
Response Times | 137% | -7% | 3527% | -29% | 5259% | 24% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 41 ? | 49 ? -20% | 45 ? -10% | 41.6 ? -1% | 54.4 ? -33% | 42.8 ? -4% | 75.2 ? -83% |
Response Time Black / White * | 30 ? | 27 ? 10% | 33 ? -10% | 27.2 ? 9% | 37.6 ? -25% | 30 ? -0% | 38 ? -27% |
PWM Frequency | 192 ? | 1000 ? 421% | 192 ? 0% | 20490 ? 10572% | 30490 ? 15780% | 544 183% | |
Screen | 12% | -15% | -26% | 10% | -32% | 15% | |
Brightness middle | 306 | 295 -4% | 274 -10% | 262 -14% | 276 -10% | 298 -3% | 355.1 16% |
Brightness | 287 | 276 -4% | 272 -5% | 253 -12% | 263 -8% | 278 -3% | 336 17% |
Brightness Distribution | 78 | 88 13% | 81 4% | 82 5% | 89 14% | 81 4% | 83 6% |
Black Level * | 0.21 | 0.27 -29% | 0.32 -52% | 0.28 -33% | 0.21 -0% | 0.33 -57% | 0.32 -52% |
Contrast | 1457 | 1093 -25% | 856 -41% | 936 -36% | 1314 -10% | 903 -38% | 1110 -24% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 5.96 | 2.97 50% | 5.57 7% | 5.7 4% | 4.85 19% | 6.5 -9% | 2.93 51% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 11.34 | 5.67 50% | 13.48 -19% | 22.4 -98% | 8.24 27% | 23.9 -111% | 4.39 61% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 2.69 | 4.8 -78% | 1.6 41% | 4.9 -82% | 1.83 32% | ||
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 6.9 | 3.12 55% | 4.66 32% | 3.6 48% | 5.7 17% | 5.6 19% | 3.6 48% |
Gamma | 2.35 94% | 2.45 90% | 2.53 87% | 2.15 102% | 2.08 106% | 2.08 106% | 2.071 106% |
CCT | 7554 86% | 6676 97% | 7010 93% | 7096 92% | 7424 88% | 6669 97% | 7161 91% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 59 | 62 5% | 39 -34% | 38.3 -35% | 63 7% | 38.4 -35% | 61 3% |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 90 | 94 4% | 61 -32% | 60.1 -33% | 98 9% | 60.1 -33% | 95 6% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | 51% /
34% | -19% /
-17% | 1155% /
599% | -5% /
4% | 1730% /
901% | 13% /
14% |
* ... smaller is better
According to our measurements, the screen of the S530 has a very good contrast ratio of 1457:1 and a good black value of 0.21 cd/m². This is why the colours are easy to tell apart and the dark tones look relatively deep. Comparable devices perform worse in this area. The colour-space coverage of 90% for sRGB and 59% for AdobeRGB is not incredibly good. However, it should be good enough for most users, but not for professionals who need accurate colours.
The CalMAN analysis reveals that the red part of the spectrum is underrepresented straight out of the box. This can be fixed through calibration. You can download our ICC profile at the bottom of the box that contains all display measurements (this box is located to the left of the graphic showing the distribution of brightness).
Despite having the display brightness of about 300 cd/m², the glossy screen of the Lenovo IdeaPad S530 is not usable outdoors. Even in the shade, the reflections of the objects in the environment make reading screen content very difficult. There are also reflections of artificial light sources indoors.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
30 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 16 ms rise | |
↘ 14 ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 78 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
41 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 22 ms rise | |
↘ 19 ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 62 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM detected | 192 Hz | ≤ 90 % brightness setting | |
The display backlight flickers at 192 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 192 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8619 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. |
Performance - 13-inch notebook with good performance
The IdeaPad S530 comes with Intel’s Core i5-8265U CPU and Intel’s UHD Graphics 620 GPU. Moreover, the laptop also has 8 GB of dual-channel-enabled RAM and a 256 GB SSD. This is why the S530 is suited for somewhat demanding office applications and simple image-editing.
Lenovo also offers an alternative variant of the IdeaPad S530, which features Intel’s Core i7-8565U and Nvidia’s GeForce MX150 and comes with or without an operating system. However, the amount of RAM and storage space is unchanged.
Processor
Intel’s Core i5-8265U is a Whiskey Lake-based CPU, which is distinguished through its improved 14-nm manufacturing process. When compared to its Kaby Lake-based predecessor, the Core i5-8250U, the Core i5-8265U is about 10% faster at the same TDP. That being said, the real-world performance depends strongly on the cooling solution. Here, significant differences in performance may arise due to thermal throttling.
In our Cinebench loop, the results of the IdeaPad S530 drop down after a very good start and fluctuate strongly until the end of the test. All in all, the performance falls down about 18% when compared to the first benchmark run. Despite all these fluctuations, the performance of the S530 is above average when compared to other devices in this price range.
In the multi-core section of Cinebench R15, the Intel Core i5-8265U in the Lenovo laptop takes the top spot in our companion chart. However, in the single-core section of Cinebench R15, our review device only takes third place.
System Performance
In the PCMark benchmarks, the results of the S530 range quite a bit. While in some sections of the benchmarks, it takes second place, in the end it finishes in the middle of the pack.
In day-to-day use, Lenovo’s notebook feels very responsive. Applications start fast and data can be accessed without any delays. You can find out how the Lenovo IdeaPad S530 stacks up against other laptops on our CPU benchmarks page.
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3359 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4771 points | |
PCMark 10 Score | 3764 points | |
Help |
Storage Devices
The SSD in the Lenovo IdeaPad S530 achieves good write and read speeds in our storage benchmark. It is not as fast as some SSDs from Samsung, but it manages to beat all lower-priced models. It takes a spot in the middle of our comparison chart.
You can find out how the built-in SSD known as the Lenovo UMIS AM610 stacks up against other HDDs and SSDs on our HDD/SSD benchmarks page.
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL Lenovo UMIS AM610 RPFTJ256PDD2MWX | Acer Spin 5 SP513-52N-54SF Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | Dell Inspiron 13-5379-9573 Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN | HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G | Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G | Lenovo ThinkPad L390-20NR0013GE Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ | Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ | Average Lenovo UMIS AM610 RPFTJ256PDD2MWX | |
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CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6 | -41% | 16% | 15% | 66% | 46% | -22% | ||
Write 4K | 101.5 | 71.2 -30% | 111.3 10% | 113.7 12% | 99.6 -2% | 117 15% | 82.8 ? -18% | |
Read 4K | 44.47 | 25.36 -43% | 32.46 -27% | 43.18 -3% | 37.22 -16% | 40.65 -9% | 27.5 ? -38% | |
Write Seq | 603 | 196.3 -67% | 526 -13% | 970 61% | 1432 137% | 1456 141% | 450 ? -25% | |
Read Seq | 686 | 455.7 -34% | 1430 108% | 1085 58% | 2072 202% | 1181 72% | 606 ? -12% | |
Write 4K Q32T1 | 298.1 | 261 -12% | 516 73% | 396.8 33% | 439.7 48% | 232.3 -22% | 259 ? -13% | |
Read 4K Q32T1 | 358.7 | 231.8 -35% | 366.6 2% | 317.8 -11% | 264.8 -26% | 311.3 -13% | 317 ? -12% | |
Write Seq Q32T1 | 872 | 510 -42% | 524 -40% | 518 -41% | 1549 78% | 1463 68% | 583 ? -33% | |
Read Seq Q32T1 | 1611 | 525 -67% | 1783 11% | 1741 8% | 3318 106% | 3480 116% | 1242 ? -23% | |
Write 4K Q8T8 | 828 | |||||||
Read 4K Q8T8 | 897 | |||||||
AS SSD | -45% | -52% | -8% | 0% | 47% | 36% | -20% | |
Seq Read | 1377 | 486.3 -65% | 462.8 -66% | 1408 2% | 1186 -14% | 1779 29% | 2323 69% | 1068 ? -22% |
Seq Write | 805 | 421.4 -48% | 365.7 -55% | 544 -32% | 809 0% | 1185 47% | 1395 73% | 542 ? -33% |
4K Read | 45.01 | 25.48 -43% | 24.71 -45% | 30.79 -32% | 39.69 -12% | 53.8 20% | 49.31 10% | 36.6 ? -19% |
4K Write | 88.9 | 80.8 -9% | 68.2 -23% | 105.1 18% | 114 28% | 137.5 55% | 100.7 13% | 81.5 ? -8% |
4K-64 Read | 767 | 235.5 -69% | 232.2 -70% | 701 -9% | 618 -19% | 786 2% | 765 0% | 624 ? -19% |
4K-64 Write | 611 | 216.5 -65% | 245.1 -60% | 447.2 -27% | 510 -17% | 1296 112% | 981 61% | 442 ? -28% |
Access Time Read * | 0.141 | 0.11 22% | 0.13 8% | 0.063 55% | 0.068 52% | 0.048 66% | 0.058 59% | 0.1375 ? 2% |
Access Time Write * | 0.043 | 0.055 -28% | 0.074 -72% | 0.049 -14% | 0.032 26% | 0.027 37% | 0.037 14% | 0.054 ? -26% |
Score Read | 950 | 310 -67% | 303 -68% | 873 -8% | 776 -18% | 1018 7% | 1047 10% | 767 ? -19% |
Score Write | 781 | 340 -56% | 350 -55% | 607 -22% | 705 -10% | 1552 99% | 1221 56% | 578 ? -26% |
Score Total | 2200 | 813 -63% | 812 -63% | 1888 -14% | 1870 -15% | 3076 40% | 2770 26% | 1721 ? -22% |
Copy ISO MB/s | 327.5 | 1129 | 1090 | 1495 | 898 | 290 ? | ||
Copy Program MB/s | 157.3 | 319.1 | 714 | 389.7 | 181.4 | 220 ? | ||
Copy Game MB/s | 246.6 | 767 | 413 | 893 | 270.5 | 280 ? | ||
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -45% /
-45% | -47% /
-47% | 4% /
2% | 8% /
6% | 57% /
55% | 41% /
40% | -21% /
-21% |
* ... smaller is better
Graphics Card
The IdeaPad S530 has Intel’s integrated UHD Graphics 620. The performance of this GPU depends, to a considerable degree, on the RAM configuration and benefits strongly from dual-channel-enabled RAM, which is found in our review model.
The S530 achieves good results in the 3DMark benchmarks, which is why it takes first place in our comparison chart. Intel’s UHD Graphics 620 is suitable for simple image-editing and playing non-demanding video games.
You can learn what kind of performance you can expect from Intel’s UHD Graphics 620 on our GPU benchmarks page.
3DMark 11 Performance | 2098 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 9949 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 1184 points | |
Help |
Gaming Performance
The Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU in the Lenovo IdeaPad S530 is only marginally fit for gaming. It can run casual games and older titles. It can also run a handful of modern games, but only on the lowest settings. The six-year-old BioShock Infinite is only playable with the medium preset, and even not the most current games such as Rise of the Tomb Raider and Thief can only run on low settings.
To learn what kind of gaming experience you can expect from Intel’s UHD Graphics 620, go to our Gaming benchmarks page.
Thief | |
1024x768 Very Low Preset | |
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (16.3 - 34.3, n=10) | |
Dell Inspiron 13-5379-9573 | |
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX | |
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (10.4 - 19.7, n=10) | |
Dell Inspiron 13-5379-9573 | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:FXAA & Low SS AF:4x | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (8.5 - 15.1, n=5) |
Rise of the Tomb Raider | |
1024x768 Lowest Preset | |
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL | |
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (10.4 - 110.7, n=82) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US | |
Dell Inspiron 13-5379-9573 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L390-20NR0013GE | |
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x | |
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA | |
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (6.5 - 49.3, n=62) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US | |
Dell Inspiron 13-5379-9573 | |
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x | |
Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (4.9 - 32, n=42) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US |
low | med. | high | ultra | |
---|---|---|---|---|
BioShock Infinite (2013) | 73.9 | 37.74 | 31.62 | 9.69 |
Thief (2014) | 28 | 19.7 | ||
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) | 22.45 | 13.41 |
Emissions - Quiet notebook from Lenovo
System Noise
Under low load, the fans of the IdeaPad S530 stand still, which leads to silent operation. They start spinning only when the system is taxed. Here, the fans produce a slight hum that is often drowned out by the ambient noise. The fan noise becomes annoying only in very quiet environments. The S530 does not produce any abnormal noises such as coil whine.
Noise Level
Idle |
| 30.4 / 30.4 / 30.4 dB(A) |
Load |
| 34.4 / 37.4 dB(A) |
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30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
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Temperature
During our one-hour stress test, the temperatures inside the device reached up to 87 °C (188.6 °F), which resulted in the clock speed falling temporarily below the base clock of 1.6 GHz. By the end of the stress test, the cooling system managed to stabilize the clock speed again, which allowed the CPU to maintain its base clock most of the time.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.4 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.5 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 39.4 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.6 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 30.8 °C / 87 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.4 °C / 90.3 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.2 °C / 82.8 F (-4.2 °C / -7.5 F).
Speakers
The speakers of the IdeaPad S530 come with a Harman certification and a Dolby Audio logo. However, they do not sound particularly loud and produce a very unbalanced sound, in which high frequencies are overrepresented. The speakers of the IdeaPad S530 are good enough for occasional use, but we recommend you get a pair of headphones or external speakers if you want to use the Lenovo laptop for media consumption on a regular basis.
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL audio analysis
(-) | not very loud speakers (66.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.6% lower than median
(-) | bass is not linear (15% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 83% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 13% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 74% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 20% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 6% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 4% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Energy Management - Laptop with fast charging
Energy Consumption
According to our measurements, the Lenovo IdeaPad S530 draws at least 2.8 watts when idle and up to 55 watts under load. These results are quite average for a device in this price range and also mean that the included 65-watt power adapter should be able to provide enough energy to charge the device under any circumstances.
Off / Standby | ![]() ![]() |
Idle | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Load |
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Key:
min: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, Lenovo UMIS AM610 RPFTJ256PDD2MWX, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3" | Acer Spin 5 SP513-52N-54SF i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3" | Dell Inspiron 13-5379-9573 i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3" | HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.3" | Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3" | Lenovo ThinkPad L390-20NR0013GE i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.3" | Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.3" | Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Average of class Subnotebook | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | -6% | 2% | -15% | 18% | -12% | 1% | -10% | -30% | |
Idle Minimum * | 2.8 | 3.9 -39% | 3.2 -14% | 4.5 -61% | 1.6 43% | 3.8 -36% | 2.8 -0% | 3.81 ? -36% | 4.41 ? -58% |
Idle Average * | 5.6 | 8.2 -46% | 5.9 -5% | 6.8 -21% | 4.6 18% | 6.8 -21% | 5.5 2% | 6.94 ? -24% | 7.53 ? -34% |
Idle Maximum * | 7.4 | 8.8 -19% | 8.8 -19% | 8.8 -19% | 7.3 1% | 9.8 -32% | 7.7 -4% | 8.75 ? -18% | 9.4 ? -27% |
Load Average * | 41.6 | 28.5 31% | 31.2 25% | 36.8 12% | 37.9 9% | 32.4 22% | 39.9 4% | 35 ? 16% | 45 ? -8% |
Load Maximum * | 55 | 30.7 44% | 42.2 23% | 46.2 16% | 44.8 19% | 52 5% | 54.1 2% | 47.5 ? 14% | 68.4 ? -24% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
In our practically oriented Wi-Fi test, the IdeaPad S530 lasted for seven-and-a-half hours before it had to be plugged in. Other notebooks with similarly sized batteries last just as long, meaning that the battery life of the S530 is average.
The Lenovo laptop supports fast charging. According to the manufacturer, it should provide two hours of battery life after 15 minutes on the charger.
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh | Acer Spin 5 SP513-52N-54SF i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 53.9 Wh | Dell Inspiron 13-5379-9573 i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 42 Wh | HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh | Asus ZenBook 13 UX333FA i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 50 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad L390-20NR0013GE i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh | Lenovo IdeaPad 730S-13IWL 81JB0004US i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 42 Wh | Average of class Subnotebook | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | 26% | 8% | 6% | 76% | 12% | 69% | 88% | |
Reader / Idle | 807 | 918 14% | 1668 107% | 974 21% | 1774 ? 120% | |||
WiFi v1.3 | 396 | 500 26% | 324 -18% | 418 6% | 593 50% | 419 6% | 668 69% | 736 ? 86% |
Load | 77 | 98 27% | 132 71% | 83 8% | 121.7 ? 58% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Portable subnotebook with good system performance
In our review, the Lenovo IdeaPad S530 has proven itself to be a powerful and portable subnotebook. The device is powerful enough for both demanding office applications and simple image-editing. The maintenance options are limited. However, you can still clean the fan and replace the SSD.
The low-priced Lenovo IdeaPad S530 offers a lot of performance for office tasks. However, the lack of ports and the glossy screen should be taken into consideration.
Users will also have to deal with a reflective screen surface and a limited number of ports. The latter problem can be alleviated by replicating missing ports via the USB Gen2 Type-C port. However, for this you will need to get appropriate dongles. Those who can overlook these weaknesses and are searching for a light and portable notebook for office work will get a good and powerful device with the Lenovo IdeaPad S530.
Lenovo Ideapad S530-13IWL
- 03/10/2019 v6 (old)
Mike Wobker