Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE Convertible Review

For the original German review, see here.
Thanks to its four modes of use, Lenovo describes its new Yoga 15 as versatile. Being a ThinkPad, it, its Yoga 12, and 14 sisters envision a rethinking. Business today - at least according to the manufacturer - should no longer be a straight-lined clamshell laptop, but a convertible that can be used in different modes just like the consumer devices. Whether the business world is prepared for such a turnaround will ultimately be seen in the sales figures. We are testing the standard model ThinkPad Yoga 15, appropriately configured with a Core i7-5500U, GeForce 840M and a 256 GB SSD. The manufacturer has included an IPS screen with 1920x1080 pixels. However, far more than just a few showy specs are expected from a ThinkPad. Find out in the course of this test whether this enthusiasm lasts.
There are only a few rivals in the form of 15-inch convertibles. HP's Envy 15-u200ng x360 (700 Euro; ~$738) and Asus' Transformer Book Flip TP500LN (1000 Euro; ~$1054) both feature similar 360 degree hinges. However, they come from the consumer world, which involves a lower price and in some respects, inferior qualities.
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Case
Road-tested quality has always been important in Lenovo's ThinkPads. Even the cheap Edge models offered a consistent measure of solid build. Unfortunately, the review sample falls short in this respect. The base can be warped extremely and sometimes produces cracking noises. When handling the device, the base unit seems too yielding and is not twist-resistant. Therefore, we do not quite understand the manufacturer's statements like "The ThinkPad Yoga 15's durable magnesium-alloy frame [...] can handle tough treatment from even the hardiest professional."
The two solid-looking hinges are not made of metal, but of a silver plastic cover and a small metal hinge hidden underneath it. The hinges are mounted on the outer sides of the base. In our opinion, although the construction is firm enough, it does not give the impression that it will keep the lid stable over many years. Walking around with the Yoga 15 in laptop mode was enough for the display to gradually tilt back and forth just from its own weight.
The lid with the touchscreen has to accept the same criticism. We think it is much too yielding for the purpose of a 360-degree convertible. Positive: No pressure marks are passed on to the screen during normal use, i.e. moderate, careful pressure. A sturdy rubber lip lines the screen, and closes flush with the base.
Lenovo has installed a retractable keyboard (Lift 'n' Lock) for the tablet mode. Like in the Yoga 3 or the ThinkPad Yoga 12, the keys are fixed, but the surrounding plastic grid lifts up to level with the keys when the display is completely folded over. The keys are then locked and can no longer be pressed. This is handy because the new "underside" of the tablet becomes relatively homogeneous.
The wrist rest yields slightly under pressure, and does not feature the highest strength.
Connectivity
The configuration of a 256 GB SSD, 8 GB of RAM (single-channel), three USB ports, and an HDMI port as well as a Full HD touchscreen is appropriate, but not abundant. The SIM-card slot on the review sample's left is without function, and Lenovo presently does not offer a model with an LTE modem. There are no security features, such as a fingerprint reader, TPM or SmartCard reader - aspects that are quite important for business customers.
Communication
Intel's Wireless-AC 7260 chip takes care of wireless connections; however, there is no classic RJ45 port. The signal strength was slightly above average in the author's personal setup. The signal remained stable with 1 to 2 bars at the 45 meter (~148 ft) mark outside the building, and notebookcheck.com still opened at an acceptable speed. Four bars were displayed at a distance of 15 meters (~50 ft) to the router. These are indicators of decent but not extraordinary reception strength of the Wi-Fi antennas.
Security
The Kensington Lock on the left is the only evidence of security on the exterior. The UEFI BIOS provides the user with some options. For example, it is possible to activate/deactivate the TrackPoint or TrackPad separately here. Even the non-removable battery can be disabled for permanent stationary use. The user can create passwords for both general access (supervisor) and the hard drive.
Accessories
Apart from the power supply, the Yoga 15 does not come with any noteworthy accessories.
Maintenance
The topic of maintenance is rather insignificant in the Yoga 15. The underside is made of one piece; there is no maintenance cover, and the battery is non-removable - at least not for nonprofessionals.
Warranty
The manufacturer includes a 24-month warranty on the Yoga 15.
A webcam is found on the front. Not only does it have a meager resolution of 720p, but it also shoots pale, blurry pictures even in daylight conditions. Unsuitable for a convertible in this price range.
Input Devices
Keyboard
LLenovo has equipped the ThinkPad Yoga 15 with a full-blown keyboard that utilizes the casing's entire width with large gaps. It is a standard chiclet model with conical keys and wide spacing. There are plenty of special keys, for example for the browser, calculator or switching screens. The F1 - F12 keys are mapped as function keys under the second assignment. The full-sized number pad has marginally smaller keys than the keyboard. The latter features a two-level backlight, but is not splash-water proof like the T-series ThinkPads. It is not a mechanical keyboard, but rather a Rubber Dome with a scissor switch (double-hinge) that ensures an impeccable key guidance (drop/travel).
The keys' surface is very sleek, the pressure point is crisp, and the stroke is firm yet not hard, but hollow in some places. The surface yields slightly under high pressure in the middle and on the right. Typing is enjoyable owing to the crisp pressure point and the subdued clicking noise. However, it does not match the perfection of a T series keyboard.
Touchpad
Once again, Lenovo relies on real keys for the mouse replacement - at least for the TrackPoint that is found between the "G", "H" and "B" keys. The TrackPad itself can be either combined with the keys above it or its lower corners are used for triggering a right or left mouse click. The ClickPad has a medium drop, a clear and responsive pressure point, and a firm stroke. The noise is rather loud and could quickly become distracting in noise-sensitive environments. Unfortunately, the pointer's keys are very smooth-running and might occasionally be triggered accidentally.
Touchscreen
The capacitive touchscreen functions accurately with up to ten fingers at the same time. However, we find the hinges' resistance too weak; the finger pushes the display back much too quickly when touching it. This is probably due to the 15-inch form factor. The tester did not notice this drawback in the ThinkPad Yoga 14.
Display
The LG-Phillips screen has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. An anti-glare film makes it relatively unsusceptible to greasy fingers and streaks. Lenovo speaks of a "scratch and smudge-resistant Dragon Trail Display". Pressure on the screen does not lead to clouding; we cannot say anything about the durability of the anti-glare film.
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Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 314 cd/m²
Contrast: 628:1 (Black: 0.5 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.93 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.9
ΔE Greyscale 6.22 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
Gamma: 2.58
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP Envy 15-u200ng x360 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Toshiba MQ02ABF100 | Asus Transformer Book Flip TP500LN GeForce 840M, 4210U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB | Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP EliteBook 840 G2 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 512 GB MZ7TE512HMHP | |
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Display | ||||||
Display P3 Coverage | 49.85 | 39.62 | 38.82 | |||
sRGB Coverage | 73.3 | 59.6 | 58.4 | |||
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 51.7 | 40.94 | 40.11 | |||
Screen | -44% | -5% | -37% | -53% | 13% | |
Brightness middle | 314 | 261 -17% | 154 -51% | 166 -47% | 267 -15% | 286 -9% |
Brightness | 279 | 253 -9% | 143 -49% | 163 -42% | 240 -14% | 274 -2% |
Brightness Distribution | 84 | 79 -6% | 84 0% | 68 -19% | 84 0% | 90 7% |
Black Level * | 0.5 | 0.58 -16% | 0.3 40% | 0.71 -42% | 0.8 -60% | 0.3 40% |
Contrast | 628 | 450 -28% | 513 -18% | 234 -63% | 334 -47% | 953 52% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 5.93 | 13.09 -121% | 4.84 18% | 7.16 -21% | 12.71 -114% | 5.62 5% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 6.22 | 13.34 -114% | 4.53 27% | 7.62 -23% | 13.91 -124% | 6.19 -0% |
Gamma | 2.58 85% | 3.46 64% | 2.22 99% | 2.25 98% | 2.35 94% | 2.35 94% |
CCT | 5647 115% | 13202 49% | 7307 89% | 9371 69% | 20099 32% | 5606 116% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 48 | 37.8 | 37.2 | |||
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -44% /
-44% | -5% /
-5% | -37% /
-37% | -53% /
-53% | 13% /
13% |
* ... smaller is better
It is an AH IPS a-Si TFT LCD screen that achieves a good contrast of 628:1 owing to a low black level of 0.5 cd/m². The user will agreeably notice this: Outlines stand out clearly, and colors are crisp and bright.
Our X-Rite i1Pro 2 measures a maximum brightness of 314 CD/m² in the center; the average is lower at 280 cd/m² due to the uneven illumination. Typically, laptops have an illumination of 80 to 85%, especially with this relatively high brightness. The ThinkPad is exactly within this range.
CalMAN determined a visible shift toward the warm colors in the sRGB color reproduction. It is a clear bluish cast that leads to a DeltaE 2000 of just below 6. This cast is also very evident in the grayscale levels. This is not distracting in practice, but it excludes professional image and graphic editors or they will want a calibrated external monitor. We could not measure the sRGB color space coverage due to the recurrent crashing of the i1 Profiler, and thus we could not recheck the reddish cast after creating a profile.
The screen's brightness in battery mode is maintained, but only when the ambient light sensor is disabled. Our screenshots were taken in sunlight. Depending on the viewing angle, reflections still occur.
Performance
Lenovo provides its ThinkPad Yoga 15 with two processor options: a Core i7-5500U or i5-5200U. The i7 model comes with either a 512 or 256 GB SSD and the i5 version comes exclusively with 256 GB. The options in the German market are limited. However, it is still a powerful package; the GeForce 840M is installed from the outset. Apparently, the manufacturer is not interested in low-cost configurations for the Yoga 15.
Processor
The Yoga 15 is powered by the Core i7-5500U dual-core processor (Broadwell). The CPU clocks with a base speed of 2.4 GHz, which can be boosted to 2.9 GHz (two cores) or 3 GHz (one core) via Turbo. The Turbo is extensively utilized. The CPU tests of the Cinebench benchmark were processed with 2.4 to 2.9 GHz (multithread) and 2.9 to 3 GHz (single-thread). This was the case in both AC and battery mode.
The higher speeds, combined with the improved Broadwell architecture give the Core i7-5500U a performance edge of approximately 20% over the i5-4210U or 10% over the i7-4500U. The optional i5-5200U calculates only 7 to 12% slower; the buyer can readily choose the i5 when it is significantly cheaper.
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
We test the application performance with PCMark 7 and 8. The Yoga 15 scores with its Samsung SSD PM851 (256 GB, MZ7TE256HMHP). Only comparison devices with a HDD, such as the Transformer Book Flip TP500LN, lag behind. The high Computation Score of PCMark 7 is striking: the ThinkPad T450 (both i5-5200U) and the EliteBook 840 G2 fall behind by 35%.
PCMark 7 Score | 4610 points | |
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 2906 points | |
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 4040 points | |
Help |
Storage Device
The Samsung SSD is equally impressive in both writing and reading large and small blocks. Almost every modern SSD can easily manage 500 MB/s in sequential read and write. The 4K read/write tests are more critical; the results are more diverging although not to a great extent. In short: Lenovo has installed an efficient SSD model. The same SSD model is found in the ThinkPad T450 and the EliteBook 840 G2, and thus their scores are almost identical. Thanks to the 840M, the performance increase is 30 to 40% above a single HD 5500. However, this difference can be even greater in games, but this depends highly on the drivers. We ascertained a performance increase of 66% over the HD 5500 in “BioShock Infinite”.
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP Envy 15-u200ng x360 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Toshiba MQ02ABF100 | Asus Transformer Book Flip TP500LN GeForce 840M, 4210U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB | Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP EliteBook 840 G2 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 512 GB MZ7TE512HMHP | |
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CrystalDiskMark 3.0 | -85% | -83% | 5% | 2% | -1% | |
Read Seq | 527 | 106.5 -80% | 109.2 -79% | 529 0% | 528 0% | 499 -5% |
Write Seq | 242.6 | 90.8 -63% | 106.9 -56% | 237.9 -2% | 267.9 10% | 438 81% |
Read 4k | 36.65 | 0.406 -99% | 0.4 -99% | 38.06 4% | 29.19 -20% | 27 -26% |
Write 4k | 105.4 | 0.961 -99% | 0.9 -99% | 122.9 17% | 125.7 19% | 50 -53% |
AS SSD | 5% | 7% | 11% | |||
Seq Read | 513 | 508 -1% | 506 -1% | 484 -6% | ||
Seq Write | 233.5 | 230 -1% | 247.3 6% | 417 79% | ||
4K Read | 32.41 | 33.9 5% | 27.37 -16% | 26 -20% | ||
4K Write | 91.5 | 98.7 8% | 107.1 17% | 73 -20% | ||
Score Read | 448 | 447 0% | 449 0% | 432 -4% | ||
Score Write | 261 | 306 17% | 341 31% | 368 41% | ||
Score Total | 935 | 980 5% | 1015 9% | 1027 10% | ||
Total Average (Program / Settings) | -85% /
-85% | -83% /
-83% | 5% /
5% | 5% /
5% | 5% /
7% |
Graphics Card
The ThinkPad Yoga 15 features a graphics switching solution. It is composed of Intel's HD Graphics 5500 graphics core and Nvidia's GeForce 840M GPU. The GeForce chip takes care of performance-hungry applications, and Intel's GPU is enabled in routine and battery mode. Switching between both cores is automatic, but the user can manually assign the preferred GPU when required. The GeForce core comes from the entry-level performance category. It supports DirectX 11 and clocks with a base speed of 1029 MHz. The speed can be increased to 1124 MHz via Turbo.
The 3DMark benchmark results show a clear dissociation to devices without a dedicated GPU. The Transformer Book Flip TP500LN also includes an 840M, but it is inferior in the 3DMarks due to its weaker processor.
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 42320 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 6138 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 1410 points | |
Help |
Evolve - 1024x768 Low Graphics Quality (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE |
The Crew - 1366x768 Medium Video Preset AA:FX (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE |
BioShock Infinite - 1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 |
low | med. | high | ultra | |
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BioShock Infinite (2013) | 84 | 49 | 40 | 14.1 |
The Crew (2014) | 42 | 32 | 14.3 | 7.4 |
Evolve (2015) | 35 | 24.2 | 13 | 10.7 |
Emissions
System Noise
Noise? Users, who simply leave the Yoga 15 idling on the desk, will hardly hear anything from it. The fans are disabled when it is not loaded. This will change significantly under load when the noise level climbs to between 36 and 40 dB(A). This was the case, for example, in our stress test via Prime95 and FurMark.
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP Envy 15-u200ng x360 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Toshiba MQ02ABF100 | Asus Transformer Book Flip TP500LN GeForce 840M, 4210U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB | Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP EliteBook 840 G2 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 512 GB MZ7TE512HMHP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Noise | -14% | -3% | 4% | 6% | 4% | |
Idle Minimum * | 29.6 | 34.7 -17% | 30.6 -3% | 29.2 1% | 29.1 2% | 29.6 -0% |
Idle Average * | 29.6 | 34.7 -17% | 30.6 -3% | 29.2 1% | 29.1 2% | 29.6 -0% |
Idle Maximum * | 29.6 | 34.7 -17% | 31.8 -7% | 29.2 1% | 29.1 2% | 29.6 -0% |
Load Average * | 36.6 | 39.6 -8% | 37.4 -2% | 34.9 5% | 32.2 12% | 34.2 7% |
Load Maximum * | 39.9 | 43.4 -9% | 39.1 2% | 35.1 12% | 34.2 14% | 34.5 14% |
* ... smaller is better
Noise Level
Idle |
| 29.6 / 29.6 / 29.6 dB(A) |
Load |
| 36.6 / 39.9 dB(A) |
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30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
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Temperature
The surfaces remain cool, especially while idling. This is not surprising because the power consumption under Broadwell is at its lowest here. The base unit's upper side does not even reach 28 degrees Celsius (~82 °F).
The picture changes under load, although it is mainly one hot spot that heats up to 46 degrees (~115 °F). This is not a critical temperature. The Cinebench R15 single calculated with 2.9 to 3.0 GHz, and the multi-test was slightly slower with 2.4 to 2.9 GHz. Thus, the Turbo is utilized perfectly, even in battery mode.
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP Envy 15-u200ng x360 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Toshiba MQ02ABF100 | Asus Transformer Book Flip TP500LN GeForce 840M, 4210U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB | Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP EliteBook 840 G2 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 512 GB MZ7TE512HMHP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heat | 26% | 5% | 4% | 10% | 4% | |
Maximum Upper Side * | 46 | 32.8 29% | 41.6 10% | 35.8 22% | 37.5 18% | 43.5 5% |
Maximum Bottom * | 45.8 | 29.7 35% | 46 -0% | 47 -3% | 38.4 16% | 47 -3% |
Idle Upper Side * | 29.4 | 23.6 20% | 28.4 3% | 30.3 -3% | 28.7 2% | 26.7 9% |
Idle Bottom * | 30.7 | 25.1 18% | 28.7 7% | 31 -1% | 30.1 2% | 28.8 6% |
* ... smaller is better
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.8 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 39.2 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.4 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 31.3 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 28.1 °C / 82.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (+0.7 °C / 1.2 F).
Speakers
The sound from the two speakers completely lack low pitches and bass. However, the trebles and the almost accurate volume are impressive. LatencyMon did not record any significant delays even after a quarter of an hour, and thus the Yoga 15 is suitable for use as a video/audio editing desktop (balanced drivers).
The microphone recording was more than decent. The tester's voice was recorded clearly and impeccably despite a distance of 0.5 to 2 meters (~1.6 to 6.5 ft) with his back turned to the laptop and walking across the room. The microphone is a very good basis for Skype chats.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
The Broadwell platform's power consumption is higher than in the comparison devices. This is firstly due to the dedicated graphics card, and secondly the bright touchscreen. The Yoga 15 consumes five to eight watts when not in use, while idling.
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP Envy 15-u200ng x360 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Toshiba MQ02ABF100 | Asus Transformer Book Flip TP500LN GeForce 840M, 4210U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB | Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | HP EliteBook 840 G2 HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP | Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 GeForce 840M, 5500U, Samsung SSD PM851 512 GB MZ7TE512HMHP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Consumption | 9% | -47% | 29% | 35% | 18% | |
Idle Minimum * | 4.9 | 4.7 4% | 9.8 -100% | 3 39% | 2.6 47% | 3.1 37% |
Idle Average * | 7.7 | 8.9 -16% | 12.2 -58% | 5.5 29% | 5.1 34% | 7.2 6% |
Idle Maximum * | 8.2 | 9.1 -11% | 12.9 -57% | 6.4 22% | 5.8 29% | 7.7 6% |
Load Average * | 42 | 30 29% | 49.2 -17% | 28.4 32% | 28.7 32% | 36.2 14% |
Load Maximum * | 53 | 31.8 40% | 55.3 -4% | 40.7 23% | 36.8 31% | 38.5 27% |
* ... smaller is better
Off / Standby | ![]() ![]() |
Idle | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Load |
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Key:
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Battery Runtime
The battery life was a nice surprise. The ThinkPad Yoga 15 ran for 18 hours while idling (Wi-Fi off, minimum brightness). There are no secondary batteries or such like available, since the installed battery cannot be replaced.
However, the idle runtime is rather useless for the user. Our Wi-Fi test is more significant, which stopped after 414 minutes. That equals to almost seven hours. With the exception of HP's EliteBook 840 G1, the rivals cannot match this.
Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE | |
HP Envy 15-u200ng x360 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450-20BV001VGE | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
ThinkPad Yoga 15 - does Lenovo set the standard for rethinking in the business world? We believe that rethinking is not at all decisive. After all, the customer gets a conventional laptop that can be used like every other ThinkPad without a 360 degree hinge in mode one (laptop). The other modes of use increase the productivity of the Yoga 15 in some cases. Leaving other modes aside, anyone using the device exclusively as a laptop will get decent input devices and stable viewing angles.
But are we really satisfied? No, because the 15-inch device is maintenance-unfriendly (non-removable battery), and has only a few interfaces/security features. The Yoga 15 does not differ from a basic consumer laptop that is not so expensive. It does not make a good impression when the heavy display warps the chassis when picking it up at one corner of the wrist rest. The chassis should be much stronger and harder, particularly in view of the multi-mode options. A slightly higher weight would be acceptable because it is already a heavy "tablet", and an extra 250 grams (~9 oz) would not much of a difference.
Flexible and fast in use, but flaws in manufacturing, only few interfaces, and poor maintenance options.
The Yoga 15 does not fulfill the criteria of a thoroughly well-conceived standard ThinkPad. Components, input devices and screen are good if not perfect, but the casing's stability suffers under the 15-inch form factor and the relatively slim chassis.
Lenovo ThinkPad S5 Yoga 15 20DQ0038GE
- 04/09/2015 v4 (old)
Sebastian Jentsch