Notebookcheck Logo

Lenovo Ideapad 320/320S series launching in time for back-to-school season

Lenovo Ideapad 320/320S series launching in time for back-to-school season
Lenovo Ideapad 320/320S series launching in time for back-to-school season
The updated notebooks start at just $439 USD with a 15-inch 768p display or $749+ USD for a Full HD version with GeForce 940MX graphics, backlit keyboard, Windows Hello Support, and a larger internal battery.

The entry-level Ideapad 320/320S series supplants the older Ideapad 310 series to be the notebooks of choice for buyers on a budget.

The table below illustrates some key features and differences between the new 15.6-inch Ideapad 320, 17.3-inch Ideapad 320, 14-inch Ideapad 320S, and 15.6-inch Ideapad 320S:

Ideapad 320 15Ideapad 320 17Ideapad 320S 14Ideapad 320S 15
15.6-inch 1366 x 768 resolution, Touch optional17.3-inch 1600 x 900 resolution, Non-touch14-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS, Non-touch15.6-inch 1920 x 1080 IPS, Non-touch
HDMI, RJ-45, 2x USB Type-A, 1x USB Type-C, SD readerHDMI, RJ-45, 2x USB, 1x USB Type-C, SD readerHDMI, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, USB Type-C, SD readerHDMI, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, USB Type-C, SD reader
30 Wh battery30 Wh battery52 Wh battery52 Wh battery
2.2 kg2.8 kg1.7 kg1.9 kg
378 x 260 x 22.9 mm418 x 292.6 x 24.9 mm327.4 x 236.5 x 19.3 mm362.7 x 252 x 19.9 mm
Optical DVD-R/W driveOptical DVD-R/W driveNo optical driveNo optical drive (Geforce 940MX available)
$439 USD ($489 USD with touch)$489 USD$739 USD

$749 USD

The sleeker Ideapad 320S models also include a backlit keyboard with 802.11ac wireless support compared to the far less expensive baseline 320 models. The lighter design, however, comes at the cost of any integrated optical drives, but its extended features and higher resolution IPS displays should more than make up for the deficits. All four models are composed of ABS plastic while the 320S models have an additional brushed layer for a more metallic texture and look.

The budget Ideapad 320 is certainly visually unassuming as it lacks the aluminum build of the Ideapad 720S and the chrome-cut corners of the new Flex 5 series. Of course, the target audience in this price range is not necessarily purchasing for looks, and we can so far confirm that both its keyboard and trackpad are soft but quiet in feedback. We're hoping that the final retail models will have brighter glossy displays as this was one of our major complaints on the older Ideapad 310.

Note that the baseline 320 series has dropped the VGA port and one USB port from the 310 series, so it actually features fewer ports than the previous generation in favor of a slightly thinner (22.9 mm vs. 24 mm) chassis.

The Ideapad 320/320S models are all launching this June in the US for starting prices as stated above. A wide variety of light-tone colors are available including Blizzard White, Snow White, Coral Red, Denim Blue, Platinum Silver, Plum Purple, and Mineral Gray.

Ideapad 320 15-inch Denim Blue
Ideapad 320 15-inch Denim Blue
Ideapad 320 15-inch Denim Blue
Ideapad 320 15-inch Denim Blue
Ideapad 320 15-inch Denim Blue
Ideapad 320 15-inch Denim Blue
Ideapad 320s 14-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch/15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch/15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch/15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320s 14-inch/15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320 17-inch Onyx Black
Ideapad 320 17-inch Onyx Black
Ideapad 320 17-inch Onyx Black
Ideapad 320 17-inch Onyx Black
Ideapad 320 17-inch Onyx Black
Ideapad 320 17-inch Onyx Black
Ideapad 320S 15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320S 15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320S 15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320S 15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320S 15-inch Mineral grey
Ideapad 320S 15-inch Mineral grey

Source(s)

Lenovo

Read all 1 comments / answer
static version load dynamic
Loading Comments
Comment on this article
Please share our article, every link counts!
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2017 05 > Lenovo Ideapad 320/320S series launching in time for back-to-school season
Allen Ngo, 2017-05-18 (Update: 2017-05-18)