Lenovo ThinkPad L380 (i5-8250U, UHD620) Laptop Review
At this point, Lenovo has a ThinkPad in their portfolio for any requirements. After the ThinkPad 13 was incorporated into the L series, we are now holding the quasi successor, the ThinkPad L380, in our hands. This device combines all the characteristics of the Lenovo L380 Yoga, and while it can also be ordered with an IPS touchscreen, it is not a convertible.
Our test unit is equipped with a matte IPS panel; and with an Intel Core i5-8250U, a 256 GB SSD, and 8 GB of RAM, it represents a medium configuration level. In the lowest configuration option, the L380 costs barely more than 500 Euros (~$609; $584 in the US) and is equipped with an Intel Celeron 3965U. The Lenovo online shop also allows you to configure a device of up to more than 1500 Euros (~$1828).
In our test, we compare the L380 with the L380 Yoga and also other 13-inch business devices, including the HP ProBook 430 G5, the Dell Latitude 7390, the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018, and the Razer Blade Stealth. All these devices are either similarly equipped as our test unit or have alternative equipment which is also available for the L380.
Case - ThinkPad L380: mobile and compact
The ThinkPad L380 is available in silver and black colors. The main difference to the L380 Yoga consists in the hinges used, which allow flipping the Yoga model into a convertible. The case surface is matte and reflects the typical ThinkPad design. While the base unit is made completely from plastic, the back of the lid is made of metal and provides the display with decent stability.
If you hold the L380 in your hands, it feels like a solid notebook. The workmanship is good and not marred by a low-quality feel. However, on a wobbly surface, the base tends to be warped a bit. In the long run, this factor can lead to damage, particularly when carrying the notebook with one hand. As usual, the bottom of the Lenovo ultrabook can be removed easily, giving access to all the components inside.
Although the L380 is not one of the smallest representatives, it is still convenient and easy to transport. Compared to the L380 Yoga, the dimensions are identical. Competitors such as the Dell Latitude 7390 offer a more compact design which saves up to 2 cm (~0.8 in) in length and width. However, for such a design the buyer has to pay up to 500 Euros (~$609) more for similar equipment.
Features - Lenovo L380 with USB Type-C and fast WLAN
The L380 offers a good basic selection of connection options. With two USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C connections, these can again be expanded multi-fold. One of the USB Type-C ports simultaneously serves as a power port. The miniEthernet port is a particularity of the Lenovo notebooks which allows you to connect a LAN cable in principle, if you purchase the corresponding adapter for 10 Euros (~$12) separately.
There is nothing to criticize in the positioning of the ports, which can be found on both sides towards the back of the device. Only the power button is more in front on the right side, where it cannot be triggered accidentally in our opinion. A small cover on the right side is also a sign of the relationship to the L380 Yoga. Theoretically you could also insert a digitizer pen there.
SD Card Reader
For using a storage card, a microSD-card slot is available to the users of the ThinkPad L380. While the ThinkPad notebook does not achieve outstanding values using our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference storage card, it can still offer good read and write rates. Data is read off the SD card at more than 83 MB/s and copied at more than 72 MB/s. With that, the L380 notebook lies above the average of the office notebooks we tested.
SD Card Reader | |
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
Dell Latitude 7390 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501) | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
Average of class Office (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years) | |
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
Dell Latitude 7390 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
Average of class Office (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years) |
Communication
The L380 can score with very good WLAN transfer rates. In our measurements, the integrated dual-band wireless adapter from Intel transfers data at 667 Mbit/s, a value which is only surpassed by the L380 Yoga. During pure data reception, the transfer rates are slightly lower but still very good. The Lenovo laptop uses the fast ac standard in the 5-GHz band.
With the built-in WLAN adapter, Bluetooth version 4.2 is also used. While the L380 can optionally be ordered with an NFC sensor, Lenovo does not offer an integrated WWAN modem for the L380. The HD webcam allows for video chats in an acceptable quality. The maximum resolution is 1280x720 pixels.
Networking | |
iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
Average of class Office (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
iperf3 receive AX12 | |
Average of class Office (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years) | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE |
Security
The hardware of the ThinkPad L380 is dTPM-2.0 capable. A fingerprint reader and an infrared camera are optionally available. Additional security features such as a smart-card reader are reserved for the more expensive ThinkPad models. The buyers of the L380 laptop also have to forego the camera lock called "Think Shutter." At least you can encrypt the hard drive using Windows 10 Professional.
Accessories
Lenovo delivers the ThinkPad L380 without any accessories. However, you can purchase many accessories, starting with the ThinkPad Ethernet Extension Adapter for the LAN connection and up to a USB Type-C dock, in the Lenovo store.
Maintenance
The maintenance options were always a strength of most ThinkPad models. You can open the bottom of the L380 easily, which will then provide access to the components inside. In this way, you can replace the SSD, expand the working memory, or clean the fan. The battery can also be removed and replaced like this. You can clearly see the slot for a digitizer pen below the battery. If you remove the blind cover, you can also insert a pen.
While the SSD can only be replaced, the working memory can be expanded up to 32 GB. Our test unit contains an 8-GB module, so that you can easily insert a second module into the empty slot.
Warranty
Lenovo offers a warranty of only 12 months, with the customer having to send in the notebook. Usually, manufacturers of a comparable size offer at least a 24-month warranty. However, you can extend the warranty up to five years and also add on-site service, accident protection, and an additional battery warranty in the Lenovo store.
Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.
Input Devices - A very good Lenovo keyboard with a TrackPoint
Keyboard
The keyboard of the L380 hardly leaves anything to be desired. A comfortable key size is combined with an almost perfect pressure point. With this, writing tasks can progress smoothly. All of the special keys can also be reached easily. Using a practical Fn lock, users can choose whether they prefer to have the primary functions of the Fn keys or rather their secondary use as brightness, volume, etc. Optionally, you can also order keyboard illumination, which our test unit did not have, though.
Touchpad
Users of the ThinkPad L380 can either use the ClickPad or the TrackPoint as the mouse replacement. The ClickPad shines with very good sliding characteristics. You can trigger a mouse click by tapping or pressing on the pad, which both worked very reliably in our test. The mouse keys which are placed on top are also easy to operate, even though they have a relatively soft pressure point which turns out slightly more crisp in other ThinkPads.
In combination with the TrackPoint, the middle mouse key can be used for scrolling, which also works very well. The TrackPoint is a matter of taste and can offer a very good alternative to the touchpad to the user. Even though it requires some getting used to, it offers a much more precise navigation with the mouse pointer than would be possible using the pad.
Display - L380 display does not flicker, but it is not very bright
In the configurator, buyers of the Lenovo ThinkPad L380 have the choice between three displays. The most affordable variant is a TN panel with a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. Our test unit uses a matte IPS panel with 1920x1080 pixels, which is also available with multitouch function at an additional cost.
While the display is relatively evenly lit, it does not shine as bright as other devices in our comparison. However, at 253 cd/m² on average, the occasional session outdoors should also be possible with the L380. In dark surroundings, you can clearly notice some screen bleeding in the top corners with a black screen at maximum brightness. During regular use, this should not be noticeable.
|
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 271 cd/m²
Contrast: 1594:1 (Black: 0.17 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 14.89 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.43
ΔE Greyscale 2.51 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.69% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.34% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.14
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE Lenovo LEN4094, , 1920x1080, 13.30 | Dell Latitude 7390 AU Optronics AUO462D / B133HAN [DELL P/N:F7VDJ], , 1920x1080, 13.30 | HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES LGD052D, , 1920x1080, 13.30 | Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 SHARP LQ133M1JW15, , 1920x1080, 13.30 | Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE M133NWF4-R3, , 1920x1080, 13.30 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | 56% | -0% | 62% | 59% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 40.34 | 65.1 61% | 40.23 0% | 67.8 68% | 65.1 61% |
sRGB Coverage | 60.7 | 90.8 50% | 60.3 -1% | 91.6 51% | 95.5 57% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 41.69 | 65.9 58% | 41.59 0% | 69.8 67% | 66.9 60% |
Response Times | -23% | 0% | -2% | -8% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 44 ? | 48.8 ? -11% | 41.6 ? 5% | 39.6 ? 10% | 47 ? -7% |
Response Time Black / White * | 26 ? | 35.2 ? -35% | 27.2 ? -5% | 29.3 ? -13% | 28 ? -8% |
PWM Frequency | 20490 ? | 220 ? | 217 ? | ||
Screen | 22% | -7% | 4% | 9% | |
Brightness middle | 271 | 329 21% | 262 -3% | 370 37% | 323 19% |
Brightness | 253 | 316 25% | 253 0% | 355 40% | 310 23% |
Brightness Distribution | 89 | 92 3% | 82 -8% | 90 1% | 88 -1% |
Black Level * | 0.17 | 0.25 -47% | 0.28 -65% | 0.23 -35% | 0.22 -29% |
Contrast | 1594 | 1316 -17% | 936 -41% | 1609 1% | 1468 -8% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 14.89 | 4.3 71% | 5.7 62% | 6.9 54% | 5 66% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 31.08 | 7.8 75% | 22.4 28% | 12.2 61% | 9.56 69% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 4.43 | 2.5 44% | 4.8 -8% | 1.4 68% | |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 2.51 | 3.6 -43% | 3.6 -43% | 7.4 -195% | 6.64 -165% |
Gamma | 2.14 103% | 2.43 91% | 2.15 102% | 1.76 125% | 2.2 100% |
CCT | 6455 101% | 6928 94% | 7096 92% | 7529 86% | 6638 98% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 38 | 59.1 56% | 38.3 1% | 61 61% | |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 60 | 90.6 51% | 60.1 0% | 95 58% | |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | 18% /
23% | -2% /
-5% | 21% /
15% | 20% /
17% |
* ... smaller is better
We measure a very good black value and a good contrast in the display of the L380, which is also reflected in our subjective impression. Black tones appear very saturated and the color separation is very good. With this display, the L380 is at least at the same level as the other devices in the comparison.
However, in terms of the displayable color space, our test unit is slightly weaker. At 60% of sRGB color-space coverage, the ThinkPad L380 ranges in the average of the office-device class. This makes colors appear slightly pale. In particular, in the comparison with the L380 Yoga which is only 100 Euros (~$123) more expensive, the color-space display could be better.
Outdoors, the ThinkPad L380 is generally usable. However, you should prefer shady places. Even though the Lenovo notebook can just make up for indirect sunlight, in the long run this becomes very strenuous on the eyes. With its matte display, the L380 has a clear advantage against the reflective display of the ThinkPad L380 Yoga. Another advantage is that the brightness is not controlled using PWM.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
26 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 14 ms rise | |
↘ 12 ms fall | ||
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 57 % 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 | ||
44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 21 ms rise | |
↘ 23 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. » 69 % 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)
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 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. |
The display of the L380 shows a stable image from all viewing angles, allowing the user to read the display content from any angles and positions without any distortions. There is an HDMI port to connect an external monitor, and the two USB Type-C ports offer DisplayPort functionality.
Performance - 13-inch Lenovo notebook for everyday office work
Our test unit can be purchased in the Lenovo store for about 900 Euros (~$1099; ~$900 in the US). For this price, buyers receive a 13-inch notebook with Intel's Core i5-8250U processor, an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 graphics unit, 8 GB of working memory, and a 256 GB SSD.
Besides alternative SSD sizes of up to 512 GB and a working memory of up to 32 GB, the ThinkPad L380 can also be ordered with various processor configurations. The following Intel processors are available to choose from: Celeron 3965U, Core i3-8130U, Core i5-7200U, Core i5-8250U, Core i5-8350U, and Core i7-8550U.
At this point, Lenovo does not offer an AMD model.
Processor
Intel's Core i5-8250U processor is a quad-core CPU of the current Kaby Lake generation. At a basic core speed of 1.6 GHz and a Turbo speed of up to 3.4 GHz, the CPU achieves up to 40% more performance than its direct predecessor, the Intel Core i5-7200U. However, the constantly available performance depends mostly on the cooling unit of the system. While the TDP is typically at 15 watts, it can be varied by the manufacturer according to the intended use.
The ThinkPad L380 is able to maintain the offered performance also for longer time periods. Our Cinebench-R15 loop shows only smaller performance drops that are probably due to some background processes.
The comparison with the other devices shows that the performance of the Core i5-8250U in the L380 lies below the average performance of other devices with this CPU. For example, the HP ProBook achieves an about 10% better performance with the i5-8250U.
You can compare the results of the Intel Core i5-8250U with other CPUs on our CPU benchmark page.
Cinebench R15 | |
CPU Single 64Bit | |
Average of class Office (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years) | |
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
Average Intel Core i5-8250U (81 - 147, n=97) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
CPU Multi 64Bit | |
Average of class Office (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years) | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Average Intel Core i5-8250U (320 - 730, n=101) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng |
System Performance
Daily work progresses quickly using the ThinkPad L380. We did not notice any longer load times or system stutters during our test period. The PCMark 8 and PCMark 10 benchmark results reflect this impression. A look at the comparison devices with alternative CPU models that are also available with the L380 shows that we cannot expect a significant performance improvement with other CPUs. However, a fast SSD is a basic requirement for these values.
You can read up on the benchmark results of other notebooks with Intel's Core i5-8250U in our benchmark section.
PCMark 8 | |
Home Score Accelerated v2 | |
Average of class Office (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years) | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620 (2986 - 4458, n=69) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U | |
Work Score Accelerated v2 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620 (2699 - 5106, n=58) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng | |
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U | |
Average of class Office (1854 - 5610, n=12, last 2 years) |
PCMark 10 - Score | |
Average of class Office (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years) | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
Average Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel UHD Graphics 620 (3358 - 4081, n=67) | |
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U | |
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U |
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 3553 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4589 points | |
PCMark 10 Score | 3461 points | |
Help |
Storage Solution
The SSD is also partly responsible for good system performance. In our test unit, a Samsung PM961 with 256 GB of storage space is used. The fact that this SSD currently occupies the first place in our SSD benchmark list is also reflected in our test results. Only devices with the same storage solution are able to keep up here.
You can find out about the performance of other SSDs compared to Samsung's PM961 MZVLW256HEHP in our SSD/HDD benchmark page.
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | Dell Latitude 7390 SK hynix SC311 M.2 | HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G | Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | Average Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CrystalDiskMark 3.0 | -54% | -21% | -4% | 3% | -4% | |
Read Seq | 2093 | 493.4 -76% | 1440 -31% | 1288 -38% | 2073 -1% | 1627 ? -22% |
Write Seq | 879 | 413.4 -53% | 522 -41% | 1160 32% | 943 7% | 1136 ? 29% |
Read 512 | 1211 | 354.6 -71% | 947 -22% | 751 -38% | 1221 1% | 887 ? -27% |
Write 512 | 793 | 322.6 -59% | 517 -35% | 843 6% | 819 3% | 781 ? -2% |
Read 4k | 52.7 | 27.63 -48% | 33.63 -36% | 59.2 12% | 53.5 2% | 53 ? 1% |
Write 4k | 121.2 | 64.7 -47% | 118.5 -2% | 146.9 21% | 127.4 5% | 126.7 ? 5% |
Read 4k QD32 | 378.8 | 284.4 -25% | 386.6 2% | 425.9 12% | 396.6 5% | 419 ? 11% |
Write 4k QD32 | 513 | 254.5 -50% | 510 -1% | 325 -37% | 538 5% | 384 ? -25% |
Graphics Card
In the ThinkPad L380, an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 is responsible for the display output. The exact performance depends significantly on the working memory used. Since our test unit has only single-channel RAM built-in, the performance of the GPU can be increased by adding a second RAM unit. The graphics card is able to decode H.265/HEVC in the Main10 profile with 10-bit color depth as well as Google's VP9 codec in the hardware, and playing 4K videos should also not pose any problems.
However, the UHD Graphics 620 is less suited for demanding 3D graphics. Even though image and video-processing are possible to some extent, the GPU is unable to provide sufficient performance for graphics-heavy games. The results of the 3DMark benchmark show that the performance of the UHD 620 ranges on an average level.
You can check on our GPU benchmark page, how the Intel UHD Graphics 620 fares in the comparison to other graphics cards.
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU | |
Average of class Office (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (1144 - 3432, n=244) | |
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng |
3DMark | |
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics | |
Average of class Office (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (6205 - 16400, n=225) | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics | |
Average of class Office (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (557 - 2608, n=213) | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Dell Latitude 7390 |
3DMark 11 Performance | 1738 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 7394 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 940 points | |
Help |
Gaming Performance
As is to be expected, the Lenovo ThinkPad L380 is not suited for gaming. Although older and casual games can be displayed smoothly, most current games are not playable on the ThinkPad L380. In our comparison chart, the HP ProBook G5 shows that with dual-channel RAM, a little more performance can be provided. But of course this is also insufficient for smooth gaming operation.
You can read on our gaming benchmark page which games are still smoothly playable with the Intel UHD Graphics 620.
BioShock Infinite | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF) | |
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (4.5 - 17, n=176) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
1366x768 High Preset | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (8.1 - 35.9, n=187) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
1366x768 Medium Preset | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (11.5 - 45.5, n=187) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
1280x720 Very Low Preset | |
HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (18.3 - 90.2, n=187) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE |
Rise of the Tomb Raider | |
1920x1080 High Preset AA:FX AF:4x | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (4.9 - 32, n=42) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (6.5 - 49.3, n=62) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
1024x768 Lowest Preset | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (10.4 - 110.7, n=82) | |
Dell Latitude 7390 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE |
Thief | |
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (10.4 - 19.7, n=10) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE | |
1024x768 Very Low Preset | |
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 (16.3 - 34.3, n=10) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE |
low | med. | high | ultra | |
BioShock Infinite (2013) | 47.3 | 26.1 | 22.4 | 7.6 |
Thief (2014) | 18.1 | 12.4 | ||
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) | 19.1 | 11.6 | 5.9 |
Emissions - L380 laptop is whisper-quiet with acceptable speakers
Noise Emissions
With normal surrounding noises, the fans of the ThinkPad L380 are not audible. Since in daily operation and under normal system load, they hardly turn on anyways, the device is also suitable for very quiet surroundings. We did not notice any other annoying noises such as coil whining in our test unit.
Noise Level
Idle |
| 30 / 30 / 30 dB(A) |
Load |
| 33.1 / 32.6 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
During office operation, the ThinkPad L380 hardly warms up, and the surface temperatures always remain at the level of the room temperature. While during higher load, the device warms up noticeably, it never gets hot. In the center in the back below the display in particular, we measure more than 40 °C (104 °F). The palm rests are not affected by this warming. However, if the Lenovo L380 is placed on your thighs, the heat becomes clearly noticeable.
We put an extreme load on the system in our stress test scenario. This causes the core temperatures to rise up to 70 °C during the hour-long test, and the clock speeds drop far below the basic clock speed. However, until the end of the test run, the cooling system manages to at least reach the basic clock speed of 1.6 GHz again. Since such a high load is as good as impossible to encounter in practice, we do not expect any limitations stemming from too high core temperatures.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.6 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.5 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26 °C / 78.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+1.7 °C / 3.1 F).
Speakers
The Pink Noise characteristics attest the ThinkPad L380 with a balanced sound, although the bass drops off too fast. Our subjective impression is very positive. While the speakers are not particularly loud, the sound is very balanced and the lack of bass is not very noticeable. However, at high volumes, the sound tends to clang a little. Anyone who wants to enjoy media content in quiet surroundings does not necessarily have to depend on external speakers for the L380. However, the moment the surrounding noises become too loud, the laptop speakers are not sufficient anymore.
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE audio analysis
(-) | not very loud speakers (66.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 17.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 19% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 25% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 67% 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%
Power Management - Lenovo ThinkPad with long battery life
Power Consumption
In the class comparison, the power consumption of the ThinkPad L380 is very moderate. While during idle operation, the measured values are still in the average range of comparable devices, the Lenovo L380 proves itself very efficient under load. Here, the power consumption is only 30 watts. Thus the included 65-Watt power supply should be sufficiently dimensioned for all use cases and reliably provide the L380 ultrabook with the necessary power.
Off / Standby | 0.53 / 2.4 Watt |
Idle | 2.7 / 5.6 / 9.2 Watt |
Load |
30 / 30.4 Watt |
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30 | Dell Latitude 7390 i5-8350U, UHD Graphics 620, SK hynix SC311 M.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30 | HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV512G, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.30 | Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30 | Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 13.30 | Average Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Average of class Office | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | -25% | -32% | -36% | -7% | -27% | -42% | |
Idle Minimum * | 2.7 | 2.34 13% | 4.5 -67% | 3.9 -44% | 3.44 -27% | 3.81 ? -41% | 4.27 ? -58% |
Idle Average * | 5.6 | 5.6 -0% | 6.8 -21% | 7 -25% | 6.9 -23% | 6.94 ? -24% | 7.32 ? -31% |
Idle Maximum * | 9.2 | 6.5 29% | 8.8 4% | 7.5 18% | 9.2 -0% | 8.75 ? 5% | 9.1 ? 1% |
Load Average * | 30 | 43 -43% | 36.8 -23% | 44.4 -48% | 27.6 8% | 35 ? -17% | 40.4 ? -35% |
Load Maximum * | 30.4 | 67.4 -122% | 46.2 -52% | 55.1 -81% | 29 5% | 47.5 ? -56% | 57.4 ? -89% |
Witcher 3 ultra * | 32.8 |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
Lenovo specifies the battery life of the ThinkPad L380 as 12 hours, and in our practically relevant WLAN test, the L380 ultrabook only misses this value by about 20 minutes. With this, our test unit lasts a while longer than most of the competing devices. During pure reading operation (without WLAN and with low brightness), the L380 can even run continuously for almost 19 hours.
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh | Dell Latitude 7390 i5-8350U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh | HP ProBook 430 G5-3KX72ES i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh | Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 2018 i5-8250U, GeForce MX150, 39 Wh | Razer Blade Stealth QHD i7-8550U i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 53.6 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad L380 Yoga-20M7001BGE i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh | HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh | Average of class Office | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battery Runtime | 13% | -40% | -37% | -49% | -27% | 9% | 3% | |
Reader / Idle | 1129 | 1660 47% | 779 -31% | 833 -26% | 1414 ? 25% | |||
WiFi v1.3 | 697 | 418 -40% | 368 -47% | 358 -49% | 420 -40% | 527 -24% | 589 ? -15% | |
Load | 117 | 92 -21% | 77 -34% | 99 -15% | 166 42% | 117 ? 0% | ||
Witcher 3 ultra | 81 | 115 | 152 ? |
Verdict - 13-inch notebook from Lenovo for everyday work at the office
Pros
Cons
The ThinkPad L380 from Lenovo shows itself as a solid all-round device in our test. At a size of 13-inches, it is still small enough to take on the road all day, and the performance is more than sufficient for most applications of everyday work. Due to the fast Samsung SSD, you also do not need to expect long load times. With the available maintenance options, the ThinkPad L380 can also be upgraded easily.
With the ThinkPad L380, Lenovo offers a solid 13-inch notebook, which can shine with a long battery life and good system performance during everyday work.
However, buyers also have to live with a device that is only usable outdoors to a limited extent. The display does not shine bright enough for a summer day. The IPS panel of the L380 is probably also insufficient for those who want color-space coverage that is as high as possible and video-gaming should not play any role at all in your purchase decision.
Lenovo ThinkPad L380-20M5000WGE
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04/20/2018 v6(old)
Mike Wobker