Notebookcheck Logo

Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH (i5-8300H, GTX 1050 Ti) Laptop Review

Flagship features, mainstream price. The Legion Y730 is the higher-end alternative to the Legion Y530 and legion Y7000 with flagship-like features including per-key RGB lighting, Thunderbolt 3, and dedicated Macro keys. It's just too bad that current SKUs are limited to the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti.

The 15.6-inch Legion Y730 was unveiled on the same day as the 15.6-inch Legion Y530 and Y7000 laptops. Unlike its two siblings, however, the Y730 is the higher-end option equipped with features often found on flagship gaming laptops including Thunderbolt 3, per-key RGB keys, and an aluminum chassis. Our table below illustrates the major differences between the Legion Y730 and its less expensive Legion Y530 alternative. 

Current SKUs range from the Core i5-8300H CPU with 8 GB DDR4 RAM and 1 TB HDD for $1000 USD up to the Core i5-8750H with 16 GB of RAM and a 128 GB PCIe SSD for $1400 USD. The 60 Hz 1080p IPS display and GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU are otherwise fixed across all SKUs. The hardware puts the Y730 firmly in the mainstream category against competitors like the Walmart Overpowered 15, Gigabyte Sabre 15, MSI GF63, Acer Aspire Nitro 15, and Dell G7 15.

The Legion Y730 series consists of 15-inch and 17-inch models. See our existing review on the 17-inch version here as this page will focus on the 15-inch model.

Despite being more feature-packed than the Legion Y530, the two laptops are very similar to each other both inside and out. We recommend checking out our existing review on the Y530 as many of our comments and analyses still apply here.

More Lenovo Legion series reviews:

 


Legion Y530 15-inchLegion Y730 15-inch
ChassisLargely plasticAluminum
KeyboardSingle-zone white backlight plus NumPadPer-key RGB lighting plus Macro Keys
GPUUp to the GTX 1060GTX 1050 Ti only
WirelessIntel 3165, Bluetooth 4.2Intel 9560, Bluetooth 5.0
PortsNo Thunderbolt 3Thunderbolt 3
Battery52.5 Wh57 Wh
Dimensions28 x 360 x 268 mm19.95 x 362 x 267 mm
Weight2.34 kg2.20 kg


Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H (Legion Y730-15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-8300H 4 x 2.3 - 4 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1493 MHz, Memory: 7008 MHz, GDDR5, 398.82, Nvidia Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2666, PC4-21300, 19-19-19-43, Single-Channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, BOE NV156FHM-N61, IPS, BOE06FB, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel HM370
Storage
Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD, 2x storage bays
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 3 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 19.95 x 362 x 267 ( = 0.79 x 14.25 x 10.51 in)
Battery
57 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 3-cell
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Lenovo Vantage, Utility, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.2 kg ( = 77.6 oz / 4.85 pounds), Power Supply: 571 g ( = 20.14 oz / 1.26 pounds)
Price
1000 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Chassis texture and skeleton are identical to the 17.3-inch Legion Y730-17ICH. The smooth matte aluminum surfaces and uniform design language contrast the older gamer-centric Legion Y520 where bright red accents are prevalent. Lenovo says this was intentional in order to better appeal to business and office users. We are seeing this design trend expanding to other gaming laptops as well such as on the MSI GS65 and Razer Blade series.

Chassis quality is a mixed bag. The lid in particular is significantly more flexible than the lids of the XPS 15, Razer Blade 15, Gigabyte Aero 15, MSI GF63, and most other 15-inch gaming laptops for that matter. This is likely due to the narrow bezels, lack of any Gorilla Glass reinforcement, and seemingly thinner outer lid material. The dual hinges are decent with a very range, but the lid still wobbles a bit when adjusting the angle or transporting the laptop.

The base is thankfully much more rigid and resistant to twisting than the lid. Even so, we can observe more flexing than the aforementioned Dell, Razer, Gigabyte, and MSI alternatives when applying pressure on the center of the keyboard. Attempting to twist the base from its front two corners results in minor but audible creaking as well. While Lenovo has nailed its unique gaming-business hybrid look and feel, chassis rigidity still has some ways to go.

It's difficult to see without having both units side by side, but the Legion Y730 is notably thinner and slightly lighter than the Y530 despite their similar design features. It's worth noting that the Y730 has a rather large footprint for a narrow-bezel laptop because of its protruding rear. The Razer Blade 15, for example, is over 30 mm shorter despite also having narrow bezels on all three sides of the display. Webcam positioning and angle suffer from the "XPS syndrome".

All-aluminum chassis in contrast to the predominantly plastic Legion Y530. Fingerprints are easy to wipe off
All-aluminum chassis in contrast to the predominantly plastic Legion Y530. Fingerprints are easy to wipe off
New column of Macro keys for the per-key RGB keyboard
New column of Macro keys for the per-key RGB keyboard
Smooth matte gray surface from top to bottom. The extended rear adds volume
Smooth matte gray surface from top to bottom. The extended rear adds volume
Lid can be opened slightly beyond 180 degrees
Lid can be opened slightly beyond 180 degrees
389 mm / 15.3 inch 274.7 mm / 10.8 inch 24.95 mm / 0.982 inch 2.6 kg5.8 lbs384 mm / 15.1 inch 262 mm / 10.3 inch 25 mm / 0.984 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs365 mm / 14.4 inch 260 mm / 10.2 inch 24 mm / 0.945 inch 2.3 kg5.07 lbs362.5 mm / 14.3 inch 225 mm / 8.86 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2 kg4.48 lbs362 mm / 14.3 inch 267 mm / 10.5 inch 19.95 mm / 0.785 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 254 mm / 10 inch 21.7 mm / 0.854 inch 1.9 kg4.1 lbs355 mm / 14 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 2 kg4.48 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Rear ports have LED symbols for easier access
Rear ports have LED symbols for easier access

Port options are identical to the Legion Y530 except that the USB Type-C port is now compatible with Thunderbolt 3 devices. Port positioning, however, is different on the Legion Y730. The USB Type-C port has swapped places with the USB Type-A port along the left edge. Most of the ports are still along the back since the ventilation grilles occupy a large portion of the two rear corners.

We can appreciate the LED symbols for each port along the rear to make connecting monitors, Ethernet, or the AC adapter more hassle-free. It can be annoying reaching over to look at the back ports on other laptops every time something needs to be connected.

There is no integrated SD card reader available.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: USB 3.1 Gen. 1
Right: USB 3.1 Gen. 1
Rear: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen. 2, RJ-45, Mini DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, Kensington Lock, AC adapter
Rear: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen. 2, RJ-45, Mini DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, Kensington Lock, AC adapter
Left: USB Type-C w/ Thunderbolt 3, 3.5 mm combo audio
Left: USB Type-C w/ Thunderbolt 3, 3.5 mm combo audio

Communication

Removable Intel Wireless-AC 9560 M.2 module
Removable Intel Wireless-AC 9560 M.2 module

The official Lenovo product page does not specify what the wireless module is other than a vague "802.11 AC 2x2 + Bluetooth 4.1" statement. Upon closer inspection, we can confirm that our test unit is equipped with an even better Intel 9560 for speeds of up to 1.73 Gbps and integrated Bluetooth 5.0. In comparison, our Legion Y530 shipped with the slower 1x1 Intel 3165 module. Unfortunately, we can't guarantee that all retail units will include the Intel 9560 module as found here.

We experienced no connectivity issues during our time with the test unit. Transfer rates from an Intel 9560 are capable of much faster speeds than what we've recorded below since our server setup is limited by a 1 Gbps Ethernet line.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
721 MBit/s
Razer Blade 15 Base Model
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
653 MBit/s -9%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
642 MBit/s -11%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
144 (113min - 190max) MBit/s -80%
iperf3 receive AX12
Razer Blade 15 Base Model
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
666 MBit/s +8%
Dell G7 15-7588
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
660 MBit/s +7%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
619 MBit/s
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
293 (186min - 315max) MBit/s -53%

Maintenance

Servicing requires removing 11 Philips screws from the bottom panel. As shown by our images below, there are many similarities between the Legion Y730 and the Y530 in terms of layout and design. An aluminum cover makes RAM access more cumbersome.

Legion Y730 15-ICH
Legion Y730 15-ICH
Legion Y530 15-ICH
Legion Y530 15-ICH

Accessories and Warranty

There are no included extras in the box outside of the AC adapter, Quick Start guide, and warranty card.

The standard one-year limited warranty applies with options to extend up to three years. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties article for country-specific information. Attempting to upgrade one of the storage drives may void the warranty as shown in our Storage Devices section below.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Lenovo has swapped out the NumPad as found on both the Y530 and 17.3-inch Y730-17ICH for a column of Macro keys along the left edge. Gamers may appreciate the change, but users who live by the NumPad may be upset by the sudden switcheroo. Nevertheless, the roomy anti-ghost keys are individually lit with 16 million colors to choose from much like on most pricier alternatives.

Unfortunately, key feedback is not up to our gaming standards. The keys are very light with shallow travel and spongy feedback when pressed for an unsatisfying typing experience. Perhaps the best aspect of the keyboard is its extremely soft clatter which can be useful if working in classrooms or other noise-sensitive environments.

"Magic Y Key" macro editor is easy to set and configure
"Magic Y Key" macro editor is easy to set and configure
Same Corsair iCue RGB backlight software as on the 17-inch Legion Y730-17ICH. The software has a slight learning curve
Same Corsair iCue RGB backlight software as on the 17-inch Legion Y730-17ICH. The software has a slight learning curve

Touchpad

The Precision trackpad is small at just 10.1 x 5.3 cm compared to 10.5 x 8.5 mm on the XPS 15 since the Lenovo utilizes dedicated mouse keys. The trackpad surface yields slightly when applying moderate pressure, but its surface is otherwise smooth with no sticking no matter the cursor speed. Multi-touch inputs can feel a bit cramped due to the short height of the trackpad.

The two dedicated mouse keys are very quiet with relatively deep travel and soft feedback. Users who prefer more "clicky" keys will find these keys to be too soft while users who prefer quieter key clatter will feel right at home. We would have preferred key travel to be a bit shallower to make presses easier.

Unlike the Legion Y530, the Y730 drops the NumPad for a column of Macro keys
Unlike the Legion Y530, the Y730 drops the NumPad for a column of Macro keys
Shallow and quiet feedback from each key
Shallow and quiet feedback from each key

Display

The default 1080p IPS matte screen is fixed with no other resolution or 120 Hz/5 ms options to choose from. In fact, the panel on our Lenovo unit is the same BOE NV156FHM-N61 panel as found on the Razer Blade 15 Base Model for very similar properties between them including color space, contrast, and response times. Consequently, the Lenovo panel suffers from the same drawbacks including heavier ghosting than many competitors. We are able to detect pulse-width modulation as well on all brightness levels except maximum.

Aside from the slow black-white and gray-gray response times, content appears crisp and almost free of any graininess to be close to a glossy panel. It's a mid-range display that sits in between the cheaper TN panels on budget multimedia laptops and the pricier IPS panels with higher refresh rates and faster response times.

There is slight uneven backlight bleeding on our test unit as shown by the screenshot below. It is very faint and largely unnoticeable during day-to-day use and video playback.

Narrow bezels on three sides with matte display
Narrow bezels on three sides with matte display
Narrow bezels are
Narrow bezels are <8 mm thick
Slight uneven bleeding along left edge
Slight uneven bleeding along left edge
Subpixel array (141 PPI)
Subpixel array (141 PPI)
271.1
cd/m²
283.7
cd/m²
280.1
cd/m²
257.1
cd/m²
286.5
cd/m²
275.2
cd/m²
240.5
cd/m²
272.4
cd/m²
252.8
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE NV156FHM-N61 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 286.5 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 268.8 cd/m² Minimum: 3.95 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 286.5 cd/m²
Contrast: 868:1 (Black: 0.33 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.17
ΔE Greyscale 5.6 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
85.1% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
55.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
62.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
85.5% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
65.9% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.23
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
BOE NV156FHM-N61, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
LG Display LP156WFG-SPB2, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Dell G7 15-7588
LG Philips LGD053F, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Razer Blade 15 Base Model
BOE NV156FHM-N61, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Asus FX504GD
AU Optronics B156HTN03.8, TN LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
MSI GF63 8RC
AU Optronics B156HAN02.1, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Display
2%
-38%
1%
-39%
-35%
Display P3 Coverage
65.9
62.5
-5%
37.82
-43%
66.3
1%
37.09
-44%
39.43
-40%
sRGB Coverage
85.5
93
9%
56.2
-34%
86.6
1%
55.8
-35%
59.3
-31%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
62.5
63.8
2%
39.2
-37%
63.3
1%
38.34
-39%
40.73
-35%
Response Times
69%
22%
6%
33%
28%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
43.2 ?(25.2, 18)
15 ?(8, 7)
65%
38.8 ?(16, 22.8)
10%
39.2 ?(19.6, 19.6)
9%
41.6 ?(19.6, 22)
4%
33.2 ?(15.2, 18)
23%
Response Time Black / White *
40 ?(21.2, 18.8)
11 ?(7, 4)
72%
26.8 ?(14.4, 12.4)
33%
35.2 ?(20.4, 14.8)
12%
15.2 ?(10, 5.2)
62%
27.2 ?(15.6, 11.6)
32%
PWM Frequency
21740 ?(99)
21190 ?(99)
-3%
Screen
7%
-30%
15%
-33%
-10%
Brightness middle
286.5
305
6%
250.9
-12%
273.6
-5%
260
-9%
266.6
-7%
Brightness
269
284
6%
246
-9%
262
-3%
241
-10%
257
-4%
Brightness Distribution
84
83
-1%
89
6%
86
2%
85
1%
89
6%
Black Level *
0.33
0.52
-58%
0.34
-3%
0.3
9%
0.55
-67%
0.29
12%
Contrast
868
587
-32%
738
-15%
912
5%
473
-46%
919
6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.3
3.63
42%
7.34
-17%
3.22
49%
7
-11%
5.93
6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.01
8.18
18%
28.66
-186%
7.61
24%
22.52
-125%
16.28
-63%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.17
1.31
69%
4.42
-6%
4.1
2%
5.27
-26%
3.6
14%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.6
4.77
15%
6.8
-21%
1.4
75%
6.1
-9%
6.8
-21%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.54 87%
2.164 102%
2.24 98%
1.97 112%
2.43 91%
CCT
6822 95%
7500 87%
6780 96%
6636 98%
7894 82%
7192 90%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
55.7
59
6%
36
-35%
56.4
1%
35.5
-36%
37.6
-32%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
85.1
93
9%
56
-34%
86.2
1%
61
-28%
59.3
-30%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
26% / 14%
-15% / -25%
7% / 11%
-13% / -26%
-6% / -10%

* ... smaller is better

Color space is actually slightly narrower than the LG panel on the less expensive Legion T530. Still, it is thankfully much wider than the panels on the Asus FX504 or MSI GF63 for noticeably deeper colors. Cheaper panels tend to cover ~60 percent of sRGB compared to 85 percent on our Lenovo panel. Gamers who desire full sRGB coverage may want to consider the 15-inch Asus ZenBook UX580 where 100 percent sRGB options exist.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

Further measurements with an X-Rite colorimeter reveal a color temperature slightly on the cooler side. A calibration attempt addresses this for more accurate grayscale and colors. Colors still become more inaccurate at higher saturation levels since gamut is smaller than the sRGB standard.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

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
40 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21.2 ms rise
↘ 18.8 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. » 97 % 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
43.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 25.2 ms rise
↘ 18 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. » 68 % 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 detected 21740 Hz ≤ 99 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 21740 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 99 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 21740 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

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.

Outdoor visibility is average at best when under shade. Direct sunlight will overwhelm the screen despite it being a matte panel for reduced glare. Viewing angles are excellent with no significant contrast, brightness, or color changes from wide angles.

Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

Although Lenovo is marketing the Legion 730 as a higher-end version of the Legion 530, the Legion 730 still carries middle-of-the-road hardware. Its Core i5-8300H and i7-8750H CPU options can be found on most other gaming laptops in the market today while the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU is a budget-mainstream solution.

Nvidia Optimus is included for automatic graphics switching to the UHD Graphics 630.

Processor

CineBench R15
CineBench R15

CPU performance according to CineBench R15 Multi-Thread is within 4 percent of the average Core i5-8300H in our database. Users can expect a performance boost of almost 60 percent over the Kaby Lake i5-7300HQ in the last generation Legion Y520 or 25 percent over the i7-7700HQ. The higher-end Core i7-8750H Legion Y730 SKU will be almost 50 percent faster than the i5-8300H in our base test unit.

We can assess CPU performance sustainability by running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop as shown in our graph below. This is where the Lenovo impresses as there is no dip in performance throughout the entirety of the stress test. Its initial and final scores of 821 points and 822 points contrast the MSI GF63 where it is unable to maintain maximum Turbo Boost for long.

See our dedicated page on the Core i5-8300H for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900Tooltip
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø823 (815.58-828.24)
Razer Blade 15 Base Model GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø864 (856.88-926.63)
Asus FX504GD GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø605 (578.56-609.13)
MSI GF63 8RC GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø749 (744.21-811.72)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
192 Points +16%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
Intel Core i9-8950HK
190 Points +14%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Intel Core i7-8750H
175 Points +5%
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
170 Points +2%
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (151 - 174, n=17)
168.6 Points +2%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
168 Points +1%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Core i5-8300H
166 Points
HP Omen X 17-ap0xx
Intel Core i7-7820HK
162 Points -2%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN-80WK001KUS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
159 Points -4%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
143 Points -14%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
1359 Points +66%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
Intel Core i9-8950HK
1230 Points +50%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Intel Core i7-8750H
1219 Points +48%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Core i5-8300H
821 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (609 - 850, n=17)
793 Points -3%
HP Omen X 17-ap0xx
Intel Core i7-7820HK
770 Points -6%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
723 Points -12%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN-80WK001KUS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
652 Points -21%
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
609 Points -26%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
517 Points -37%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
2.16 Points
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.94 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (1.72 - 1.96, n=7)
1.87 Points
HP Omen X 17-ap0xx
Intel Core i7-7820HK
1.84 Points
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN-80WK001KUS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.72 Points
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
1.72 Points
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
1.5 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
14.98 Points
HP Omen X 17-ap0xx
Intel Core i7-7820HK
8.47 Points
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
7.94 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (6.2 - 8.79, n=7)
7.93 Points
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN-80WK001KUS
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
7.12 Points
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
6.2 Points
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
5.38 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
38810 Points
HP Omen X 17-ap0xx
Intel Core i7-7820HK
23052 Points
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
22910 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (20061 - 24718, n=4)
22328 Points
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
20061 Points
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
18158 Points
Rendering Single 32Bit
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
7243 Points
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
6482 Points
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
6454 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (6115 - 6524, n=4)
6392 Points
HP Omen X 17-ap0xx
Intel Core i7-7820HK
6062 Points
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN 80WK0042GE
Intel Core i5-7300HQ
5436 Points
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Average Intel Core i5-8300H
  (206 - 286, n=4)
256 s *
Asus FX504GD
Intel Core i5-8300H
252.1 s *
HP Omen X 17-ap0xx
Intel Core i7-7820HK
215.4 s *
Eurocom Sky X4C
Intel Core i7-8700K
120.9 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
166 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
821 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
104.5 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark benchmarks rank our system conveniently in the middle of competing laptops with slower GTX 1050 graphics and laptops with the faster GTX 1060 laptops. While we didn't experience any hardware issues during our time with the test unit, the GPU would sometimes inexplicably be stuck at very low clock rates of just 135 MHz. A quick reboot fixes the problem.

PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10
Score
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
5285 Points +17%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5125 Points +13%
Average Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (4527 - 4812, n=3)
4682 Points +3%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
4527 Points
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
3808 Points -16%
MSI GF63 8RC
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049
3711 Points -18%
Essentials
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
8702 Points +3%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
8466 Points 0%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
8457 Points
Average Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (8085 - 8457, n=3)
8320 Points -2%
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
6583 Points -22%
MSI GF63 8RC
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049
5849 Points -31%
Productivity
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
7710 Points +21%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
7019 Points +10%
Average Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (6385 - 7246, n=3)
6887 Points +8%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
6385 Points
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
5927 Points -7%
MSI GF63 8RC
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049
5694 Points -11%
Digital Content Creation
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
6139 Points +32%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5983 Points +28%
Average Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (4665 - 4980, n=3)
4868 Points +4%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
4665 Points
MSI GF63 8RC
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049
4164 Points -11%
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
3843 Points -18%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
4440 Points +13%
Average Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (3931 - 4253, n=4)
4106 Points +4%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
3968 Points +1%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
3931 Points
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
3909 Points -1%
MSI GF63 8RC
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049
3704 Points -6%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
5543 Points +6%
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
5410 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i5-8300H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (5208 - 5369, n=4)
5322 Points +2%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
5208 Points
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
5018 Points -4%
MSI GF63 8RC
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049
4609 Points -12%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3931 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5208 points
PCMark 10 Score
4527 points
Help

Storage Devices

Internal storage options include a 2.5-inch SATA III bay and a M.2 2280 PCIe slot. Our specific test unit comes with a 1 TB Seagate Barracuda ST1000LM049-2GH172 HDD boosted by a 16 GB Intel Optane MEMPEK1J016GAL M.2 module. Removing the Optane module may void the warranty since there is a Lenovo sticker covering the screw. We are unsure if the M.2 slot is x4 or if it is limited to x2.

Sequential read rate is impressive at 886 MB/s according to CrystalDiskMark. In comparison, a lone 7200 RPM HDD without the aid of Intel Optane would top out at under 150 MB/s. Sequential write rate, however, is still inferior to even basic SATA III SSDs like the inexpensive SK hynix SC311. From a gaming perspective, the relatively inexpensive HDD + Optane combo may be lucrative for faster loading times since high capacity NVMe drives are still pricey and loading from a traditional secondary HDD would be much slower.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

2.5-inch bay underneath the right palm rest
2.5-inch bay underneath the right palm rest
Intel Optane M.2 drive. Note the Lenovo sticker that may impact warranty if torn
Intel Optane M.2 drive. Note the Lenovo sticker that may impact warranty if torn
AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 5
CDM 5
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Dell G7 15-7588
SK hynix SC311 SATA
Asus FX504GD
Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
MSI GF63 8RC
Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049
Razer Blade 15 Base Model
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
250%
-20%
-82%
-77%
259%
Write 4K
66.9
108.9
63%
61.3
-8%
0.27
-100%
1.244
-98%
112.5
68%
Read 4K
118.5
40.23
-66%
22.45
-81%
0.586
-100%
0.544
-100%
43.09
-64%
Write Seq
157.7
1390
781%
243.9
55%
86.8
-45%
97.1
-38%
1450
819%
Read Seq
886
964
9%
506
-43%
113.2
-87%
162.1
-82%
1392
57%
Write 4K Q32T1
162.4
314.2
93%
145.1
-11%
0.242
-100%
1.674
-99%
356.1
119%
Read 4K Q32T1
353
369.2
5%
195.1
-45%
0.963
-100%
0.998
-100%
406.9
15%
Write Seq Q32T1
159.8
1506
842%
186
16%
98.4
-38%
134.8
-16%
1451
808%
Read Seq Q32T1
926
3446
272%
540
-42%
110.2
-88%
154.8
-83%
3272
253%
Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 926 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 159.8 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 353 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 162.4 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 886 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 157.7 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 118.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 66.9 MB/s

GPU Performance

Graphics performance is within 3 to 4 percent of the average GTX 1050 Ti in our database taken from a sample size of 35 other laptops equipped with the same GPU. In other words, the GPU here is performing exactly where we expect it to be. Users will get a 9 percent GPU boost over the GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q and 25 to 30 percent boost over the GTX 1050. The higher-end GTX 1060 as found on the Legion Y530 is even faster still at about 45 to 50 percent.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Eurocom Sky X4C
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700K
26912 Points +174%
Lenovo Legion Y920-17IKB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
21879 Points +123%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
14569 Points +49%
Dell G7 15-7588
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H
14487 Points +48%
Dell XPS 15 9575 i7-8705G
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G
10118 Points +3%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
9805 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (8304 - 10402, n=36)
9591 Points -2%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK
9032 Points -8%
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
7133 Points -27%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Eurocom Sky X4C
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700K
13928 Points +76%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
11099 Points +40%
Dell G7 15-7588
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H
10798 Points +36%
Lenovo Legion Y920-17IKB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
9500 Points +20%
Dell XPS 15 9575 i7-8705G
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G
8633 Points +9%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK
8450 Points +7%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
7932 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (6104 - 9172, n=35)
7823 Points -1%
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
7025 Points -11%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Eurocom Sky X4C
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700K
124077 Points +144%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
83591 Points +64%
Dell G7 15-7588
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H
81015 Points +59%
Lenovo Legion Y920-17IKB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
70132 Points +38%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN-80WK001KUS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
50981 Points 0%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
50922 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (43721 - 53978, n=37)
50013 Points -2%
Dell XPS 15 9575 i7-8705G
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G
42351 Points -17%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK
42202 Points -17%
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
38881 Points -24%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Eurocom Sky X4C
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700K
20909 Points +161%
Lenovo Legion Y920-17IKB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile, i7-7820HK
16629 Points +108%
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
11640 Points +45%
Dell G7 15-7588
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H
11309 Points +41%
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H
8004 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile
  (6792 - 8376, n=38)
7743 Points -3%
Lenovo Legion Y520-15IKBN-80WK001KUS
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i7-7700HQ
7682 Points -4%
Dell XPS 15 9570 Core i9 UHD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i9-8950HK
7374 Points -8%
Dell XPS 15 9575 i7-8705G
AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870, i7-8705G
7348 Points -8%
Asus FX504GD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H
6356 Points -21%
3DMark 11 Performance
9335 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
23927 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
6989 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Users will be able to play the latest titles at the native 1080p resolution. More demanding titles like Witcher 3 will average slower than 30 FPS unless if set to Medium or lower. We are able to record no recurring frame drops or performance dips when gaming to suggest no interfering background activity.

See our dedicated page on the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

020406080100120140160180200220240260280300320340360380Tooltip
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD: Ø48.3 (44-51)
Average of class Gaming  : Ø197.8 (182.8-382)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 233.1 198.8 176.7 74.8
The Witcher 3 (2015) 142.2 91.5 51.9 27.9
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 125.3 95 51.3 40

Emissions

System Noise

System noise is ever present since our test unit utilizies a primary mechanical drive. As for the actual fans, they remain idle for long periods of low-medium stress and are surprisingly quiet even when running the first benchmark scene of 3DMark 06. Competing laptops like the Asus TUF FX504GD readily jump to 40 dB(A) or higher much sooner than on our Lenovo. Note that the Legion Y530 becomes louder faster than our Y730 when subjected to similar loads since it is equipped with a more demanding GTX 1060 GPU.

When gaming for longer periods, we are able to record a fan noise of 43 dB(A) which is typical of many gaming laptops including the MSI GF63. In comparison, the Dell G7 15 and thinner Blade 15 are each much louder at almost 50 dB(A) when gaming.

We are able to notice slight electronic noise when placing an ear near the keyboard. It's quiet enough to be unnoticeable when during regular use and the louder spinning HDD will drown out the noise anyway.

Twin 50 mm fans and three heat pipes between them
Twin 50 mm fans and three heat pipes between them
Cooling solution is unsurprisingly very similar to the 17-inch Legion Y730-17ICH
Cooling solution is unsurprisingly very similar to the 17-inch Legion Y730-17ICH
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-8300H, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Dell G7 15-7588
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, SK hynix SC311 SATA
Asus FX504GD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172
MSI GF63 8RC
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8300H, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049
Razer Blade 15 Base Model
GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ
Noise
-1%
-2%
-0%
-4%
-6%
off / environment *
28.9
30.2
-4%
28.1
3%
28.1
3%
28
3%
27.8
4%
Idle Minimum *
32.2
30.9
4%
29
10%
29
10%
33.8
-5%
31
4%
Idle Average *
32.5
30.9
5%
29
11%
29.2
10%
34
-5%
31.2
4%
Idle Maximum *
32.7
31.6
3%
29.2
11%
29.7
9%
34.2
-5%
31.3
4%
Load Average *
33.2
42.3
-27%
40.6
-22%
44.3
-33%
37.3
-12%
47.2
-42%
Witcher 3 ultra *
43.1
49.8
-16%
40.7
6%
43.4
-1%
51.3
-19%
Load Maximum *
45
40
11%
49.8
-11%
47.7
-6%
46
-2%
44.3
2%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
32.2 / 32.5 / 32.7 dB(A)
Load
33.2 / 45 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: 28.9 dB(A)

Temperature

Four sets of exhaust grilles
Four sets of exhaust grilles

Surface temperatures are quite cool when idling or even when gaming. When idle, the bottom hot spot of 28 C sits directly above the motherboard chipset compared to just 23 C on the keyboard surface. Higher loads like gaming will bump the keyboard center to about 30 C and the bottom to over 40 C. Thankfully, the palm rests and WASD keys remain much cooler in comparison for comfortable use no matter the load.

Note that the Legion Y530 can become significantly warmer to the touch than the Y730 at over 50 C or 65 C when under high stress. This can be partly attributed to its faster i7-8750H CPU and GTX 1060 GPU compared to our slower Y730 configuration.

System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Maximum stress (top)
Maximum stress (top)
Maximum stress (bottom)
Maximum stress (bottom)

We stress the system to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95 to stress the CPU, we can observe a stable clock rate and temperature of 3.9 GHz and 72 C, respectively. The results line up with our CineBench loop test results above and our power consumption measurements below. This kind of consistent performance when under extreme loads is ideal for gaming laptops where high Turbo Boost is often desirable. In fact, this laptop is able to maintain the maximum rated Turbo Boost for the i5-8300H without any major dips.

When under both Prime95 and FurMark stress, CPU clock rate drops to 3.0 GHz while CPU and GPU temperatures plateau at 71 C and 67 C, respectively. These temperatures are quite cool for a gaming laptop and they suggest that the chassis may be able to support faster graphics should Lenovo choose to add more SKUs in the future.

Running on battery power will reduce both CPU and GPU performance. A 3DMark 11 run on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 6308 and 6388 points, respectively, compared to 8324 and 9805 points when on mains. Frame rates automatically cap out at 30 FPS if gaming on batteries.

System idle
System idle
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- ~41 ~34
Prime95 Stress 3.9 -- 72 --
Prime95 + FurMark Stress ~3.0 1531 71 67
Witcher 3 Stress 4.0 1759 ~58 66
Max. Load
 27.8 °C
82 F
28 °C
82 F
23.8 °C
75 F
 
 24.6 °C
76 F
30 °C
86 F
22 °C
72 F
 
 21.6 °C
71 F
18.8 °C
66 F
19.2 °C
67 F
 
Maximum: 30 °C = 86 F
Average: 24 °C = 75 F
32.6 °C
91 F
34.2 °C
94 F
40.8 °C
105 F
23.6 °C
74 F
28.8 °C
84 F
27.6 °C
82 F
22.8 °C
73 F
24.8 °C
77 F
25 °C
77 F
Maximum: 40.8 °C = 105 F
Average: 28.9 °C = 84 F
Power Supply (max.)  46 °C = 115 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 24 °C / 75 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F for the devices in the class Gaming.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 30 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 40.4 °C / 105 F, ranging from 21.2 to 68.8 °C for the class Gaming.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.8 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 43.2 °C / 110 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 21.7 °C / 71 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.6 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 33.8 °C / 93 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 23.4 °C / 74.1 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.9 °C / 84 F (+5.5 °C / 9.9 F).

Speakers

The 15-inch Y730 is missing the dedicated subwoofer found on the larger 17-inch Y730. As a result, the system is poorer at reproducing lower frequencies and this can even be seen when comparing the pink noise graphs between the two laptops. Sound quality is still relatively balanced for its size category with no static or reverberations when on higher volume settings. Maximum volume is satisfactory for personal gaming or multimedia purposes. The speakers get the job done without adding anything special to the mix.

Stereo speakers near front corners
Stereo speakers near front corners
Pink noise
Pink noise
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2036.439.42535.532.3313232.94030.730.55032.4316330.631.38029.229.810030.329.912531.737.316029.250.820027.256.625025.659.831526.361.240024.961.650023.760.363023.162.880024.672.3100025.171.7125022.469.5160022.570.220002270.5250022.363.9315021.564.340002361500022.159.4630021.259.3800021.259.21000020.859.91250020.8601600020.952.6SPL3579.2N2.443.1median 23median 60.3Delta2.33.935.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300HApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7.1% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 62% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 30% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 18%, worst was 132%
Compared to all devices tested
» 41% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, 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
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Idling on desktop demands anywhere between 8 W and 13 W depending on the brightness setting and power profile to be just a tad higher than the competing MSI GF63 and Asus TUF FX504 with GTX 1050 graphics. If gaming, power consumption is about 10 to 15 percent higher than each of these aforementioned laptops. When considering that the GTX 1050 Ti is about 25 percent faster than the GTX 1050, the slightly higher consumption is a fair trade-off from a performance-per-Watt perspective.

We are able to record a maximum consumption of 136 W from the medium-sized (~14.4 x 6.4 x 3 cm) 135 W AC adapter when running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously. We would have preferred a higher Wattage rating just in case if users wanted to connect any Thunderbolt 3 devices whilst running the laptop at maximum load.

Constant power consumption when running Witcher 3 to suggest no performance throttling over time
Constant power consumption when running Witcher 3 to suggest no performance throttling over time
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Consumption is constant unlike on most Ultrabooks where a short-lived spike normally occurs
Prime95 initiated at 20s mark. Consumption is constant unlike on most Ultrabooks where a short-lived spike normally occurs
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.51 / 0.76 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 8 / 11.8 / 13.1 Watt
Load midlight 90.2 / 136.2 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 Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, Intel Optane 16 GB MEMPEK1J016GAL + HGST ST1000LM049 1 TB HDD, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell G7 15-7588
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, SK hynix SC311 SATA, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus FX504GD
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Seagate Mobile HDD 1TB ST1000LX015-1U7172, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI GF63 8RC
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Seagate BarraCuda Pro Compute 1TB ST1000LM049, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Razer Blade 15 Base Model
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Power Consumption
-5%
12%
12%
16%
-15%
Idle Minimum *
8
7.3
9%
5.5
31%
7.2
10%
5.4
32%
10.2
-28%
Idle Average *
11.8
11.1
6%
7.6
36%
10.2
14%
10.4
12%
13.2
-12%
Idle Maximum *
13.1
12.6
4%
9
31%
10.9
17%
10.5
20%
17.6
-34%
Load Average *
90.2
109
-21%
94
-4%
93.3
-3%
84.7
6%
99.5
-10%
Witcher 3 ultra *
107.8
116.3
-8%
95.8
11%
92.7
14%
113.6
-5%
Load Maximum *
136.2
168
-23%
154.4
-13%
102.5
25%
119.9
12%
133.3
2%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Internal 4965 mAh Li-ion polymer battery
Internal 4965 mAh Li-ion polymer battery

The non-removable 57 Wh battery is about average in terms of capacity and runtime. Expect a real-world WLAN runtime of just over 5 hours on the Balanced profile mode with Optimus set to the integrated GPU. Results are very similar to the MSI GF63 but still a couple of hours shorter than the thicker Dell G7 15.

Charging from empty to full capacity takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
9h 37min
WiFi Websurfing
5h 15min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 00min
Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, 57 Wh
Lenovo Legion Y530-15ICH
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, 52 Wh
Dell G7 15-7588
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, 56 Wh
Asus FX504GD
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 48 Wh
MSI GF63 8RC
i5-8300H, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 51 Wh
Razer Blade 15 Base Model
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q, 65 Wh
Battery Runtime
-33%
59%
-19%
-1%
23%
Reader / Idle
577
495
-14%
656
14%
449
-22%
571
-1%
690
20%
WiFi v1.3
315
228
-28%
452
43%
223
-29%
332
5%
330
5%
Load
60
26
-57%
132
120%
56
-7%
56
-7%
87
45%

Verdict

Pros

+ relatively cool core temperatures when gaming
+ narrow bezels on three sides of the screen
+ very strong CPU Turbo Boost sustainability
+ quiet fans when under low-medium loads
+ quiet keys and mouse buttons
+ per-key RGB lighting
+ crisp matte display
+ Thunderbolt 3

Cons

- slow black-white response times; more ghosting
- relatively large footprint for the size class
- removing M.2 drive may void warranty
- limited to GTX 1050 Ti GPU only
- no 120/144 Hz display options
- poor webcam positioning
- small trackpad
- no NumPad
- flimsy lid
In review: Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH
In review: Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH

The Legion Y730 is in a precarious position. It's the thinner, lighter, and higher-end version of the Legion Y530 with more bells and whistles like LED lights, aluminum surfaces, and Thunderbolt 3, but it lacks the GeForce GTX 1060 GPU option found on its budget alternative. Why the Legion Y730 is stuck with the GTX 1050 Ti GPU is beyond our reasoning especially since the laptop runs relatively cool when gaming with excellent CPU Turbo Boost performance. The chassis is clearly capable of handling faster GPUs and we suspect that a refresh will come soon enough with next generation Nvidia graphics.

The biggest selling points of the Y730 are its per-key RGB lights and Thunderbolt 3 port for a low price of $1000 USD. Indeed, most entry-level gaming competitors like the MSI GF63, Gigabyte Sabre 15, or Asus TUF FX504 lack one or both of these features. The rest of the laptop, however, is merely average including its slow black-white response times, spongy keyboard keys, and flimsy lid. Gamers would be better off just waiting for a Legion Y730 refresh with faster GPU options or going with the less expensive Legion Y530 and its faster GTX 1060 SKU instead.

A strange amalgamation of high-end features and looks tied down by a mainstream GPU option and a weak lid. The current iteration of the Legion Y730 could use an update sooner rather than later in regards to its chassis rigidity and GPU options.

Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH i5-8300H - 01/04/2019 v6(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
75 / 98 → 77%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
86%
Connectivity
54 / 81 → 67%
Weight
62 / 10-66 → 92%
Battery
83%
Display
85%
Games Performance
90%
Application Performance
93%
Temperature
95 / 95 → 100%
Noise
85 / 90 → 94%
Audio
60%
Camera
42 / 85 → 50%
Average
76%
83%
Gaming - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

Read all 4 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 > Reviews > Lenovo Legion Y730-15ICH (i5-8300H, GTX 1050 Ti) Laptop Review
Allen Ngo, 2019-01- 4 (Update: 2019-02-23)