Lenovo IdeaPad Y50-70 (59424712) Notebook Review Update

Contrary to the first tested version of the Lenovo IdeaPad Y50, which is equipped with an Intel wireless AC3160, the top configuration for the German market is equipped with an Atheros module (AR9565 b/g/n). We performed a comparative test with three other devices. 

It became apparent that the integrated Wi-Fi solution does not count among the most performant connections. At the first reading point (around 5 m distance from the router, two small interior walls), the entire possible range was available. Already at the second reading point (distance of around 15 m to the router, 4 small interior walls, glass door), the connection collapsed and simple browsing was hardly possible anymore. It came as no surprise that at the last reading point (distance of 15 m, 2 brick sub-ceilings), connection collapsed regularly. The best run out of 3 was noted down. 

After the arms race of higher gigabyte and gigahertz levels of recent years, now the display is in the spotlight of the manufacturer and its marketing department. That the stupid push up of pixels matters here first, as our "common sense" tells us that 3840x2160 pixels just have to be better (!) than the antiquated 1920x1080 pixels, comes as no surprise. Next to resolution, a display also has other qualities (or not) that we are focusing on now. 

The offered pixel density of a high 284 pixels per inch assures a pin-sharp image of all scalable vector contents. This stands out positively for texts that are still readable at even small font sizes and a small distance from the display, and that still show sharp contours. Of course, image and video material could profit from such detail abundance, but corresponding video material is not available yet on a large scale. As already mentioned in many of our tests of high-resolution displays, one often has to put up with representation errors, especially for older software tools that cannot be scaled appropriately.   

An essential point of criticism of the alternative FHD display of the Y50 was its poor brightness. With a maximum of 237 cd/m2 it was only insignificantly higher than required for an entry-level notebook. The UHD panel already improved in this point. We measure a maximum of 290 cd/m2 in the central area at an average brightness of 257 Candela. The drop toward the edges, which is clearly visible in the diagram, results in an illumination of just 80%. In practice, however, no impairments could be observed. Only in a completely dark room with pure black background, a translucency of the background illumination (screen bleeding) could be observed in the upper right corner. 

Choosing the right display is made even more difficult by the different panels that are available for the FHD version. Next to the already tested CMN15C4 (Chi Mei N1156HGE-EAB), an AU Optronics (AUO36ED) panel is used which our Polish colleagues found in their test of the Y50. With a brightness of 234 Candela on average and a contrast of only 275:1, it is still on a comparably bad level as the Chi-Mei alternative. On its homepage, Lenovo states that the UHD display is a touch display. However, the version that we tested (59424712) does not show any touch functionality.

In direct comparison i7-4700HQ vs. 4710HQ, the latter features a greater 100 MHz base (2.4 vs. 2.5 GHz) and maximum turbo clock rate (3.4 vs. 3.5 GHz). The Cinebench benchmark comparison clearly shows this. Our available test device outperforms our first test configuration by 3-7%. Also interesting is the comparison to the alternatively offered Intel Core i5-4200H CPU of the Lenovo Y50-70, a standard voltage dual-core chip. Due to a high turbo it can perform the single-thread test on a comparable level as its quad-core colleagues. Only in the multi-core test the processor drops behind. Since GPU performance is first and foremost still limiting for most games, the offered dual-core CPU would be even capable of maxing out the GTX 860M in many current games. 

In comparison to other devices with similar CPU, the Cinebench Multi-core Rendering test reveals that full potential of the CPU is not entirely used (minus 15-30%). In a matter of seconds, clock speeds are limited to 2.5 GHz (basis clock pulse). That happens independently of the chip temperature and is most likely set by Lenovo in order to keep the exhaust heat of the CPU within reasonable ranges. The single-core test is very well performed; clock speeds are between 3.3 and 3.5 GHz.

That the IdeaPad Y50-70 heats up under load was already shown by the first test we performed on the other version. Overall, the observed characteristics of the temperature development at the surfaces are very similar for the current test model; however, even slightly higher peak temperatures of over 60 °C could be measured at the bottom of the device. 

During this stress test, the CPU kept its base clock speed of 2.5 GHz for a long time, where core temperatures of up to 98 °C were reached. The CPU throttles then to 800 MHz, just to increase the clock rate to base level after the temperature decreased sufficiently. Even under extreme conditions the GPU remains at a high 1032- 1058 MHz. 

Let's get down to the conclusion. In the beginning we asked ourselves which of the two offered Lenovo IdeaPad Y50 display versions is the better one. After having performed this review update, we arrive at the following conclusion:

In the case of the current Y50-70 we would tend to go for the UHD version. This decision relies, however, on the fact that we had to choose the lesser evil, not on the fact that the UHD display of the test device convinced us. The slightly better brightness, the improved color representation as well as the high resolution that offers at least advantages in terms of office use - even though there might not be any advantages in terms of gaming - compensate for the disadvantage of a glossy display surface, especially if the device is used indoors. 

If one looks at possible competitors within the same price range, the decision to choose for the preferred UHD screen might change. Asus' GL550JK integrates a matte FHD display with high brightness, good contrast and reasonable color representation. In terms of display, the MSI GE60 (GTX 860M) which is equally equipped with a matte and luminous FHD display could also convince. The hot deal is Acer's Aspire V5-573G which combines a GTX 850M with a bright and matte FHD IPS display and which can be purchased for a price starting from 800 Euros (~$1051). 

Overall, it is a pity that Lenovo - since it already offers different display versions - does not have an optional, high-end panel solution in order to keep its competitors under control. With the current components many potential customers will probably wave it aside. The UHD display tries to hide its modest measured values behind the general resolution hype.