Lenovo Legion Y540 with RTX 2060 laptop review: Gaming laptop with good sound and 144 Hz panel
With the gaming laptops of the Legion series, Lenovo serves the 15- and 17-inch market with devices that have a slim case. While customers will receive an aluminum case with models such as the Legion Y740-15ICH, laptops like the Legion Y540-17IRH are made of plastic. The latter also offers a full-fledged numeric keypad, which is accordingly also available in our current review model.
This comes with an Intel Core i7-9750H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060. Alongside the Intel UHD Graphics 630 graphics unit that is integrated into the CPU, 16 GB RAM and a 1 TB SSD are also available, as well as a 2 TB HDD. This should allow the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH to run modern games smoothly, in which playing at 4K resolution and maximum details won't always be possible.
Naturally, the Lenovo gaming laptop has to face the competition. Therefore, we've included some comparable devices in our review. The Aorus 15 W9, the CUK Model Z, the Dell G5 15 5590, the HP Omen 15 and the MSI GL73 8SE are among these. In addition, further devices can be added to the comparison under each table.
Case - Bezel-less and with webcam below the display
Lenovo has built the Legion Y540 with stable black plastic. While the base unit is very resistant to warping, the lid slightly gives way. In this way, the display flexes especially when being opened with only one hand. So as to achieve the narrowest possible bezels, Lenovo has placed the webcam below the display. This perspective isn't exactly advantageous with video chats, but it also occurs more frequently with other manufacturers. The hinges hold the display firmly in its place and allow an opening angle of 180 degrees.
The Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH is among the most compact laptops in our test field. The Aorus 15-W9 and the CUK Model Z are the only ones able to show even some millimeters less in our measurements. Weighing 2.3 kg, the Lenovo gaming laptop can also secure a place in the midfield of our chosen comparison devices in regard to weight.
Connectivity - No Thunderbolt in the Legion Y540-15IRH
Lenovo concentrates most of the ports on the back of the laptop. This reduces obstructing cables and protruding devices to the left and right of the Legion Y540-15IRH to a minimum. Besides the already large number of ports, further ones can be set up through the USB Type-C port. Additionally, 4K monitors with a 60 Hz refresh rate can be used with HDMI 2.0. Like many other manufacturers, Lenovo has excluded an SD card reader.
Communication
The Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH can establish wireless connections over Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi. The fast 802.11ac standard and 2x2 MIMO antenna technology are available here, with which the gaming laptop reaches very good speeds of 677 Mb/s at receiving data and 684 Mb/s at sending data in our tests. The Y540-15IRH is only surpassed by the Y540-17IRH in our test field.
Accessories
In the box, the Legion Y540-15IRH includes the laptop itself and a corresponding 230-watt power adapter. Lenovo doesn't offer any other accessories that have been made especially for the gaming laptop. Furthermore, users can also purchase general accessories such as carrying bags, mice, keyboards, external drives and more from the manufacturer's website.
Maintenance
The Legion Y540-15IRH doesn't provide a maintenance hatch or anything similar. In order to access the inside, users will have to remove 11 screws from the bottom and then carefully detach the bottom cover. After this, it's possible to access components like the RAM, SSD and HDD.
Warranty
Lenovo honors a 24-month warranty for buyers of the Legion Y540-15IRH. Further information on this subject can be found in our guarantees, return policies and warranties FAQ.
Input devices - Gaming laptop with keyboard backlighting
Keyboard
The Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH provides large keys that are easily reached. Although the surface is comparably smooth, finger slips happen quite rarely. The feedback is soft with a clear pressure point, and the keys are very quiet. Therefore, writing tasks work well. Only the numeric keypad is a bit smaller. The Legion Y540 also has keyboard backlighting, which illuminates edges and symbols well and can be configured in two different levels to be lighter or darker.
Touchpad
As mouse alternative, Lenovo opted for a classic touchpad with separate mouse buttons with the Legion Y540-15IRH. The pad offers the fingers a comfortable resistance and allows in this way a precise navigation with the mouse pointer, and the dedicated mouse buttons operate uniformly and with a clearly audible click noise. Unlike the keyboard, the touchpad doesn't have any backlighting.
Display - Reasonably priced gaming laptop with 144 Hz panel
The display in the Legion Y540-15IRH is comprised of a 15.6-inch 144 Hz IPS panel that provides a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. With an average of 277 cd/m², the brightness sits in the lower midfield of our chosen comparison devices. At 87%, the brightness distribution is also average compared to other gaming laptops. Moreover, our measurements show that the Lenovo laptop doesn't use PWM to control brightness levels.
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Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 284 cd/m²
Contrast: 947:1 (Black: 0.3 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.53 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.9, calibrated: 1.81
ΔE Greyscale 3.56 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
91% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
91.6% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.5% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.47
| Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH BOE NV156FHM-N4G (BOE084D), IPS, 1920x1080 | Aorus 15 W9 LG Philips LP156WFG-SPB2 (LGD05E8), IPS, 1920x1080 | CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z LG Philips LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080 | Dell G5 15 5590 AU Optronics B156HAN, IPS, 1920x1080 | HP Omen 15-dc1303ng LG Philips LGD05C0, IPS, 1920x1080 | MSI GL73 8SE-010US CMN1747, TN LED, 1920x1080 | Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH AU Optronics B173HAN04.4 (AUO449D), IPS, 1920x1080 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 1% | 1% | -37% | 0% | 27% | 7% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 64.5 | 64.3 0% | 64.5 0% | 39.26 -39% | 63.8 -1% | 91.1 41% | 69 7% |
| sRGB Coverage | 91.6 | 93.5 2% | 93 2% | 59.1 -35% | 93.4 2% | 100 9% | 98.3 7% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 65.9 | 65.6 0% | 65.7 0% | 40.56 -38% | 65 -1% | 85.4 30% | 70.7 7% |
| Response Times | -60% | -38% | -306% | -35% | -14% | -67% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 8.8 ? | 16.8 ? -91% | 13.6 ? -55% | 45 ? -411% | 14 ? -59% | 12.8 ? -45% | 18 ? -105% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 10 ? | 12.8 ? -28% | 12 ? -20% | 30 ? -200% | 11 ? -10% | 8.2 ? 18% | 12.8 ? -28% |
| PWM Frequency | 25770 ? | ||||||
| Screen | -6% | -0% | -57% | 3% | -37% | 8% | |
| Brightness middle | 284 | 295 4% | 306.8 8% | 234 -18% | 316 11% | 326.4 15% | 286 1% |
| Brightness | 277 | 292 5% | 309 12% | 219 -21% | 295 6% | 317 14% | 282 2% |
| Brightness Distribution | 87 | 80 -8% | 87 0% | 82 -6% | 84 -3% | 90 3% | 87 0% |
| Black Level * | 0.3 | 0.34 -13% | 0.38 -27% | 0.17 43% | 0.42 -40% | 0.28 7% | 0.19 37% |
| Contrast | 947 | 868 -8% | 807 -15% | 1376 45% | 752 -21% | 1166 23% | 1505 59% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.53 | 3.89 -10% | 3.16 10% | 8.6 -144% | 2.7 24% | 7.83 -122% | 3.57 -1% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 6.11 | 7.28 -19% | 6.05 1% | 17.49 -186% | 5.65 8% | 13.36 -119% | 7.5 -23% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 1.81 | 1.44 20% | 2.4 -33% | 4.06 -124% | 1.58 13% | 2.83 -56% | 1.31 28% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3.56 | 4.98 -40% | 2.3 35% | 8.55 -140% | 2.35 34% | 10.9 -206% | 4.51 -27% |
| Gamma | 2.47 89% | 2.45 90% | 2.17 101% | 3.02 73% | 2.41 91% | 1.97 112% | 2.36 93% |
| CCT | 7257 90% | 6407 101% | 6557 99% | 7802 83% | 6904 94% | 11056 59% | 7411 88% |
| Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 59 | 60 2% | 60 2% | 37 -37% | 60 2% | 75.8 28% | 64 8% |
| Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 91 | 93 2% | 92.6 2% | 59 -35% | 93 2% | 100 10% | 98 8% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -22% /
-11% | -12% /
-5% | -133% /
-84% | -11% /
-2% | -8% /
-22% | -17% /
-1% |
* ... smaller is better
With a contrast ratio of 947:1 and a black value of 0.3 cd/m², the Legion Y540 also performs averagely in regard to these aspects. While the first value only provides a moderate separation between colors, a light bloom is visible on top of black image content due to the slightly elevated black value.
The CalMAN analysis also shows that out of the box the display in the Lenovo laptop reproduces colors with a slightly raised blue proportion and a too low red proportion. This behavior can be evened out well through calibration. The corresponding ICC file can be downloaded in the upper right window found next to the display's brightness distribution graph.
Due to the fairly low brightness, the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH can only be used with limitations outdoors, even in shady areas. Image content is still recognizable and can barely be read in direct sunlight. However, thanks to the matte display, only a little reflection can be seen, and there is no mirroring from surrounding objects.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 10 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5.6 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 4.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 24 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 8.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 4.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 4.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 19 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| 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 8627 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
The IPS panel in the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH has very stable viewing angles. Content can be read from almost any angle, without it becoming distorted or showing wrong colors.
Performance - Legion Y540-15IRH offers solid performance
With an Intel Core i7-9750H and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, our review model of the Legion Y540 currently offers Lenovo's strongest performing CPU/GPU combination. The available RAM can be up to 32 GB, according to the datasheet, and the mass storage is configurable with an SSD up to 1 TB and an HDD up to 2 TB. Further graphics options are available with the following Nvidia GeForce models: the GTX 1660 Ti, the GTX 1650, and the GTX 1050. The prices are between about 800 Euros (~$890) and 1,900 Euros (~$2,115), depending on the configuration variant.
Processor
The Intel Core i7-9750H is a processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture, which achieves clock speeds between 2.6 and 4.5 GHz with its six cores. However, the full 4.5 GHz can only be used by up to two cores at a time. When all cores are maxed out, the highest possible clock speed is 4 GHz. The i7-9750H offers additionally an internal Intel UHD Graphics 630 graphics unit that can be activated within the BIOS settings. In this way, users of the Legion Y540-15IRH can also use the more energy-efficient integrated GPU instead of always having the dedicated Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 in use.
How long the gaming laptop from Lenovo is able to sustain its maximal performance depends significantly on the implemented cooling system. In our Cinebench endurance test, performance drops by around 6% after only a short period. The Legion Y540-15IRH is able to maintain the subsequently reached value for the rest of the test with little fluctuations though. The Cinebench R15 individual tests corresponding to the single- and multi-core performance show that our review model is able to take advantage of the performance of its CPU very well; it manages to outperform the average of all the devices with the Intel Core i7-9750H that we've reviewed.
System performance
The Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH also performs very well in the synthetic PCMark benchmarks for system performance. In the overall score of both tests, the gaming laptop is at the head of our test field. It's only slightly outmatched by the Legion Y540-17IRH in the PCMark10 "Productivity" and "Essentials" disciplines. In everyday use, the Legion Y540-15IRH offers a smooth operating system without micro-stutters and with applications that load quickly. However, the speed when accessing data depends on whether it is stored on the SSD or HDD.
The performance reached by other laptops compared to the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH can be found in our CPU benchmarks article.
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 5185 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 5901 points | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 5997 points | |
Help | ||
Storage
Lenovo offers the Legion Y540-15IRH with different storage configurations. Our review unit has a 1 TB SSD and a 2 TB HDD. While the SSD provides very good read and write speeds in our storage benchmarks, the HDD is rather among the slower storage devices with its 5400 rpm.
The performance that other storage devices were able to reach in our tests can be found in our SSD/HDD benchmarks article.
| Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR | Aorus 15 W9 Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW512G8 | CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8 | Dell G5 15 5590 KBG30ZMS128G | HP Omen 15-dc1303ng Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ | MSI GL73 8SE-010US Kingston RBUSNS8154P3128GJ | Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6 | -3% | 5% | -65% | -18% | -64% | -30% | |
| Write 4K | 131.7 | 99.2 -25% | 134.4 2% | 64.3 -51% | 50.2 -62% | 71.2 -46% | 105.1 -20% |
| Read 4K | 48.06 | 54.1 13% | 56.8 18% | 29.3 -39% | 35.32 -27% | 32.7 -32% | 34.41 -28% |
| Write Seq | 1234 | 1524 24% | 1742 41% | 131.1 -89% | 991 -20% | 404.5 -67% | 1298 5% |
| Read Seq | 973 | 2325 139% | 1687 73% | 776 -20% | 1526 57% | 8.3 -99% | 1099 13% |
| Write 4K Q32T1 | 576 | 259.2 -55% | 535 -7% | 96.8 -83% | 445.1 -23% | 204 -65% | 335.7 -42% |
| Read 4K Q32T1 | 655 | 328.9 -50% | 639 -2% | 198.6 -70% | 526 -20% | 303.2 -54% | 231.4 -65% |
| Write Seq Q32T1 | 3012 | 1566 -48% | 1903 -37% | 127.8 -96% | 1647 -45% | 386.5 -87% | 1454 -52% |
| Read Seq Q32T1 | 3481 | 2767 -21% | 1849 -47% | 1044 -70% | 3427 -2% | 1214 -65% | 1740 -50% |
Graphics card
Alongside the integrated UHD Graphics 630 graphics unit, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 is also available to the users of the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH. This GPU is also suitable for applications with higher demand for graphics performance in a laptop and can run most modern games at high graphics settings smoothly. In the 3DMark 13 tests, the performance of the GeForce RTX 2060 is slightly below the level of other gaming laptops with this graphics card. Performance is even a bit lower in the 3DMark 11 benchmark and is comparable to a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti.
Our GPU benchmarks list shows the results obtained by other graphics cards in these tests.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 17422 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 36582 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 13706 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming performance
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 can run modern games smoothly. High detail levels are no problem in Full HD, but 4K resolution requires a reduction in graphics settings with demanding titles. The titles that we tested all ran without issues on the Full HD panel of the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH. The expected performance in other games can be found in our GPU games list.
| The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) | |
| Average of class Gaming (18.4 - 216, n=150, last 2 years) | |
| CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z | |
| Dell G5 15 5590 | |
| Aorus 15 W9 | |
| Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH | |
| MSI GL73 8SE-010US | |
| Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH | |
| Dota 2 Reborn - 1920x1080 ultra (3/3) best looking | |
| Average of class Gaming (65.1 - 220, n=174, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH | |
| HP Omen 15-dc1303ng | |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x | |
| CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z | |
| Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH | |
| Thief - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FXAA & High SS AF:8x | |
| Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH | |
Our endurance test with The Witcher 3 shows that the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH is also able to sustain its gaming performance over a very long period of time. Although there are small fluctuations in the frame rates, these remain on a relatively constant level.
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thief (2014) | 97.7 | |||
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 56.7 | |||
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 139 | 132.5 | 123.2 | 118.9 |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) | 83.9 |
Emissions - Good speakers in the Lenovo laptop
Noise emissions
The fans in the Legion Y540-15IRH also spin in idle usage, but they are very quiet. The noise level increases significantly under load and reaches a maximum of 52 dB in our test. In this way, the Lenovo laptop is similarly loud to comparable gaming laptops, but it's not an extremely loud device. We weren't able to find any miscellaneous noises, such as coil whine or the kind, in our review model.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 30 / 32 / 34 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 44 / 52 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 30 dB(A) | ||
Temperature
Our measurements show that the Legion Y540-15IRH reaches surface temperatures of up to 41 °C (~106 °F) in idle usage and up to 60 °C (~140 °F) under load. The warmest spots are in the rear section of the bottom. Using the Lenovo laptop on the lap is therefore almost impossible.
The core temperatures within the Legion Y540-15IRH increase to up to 86 °C (~187 °F) during our The Witcher 3 stress test. The clock rates stabilize to an average of about 4.1 GHz by the end of the test. The CPU reaches a maximum value of 95 °C (~203 °F) in our even more demanding stress test scenario, where an average clock speed of about 2.9 GHz is maintained.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 47 °C / 117 F, compared to the average of 40.5 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 60 °C / 140 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 33.8 °C / 93 F, compared to the device average of 33.9 °C / 93 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 40.2 °C / 104 F, compared to the device average of 33.9 °C / 93 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 41 °C / 105.8 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (-12.1 °C / -21.8 F).
Speakers
The speakers in the Legion Y540-15IRH offer comparably high volumes and a relatively broad sound spectrum. Mids are slightly over-represented and high tones drop a bit. On the other hand, there is barely any bass. The speakers are definitely suitable for the occasional reproduction of media content, but external speakers or headphones are recommended in the long run, especially for gaming. These can be connected to Lenovo's gaming laptop through a combined 3.5 mm audio jack, which holds corresponding connectors firmly in place and doesn't impact audio quality in a negative way.
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 14.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 24% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 69% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 15% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 81% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (3.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 34% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 59% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 21% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Energy management - Battery life can be improved with iGPU
Energy consumption
Our measurements show that the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH has an energy consumption of at least 15 watts in idle usage and up to 213 watts under load. This places the gaming laptop among the least energy-efficient devices in our test field, but it can't be described as an energy waster either.
The included power adapter provides an output of 230 watts and therefore has enough capacity to be able to supply the Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH with energy at all times.
| Off / Standby | 0.4 / 0.8 Watt |
| Idle | 15 / 20 / 33 Watt |
| Load |
88 / 213 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile | Aorus 15 W9 i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile | CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q | Dell G5 15 5590 i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile | HP Omen 15-dc1303ng i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q | MSI GL73 8SE-010US i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile | Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile | Average of class Gaming | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 2% | -20% | 38% | 17% | 17% | -3% | -0% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 15 | 18 -20% | 23.5 -57% | 3.5 77% | 14.7 2% | 8.8 41% | 19 -27% | 13.5 ? 10% |
| Idle Average * | 20 | 20 -0% | 28 -40% | 6.9 65% | 18.6 7% | 16.2 19% | 22 -10% | 18.9 ? 5% |
| Idle Maximum * | 33 | 28 15% | 32 3% | 8.5 74% | 22.6 32% | 18.3 45% | 30 9% | 26.7 ? 19% |
| Load Average * | 88 | 87 1% | 102.4 -16% | 127 -44% | 90 -2% | 86.1 2% | 79 10% | 105.1 ? -19% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 128 | 135 -5% | 142.8 -12% | 146.7 -15% | 134 -5% | |||
| Load Maximum * | 213 | 175 18% | 209 2% | 179 16% | 120 44% | 186.4 12% | 201 6% | 249 ? -17% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery life
The Lenovo Legion Y540 reaches a runtime of 3 h 12 m in our practical Wi-Fi test. Although it performs rather below average in this regard, it sits in the midfield of our chosen comparison devices. If the integrated graphics unit is activated in the BIOS, users can expect an increase in battery life of about two hours.
| Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 57 Wh | Aorus 15 W9 i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 62 Wh | CUK Model Z GK5CQ7Z i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 46.74 Wh | Dell G5 15 5590 i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 60 Wh | HP Omen 15-dc1303ng i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, 70 Wh | MSI GL73 8SE-010US i7-8750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 41 Wh | Lenovo Legion Y540-17IRH i5-9300H, GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, 57 Wh | Average of class Gaming | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -10% | -7% | 191% | 12% | 1% | 16% | 88% | |
| Reader / Idle | 233 | 176 -24% | 890 282% | 301 29% | 388 67% | 311 33% | 569 ? 144% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 192 | 141 -27% | 178 -7% | 463 141% | 197 3% | 168 -12% | 220 15% | 375 ? 95% |
| Load | 67 | 81 21% | 168 151% | 69 3% | 33 -51% | 68 1% | 84.2 ? 26% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Simple but good gaming laptop from Lenovo
The Legion Y540-15IRH proved to be a solid gaming laptop with only a few weaknesses in our review. The system performance is on a high level, and although the performance of the GeForce RTX 2060 isn't optimally used, it's still well taken advantage of. In addition, the combination of a fast SSD and large HDD provides diverse storage possibilities for sizeable amounts of data, where users can later also expand or exchange them.
The Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH makes a good impression in its maximum configuration and leaves only little room for criticism.
However, it's somewhat incomprehensible that the battery life is reduced to such an extent when disabling the integrated graphics unit. Users can take action themselves here too, but without technical background knowledge, this isn't easy for everyone. Lenovo has also forgone a card reader, and instead of Thunderbolt 3 there's "only" a USB Type-C port with the 3.1 Gen1 standard. Since these aspects will likely be less bothersome for some users, the Legion Y540 remains a good gaming laptop at a reasonable price.
Lenovo Legion Y540-15IRH
- 08/04/2019 v6 (old)
Mike Wobker
Price comparison
