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Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK Convertible Review

Dull and boring. If you get a 15.6-inch convertible, you want to be ready for every usage scenario. The Yoga 510, however, reveals some limitations: Lenovo uses a dark display and the graphics card is not powerful enough.

For the original German review, see here.

Thanks to the 360-degree hinges, convertibles such as the Yoga 510 offer several operation modes. Lenovo in particular offers a lot of these devices. The Yoga 510-15ISK is a 15.6-inch model. Lenovo combines a Skylake processor with a Radeon GPU. The notebook is a successor to the Yoga 500-15IBD that we have already reviewed. There are not that many rivals, two suitable devices would be the HP Envy 15 x360 and the Dell Inspiron 15 7558.

Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK (Yoga 510 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-6200U 2 x 2.3 - 2.8 GHz, Skylake
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon R7 M460 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 984 MHz, Memory: 1000 MHz, DDR3, 16.200.1010.1002 (Crimson 16.5.2.1), Enduro
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2133, Single-Channel, one slot
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, capactive, BOE HF NV156FHM-N42, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Liteonit CV3-DE256, 256 GB 
, 180 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek HD Audio
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Combo Audio, Card Reader: SD, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 21.35 x 378 x 253 ( = 0.84 x 14.88 x 9.96 in)
Battery
35 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD-Webcam
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Lenovo Photo Master, McAfee LiveSafe-Internet Security (trial), MS Office, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
2.08 kg ( = 73.37 oz / 4.59 pounds), Power Supply: 231 g ( = 8.15 oz / 0.51 pounds)
Price
899 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

As with its predecessor, Lenovo has once again used a combination of materials for the Yoga 510-15ISK: The top of the base unit is made of metal, while the other components are made of plastics. The whole chassis is black, only the base unit and the touchpad have a silver colored surrounding edge. The colored layer was just milled off at these spots. The notebook does not have a maintenance hatch and you have to remove the bottom panel to access the components. More on that later. The Yoga 510-15 lacks the rubber lip, which surrounds the base unit of the Yoga 500-15. It protects the top of the base unit when you use it as a stand. There is direct contact in the case of the Yoga 510, so you have to expect scratches.

There are no obvious build quality issues, but the situation changes a little in terms of stability. Applying pressure on the base unit next to the keyboard will lift the support foot from the ground on the opposite side. We also think it is too easy to twist the base, while the torsion resistance of the lid is normal. Pressure on the back will result in some picture distortions, though. It is quite tricky to open the lid with just one hand and you will have to shake it a bit.

Connectivity

There are no differences between the Yoga 500-15 and Yoga 510-15 in terms of port variety – only the layout has changed slightly. Both notebooks offer USB 3.0 ports and you can attach a monitor via HDMI. We like the port layout with all ports in the rear areas of the sides. This means that the space next to the palm rest is free.

Left: slot for a cable lock, power, USB 2.0, combo audio, card reader, One-Key Recovery button
Left: slot for a cable lock, power, USB 2.0, combo audio, card reader, One-Key Recovery button
Right: power, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, Gigabit-Ethernet
Right: power, 2x USB 3.0, HDMI, Gigabit-Ethernet

Communication

The notebook does not offer any surprises in terms of Gigabit-Ethernet. Lenovo uses a familiar chip from Realtek's RTL8168/8111 family, and most notebooks use such a chip. The Wi-Fi module is provided by Qualcomm. The chip with the designation (QCA9377) also supports the fast WLAN 802.11 ac standard (1x1, up to 433 Mbps) besides a/b/g/n. The connection between our router and the convertible was always stable in practice. There were no dropouts.

The Yoga 510 manages a maximum transfer rate of 255 Mbps in our standardized Wi-Fi test. The test device is one meter (~3 ft) away from the router (Linksys EA8500) and the server is a Gigabit-Ethernet PC. All wireless devices in the area are deactivated and the power profile of the review unit is set to "Maximum Performance". The test is either performed in the early morning or in the evening, so the transmission is not disturbed by other Wi-Fi networks in the area. 

Webcam 

The integrated webcam has a maximum resolution of 1280x720 pixels. The pictures will not impress anybody, but the quality is sufficient for video calls.

Card Reader

reference card from Toshiba (Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II).

We can find the usual accessories in the box: a quick-start poster and a manual with warranty information. The convertible does not have a docking port, so you cannot use any proprietary docking stations from Lenovo. If you want to expand the port selection, you will have to use a generic USB 3.0 docking station. Lenovo also offers these models.

Operating System

The Yoga 510 is shipped with Windows 10 Home (64-bit). A recovery DVD is not included.

Maintenance

The Yoga 510 does not have a maintenance hatch. To access the internals, you will have to remove the bottom panel. You have to remove all the screws before you can carefully lift the panel with the help of a sharp object. There are additional plastic clips that can break, so you should be careful. Inside you will find a memory slot that is protected by a cover. The 2.5-inch SSD could easily be replaced by another model and it is possible to clean the fan. It would also be possible to replace the battery if necessary. It is not glued, but secured by a couple of screws.

Warranty

The Yoga 510 comes with a two-year warranty. The period and the scope of the service can be expanded and Lenovo offers various options. A three-year On-Site service, for example, retails for around 62 Euros (~$70).

Input Devices

Keyboard

Lenovo has not equipped the keyboard of the Yoga 510-15ISK with any illumination. This is unfortunate, because it would have suited the device very well. A quick look at the layout shows that the "Arrow Up" key is where you would usually expect the right Shift key, and the latter is right next to it. We therefore sometimes hit the arrow key instead of the Shift key during typing. In other words: It takes some time getting used to the position of the right Shift key. However, that is the only unusual thing.

The flat and smooth keys have limited travel and a well-defined pressure point. We like their resistance. However, the keyboard does bounce a bit during typing; more in the center than on the sides. This also results in a slightly spongy typing experience. Nevertheless, the keyboard is not bad by any means. Lenovo has delivered a decent product, which is more than sufficient for everyday tasks.

Touchpad

The mouse replacement is a ClickPad with multi-touch support with a size of around 10.4 x 7 cm (~4.2 x ~2.7 in), so you get a lot of space for gestures. You can activate and deactivate several gestures individually in the settings. The smooth surface of the pad provides good gliding capabilities for the fingers. You can use the whole surface of the pad, and it is also sensitive in the corners. The pad has limited travel and a clearly audible as well as a perceptible pressure point.

Touchscreen

The touchscreen did not cause any problems. It quickly recognizes inputs and supports up to ten fingers simultaneously.

Input Devices
Input Devices

Display

Subpixel array
Subpixel array

The Yoga 510-15ISK is equipped with a glossy 15.6-inch touchscreen and a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. According to the maintenance manual, Lenovo does not offer another panel type for the device. While the contrast (977:1) is quite good, this is not the case for the luminance (230 cd/m²). Such a result would be acceptable for a low-price device. However, the display of the Yoga should manage at least 300 cd/m², since you can expect to use the device in many different places. Positive: There is no PWM flickering at any time.

229
cd/m²
221
cd/m²
223
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
254
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
222
cd/m²
232
cd/m²
219
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE HF NV156FHM-N42 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 254 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 230 cd/m² Minimum: 3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 256 cd/m²
Contrast: 977:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.23 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 2.87 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63.48% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.35% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
43.99% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
63.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
42.58% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.35

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 not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18100 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The colors are already decent ex-works and we can measure an average DeltaE-2000 deviation of 4.23. Therefore, it just misses the target value (DeltaE smaller 3). A calibration can improve the result slightly and the color deviation will drop to 3.26. The improvement is much bigger for the grayscale. They are more balanced and show a much lower deviation from the ideal value. There is no blue cast at any time. The display cannot cover the color spaces AdobeRGB and sRGB; we can only measure 40.4% (AdobeRGB) and 63.5% (sRGB), respectively.

Yoga vs. sRGB
Yoga vs. sRGB
Yoga vs. AdobeRGB
Yoga vs. AdobeRGB
CalMAN – ColorChecker
CalMAN – ColorChecker
CalMAN – Grayscale
CalMAN – Grayscale
CalMAN – Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN – Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN – ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN – ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN – Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN – Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN – Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN – Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)

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
30.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.6 ms rise
↘ 13.2 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. » 81 % 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↗ 19.6 ms rise
↘ 23.6 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).

The Yoga 510 supports several operating modes, so a display with wide viewing angles is crucial for a convertible. And the test model does not disappoint. Lenovo has equipped it with an IPS display and there are no picture distortions even from extreme angles. Only the brightness drops slightly. You cannot really use the Yoga 510 outdoors. This is a result of the low luminance and the glossy display surface.

The Yoga 510 outdoors
The Yoga 510 outdoors
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

Lenovo's Yoga 510-15ISK is a 15.6-inch convertible. The device is more than powerful enough for everyday tasks. Our review unit is available for a starting price of 830 Euros (~$943). We found only one more configuration as of this writing.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
HWInfo
LatencyMon

Processor

There are no surprises in terms of the processor. Inside the Yoga 510 you will find Intel's Core i5-6200U (Skylake) dual-core processor. This ULV model (TDP: 15 watts) is a mainstream chip and provides sufficient performance for everyday tasks. A similarly equipped Yoga-15ISK with the slightly faster Core i7-6500U is about 120 Euros (~$136) more expensive. This will not pay off for most users; the Core i7 processor is just slightly faster (10 to 15%), but you will not notice it in practice. The Core i5 CPU is usually the better choice. It has a nominal clock of 2.3 GHz, which can be raised to 2.7 GHz (both cores) or 2.8 GHz (one core), respectively, via Turbo Boost. The CPU can utilize the Turbo on mains and battery power.

The predecessor of the Yoga 510-15ISK – the Yoga 500-15IBD – uses the Broadwell predecessor (Core i5-5200U) of our model, so it is good for a comparison. The Skylake model is up to 15% faster than the old model in the CPU benchmarks, which is a result of the improved Skylake architecture as well as the slightly higher clocks. The difference is bigger in multi-core than single-core scenarios.

The CPU is soldered.
The CPU is soldered.
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
7408
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
9846
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4399
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
27.76 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.23 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.34 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
37.42 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
289 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
114 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
292 Points +1%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
289 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
259 Points -10%
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
257 Points -11%
CPU Single 64Bit
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
116 Points +2%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
114 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
109 Points -4%
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
108 Points -5%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
3.23 Points
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
3.2 Points -1%
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2.77 Points -14%
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
2.75 Points -15%
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
1.34 Points
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1.3 Points -3%
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
1.24 Points -7%
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
1.08 Points -19%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
9985 Points +1%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
9846 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
6850 Points -30%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
5449 Points +24%
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
4405 Points 0%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
4399 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
4159 Points -5%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2753 Points +2%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
2699 Points
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
5860 Points +2%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
5733 Points
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
121 ms * -13%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
106.8 ms *
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
105.5 ms * +1%
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
91.7 ms * +14%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
196.9 Points
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
192.1 Points -2%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2633 ms * -114%
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
1414 ms * -15%
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1265 ms * -3%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
1232 ms *
Octane V2 - Total Score
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
29126 Points
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
28301 Points -3%
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
12225 Points -58%
Peacekeeper - ---
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2718 Points 0%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
2713 Points

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The system runs quickly and smoothly, and we did not encounter any problems. The PCMark results are also very good. A look at our comparison chart shows that a rival such as the HP Envy 15 x360 gets a lower score in PCMark 8, despite the same CPU, SSD and GeForce GPU. The Yoga 510 has an advantage due to the Radeon GPU, because the PCMark benchmark benefits from AMD GPUs in particular. It is not possible to enhance the system performance any further; Lenovo has already maxed out the system. It is not possible to implement another memory module, because there is only one memory slot.

There is only one RAM slot, which is protected by a cover.
There is only one RAM slot, which is protected by a cover.
PCMark 7 Score
5028 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3651 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4380 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4555 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
3651 Points
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
3200 Points -12%
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
2848 Points -22%
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2793 Points -24%
PCMark 7 - Score
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
5028 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
4680 Points -7%
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2558 Points -49%

Storage Devices

You can store data on a solid-state disk from LiteOn. It is a 2.5-inch model with a capacity of 256 GB. Users can use around 180 GB for their own files; the rest is occupied by the Windows installation and the recovery partition. The transfer rates of the SSD are good.

It is possible to replace the SSD.
It is possible to replace the SSD.
Liteonit CV3-DE256
Sequential Read: 487 MB/s
Sequential Write: 450.7 MB/s
512K Read: 384.5 MB/s
512K Write: 356.3 MB/s
4K Read: 27.05 MB/s
4K Write: 63.7 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 281.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 232 MB/s

GPU Performance

The Yoga is equipped with an AMD Radeon R7 M460 graphics card. Even though the designation suggests something different, it is not really a new GPU. It is basically a rebadged Radeon R7 M360 GPU and the technical specifications are also similar, only the maximum core clock of the M460 is slightly higher (984 MHz vs. 980 MHz). The 3DMark scores are therefore identical and it is roughly on par with the Lenovo IdeaPad 500-15ISK in our comparison chart. The latter is slightly faster than our model due to the rather more powerful processor. Nvidia's counterpart of the Radeon GPU is the GeForce 930M GPU.

Besides the AMD graphics core, the system can also use Intel's HD Graphics 520 GPU and it can switch between the GPUs (Enduro). The Radeon GPU handles demanding tasks such as games, while Intel's chip is used for simple tasks and on battery power. This process is usually automated, but Nvidia's counterpart (Optimus) works better than AMD's solution, where you sometimes have to adjust the allocation manually.

The GPU is soldered as well.
The GPU is soldered as well.
3DMark 06 Standard Score
8587 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
5304 points
3DMark 11 Performance
2246 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
42485 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
4755 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1054 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
513 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
2301 Points +2%
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
2270 Points +1%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
2246 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
1174 Points -48%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
48190 Points +13%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
47792 Points +12%
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
42527 Points 0%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
42485 Points
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
37883 Points -11%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
6077 Points +28%
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
5932 Points +25%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
5001 Points +5%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
4755 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
4561 Points -4%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
4962 Points +19%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
4236 Points +1%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
4181 Points
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
1384 Points +31%
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
1294 Points +23%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
1054 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
1024 Points -3%
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
618 Points -41%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
8587 Points
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
8322 Points -3%

Gaming Performance

Our test model of the Yoga retails for around 830 Euros (~$943) as of this writing. At this price, you would expect the consumer device to handle games, but the gaming capabilities are limited in this case. The reason is the graphics core. It is usually only powerful enough for games that are not too demanding and you will have to live with the HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) as well as low and sometimes medium settings. More demanding games such as “Hitman” or “Doom” do not run smoothly on the Yoga.

If you basically want a device like the Yoga 510, but need more gaming performance, you should have a look at the predecessor Yoga 500-15IBD. The latter is available with a GeForce 940M GPU, which is more powerful than the Radeon core inside our review unit.

low med. high ultra
Diablo III (2012) 92.2 60.5 50.7 29.9
Tomb Raider (2013) 80 39.9 30 14.7
BioShock Infinite (2013) 73.1 38.9 31.7 11
Metro: Last Light (2013) 35.4 26.2 16 7.7
Battlefield 4 (2013) 59.4 38 23.9 7.8
GRID: Autosport (2014) 125.3 56.6 26 13.6
Dirt Rally (2015) 108.7 36.7 17.9 12.5
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 20 17 9
World of Warships (2015) 79.6 49.9 21.2 15
FIFA 16 (2015) 88.1 51.8 24.5
Anno 2205 (2015) 31.4 16.5 7 3.7
Fallout 4 (2015) 27 15.8 8.2 6.5
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) 35.5 23 10.9 9.1
Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 51.9 31.8 13.1 10.6
Just Cause 3 (2015) 32.1 25.2 11.9 10.1
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 19.5 12.2 6.8
XCOM 2 (2016) 22.5 7.8 5.2
Far Cry Primal (2016) 22 10 8 7
The Division (2016) 29.9 16.3 7.2
BioShock Infinite - 1280x720 Very Low Preset
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
73.1 fps
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
70.8 fps -3%
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
29.42 fps -60%
World of Warships - 1366x768 Low Preset AF:Trilinear
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
102.6 fps +29%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
79.6 fps
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
43.6 fps -45%
Star Wars Battlefront - 1024x768 Low Preset
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
46.2 fps +30%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
35.5 fps
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
34.2 fps -4%
FIFA 16 - 1366x768 High Preset AA:2x MS
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
57.8 fps +12%
Lenovo Ideapad 500-15ISK 80NT005WGE
Radeon R7 M360, 6500U, Samsung PM871 MZYLN256HCHP
54.1 fps +4%
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
51.8 fps

Emissions

System Noise

The Yoga is not an overly loud device. The fan is usually deactivated while idling and you can enjoy a silent device. We can measure up to 41 dB(A) during the stress test (Prime95 and FurMark for at least one hour). This value is okay when you consider the specifications. We could not hear other noises such as whining or electronic humming.

Amplitude frequency response fan (idle, maximum load)
Amplitude frequency response fan (idle, maximum load)
Fan
Fan

Noise Level

Idle
29 / 29 / 29 dB(A)
Load
35.9 / 41 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   ECM8000 + Voltcraft SL-451 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29 dB(A)

Temperature

Stress test Yoga 510
Stress test Yoga 510

The Yoga 510 behaves differently in our stress test (Prime and FurMark for at least one hour) on mains and battery power. CPU (600 MHz) and GPU (400 MHz) are heavily throttled on battery power. This changes when on mains. Both the CPU and GPU can maintain their maximum performance in the first 60 seconds before they are slowed down. The CPU will run at 2.3 GHz and the GPU with 600 MHz. The clock of the latter will vary between 300 and 600 MHz over the course of the test. The temperature development is not too bad. We can measure temperatures of over  40 C (~104 °F) at some spots.

Max. Load
 27.9 °C
82 F
42.9 °C
109 F
40.9 °C
106 F
 
 26.9 °C
80 F
36.5 °C
98 F
36.5 °C
98 F
 
 25.3 °C
78 F
27.6 °C
82 F
31 °C
88 F
 
Maximum: 42.9 °C = 109 F
Average: 32.8 °C = 91 F
39.1 °C
102 F
45.4 °C
114 F
28.6 °C
83 F
41.5 °C
107 F
41.2 °C
106 F
27.1 °C
81 F
33.4 °C
92 F
31.4 °C
89 F
27.3 °C
81 F
Maximum: 45.4 °C = 114 F
Average: 35 °C = 95 F
Power Supply (max.)  42.1 °C = 108 F | Room Temperature 22.8 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Max
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.8 °C / 91 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.9 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.4 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.5 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31 °C / 87.8 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (-2.9 °C / -5.2 F).

Speakers

The stereo speakers are located at the bottom of the device. They create a pretty decent sound, but bass is almost completely lacking. You will have to use headphones or external speakers for a better sound experience. The preloaded "Audio by Harman" software can be used to tune the sound to some extent. It seems to be the familiar Dolby Audio software, because the resemblance is hard to ignore.

Speakers at half and full volume.
Speakers at half and full volume.
Audio by Harman
Audio by Harman

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The Yoga is quite a frugal device while idling; we measure up to 8.1 watts. The consumption will rise to 57.3 watts during the stress test (Prime95 and FurMark for at least one hour), but this value drops after a short while because both the CPU and the GPU cannot maintain their respective maximum clocks. The gaming consumption will be around 41 watts (+/- 5 watts). The nominal power output of the PSU is 65 watts.

The rated power output of the PSU is 65 watts.
The rated power output of the PSU is 65 watts.
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.24 / 0.45 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4 / 7.5 / 8.1 Watt
Load midlight 40.8 / 57.3 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.

Battery Runtime

The Yoga 510-15ISK can clearly beat its predecessor (Yoga 500-15IBD) in terms of battery runtimes. The larger battery capacity (35 Wh vs. 30 Wh) is just one reason. Our WLAN test runs for 5:35 hours on the Yoga 510, while the Yoga 500 managed only 2:33 hours. We use a script to simulate the stress when you load web pages with the "Balanced" power profile and a display brightness of around 150 nits. The stamina of the Yoga 510 is similar in the video test with 5:37 hours. We run a loop of the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.264, 1920x1080 pixels) while the wireless modules are turned off and the luminance is once again adjusted to 150 nits.

A look inside the Yoga 510-15ISK shows that there is actually enough space to integrate a larger battery, and it even looks like a part of the battery is just a placeholder. We cannot understand why Lenovo does not use a larger battery, especially since this is a device that is not used at the desk only.

The battery has a capacity of 35 Wh.
The battery has a capacity of 35 Wh.
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
12h 10min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
5h 35min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
5h 37min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 40min
Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK
Radeon R7 M460, 6200U, Liteonit CV3-DE256
Lenovo Yoga 500-15IBD
GeForce 940M, 5200U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
HP Envy 15-w103ng x360
GeForce 930M, 6200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZNTE256HMHP
Dell Inspiron 15 7558
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Sandisk X300 SD7SB6S-256G-1012
Battery Runtime
-28%
19%
10%
Reader / Idle
730
467
-36%
885
21%
H.264
337
WiFi v1.3
335
153
-54%
398
19%
294
-12%
Load
100
107
7%
120
20%

Pros

+ IPS display
+ Full-HD resolution
+ fast SSD
+ usually runs quiet

Cons

- dark display
- insufficient GPU
- only one memory slot
- average battery runtimes
- no maintenance hatch
- no keyboard illumination

Verdict

In review: Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK. Test model courtesy of Campuspoint.de
In review: Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK. Test model courtesy of Campuspoint.de

Lenovo's Yoga 510-15ISK is a 15.6-inch convertible. The Core i5 processor should be sufficient for most users. A Radeon GPU can handle some games, but the GPU is not powerful enough considering the price. Comparable GeForce notebooks are usually equipped with the much faster GeForce 940M. The system is usually silent and barely warms up in practice. It would be possible to replace the SSD. The convertible does not have a maintenance hatch, so you will have to remove the bottom panel. On the whole, the keyboard is decent but we miss a background illumination. The battery runtimes are also decent.

Lenovo has selected the wrong display for its convertible.

One cause of criticism is the low display brightness; we expect at least 300 cd/m² for a convertible in this price range. Otherwise, the display is good: wide viewing angles, high contrast and no PWM flickering.

Lenovo Yoga 510-15ISK - 05/27/2016 v5.1(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
79 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
74%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
54 / 80 → 68%
Weight
62 / 35-78 → 63%
Battery
84%
Display
82%
Games Performance
59 / 68 → 87%
Application Performance
83 / 87 → 95%
Temperature
90%
Noise
93%
Audio
40 / 91 → 44%
Camera
40 / 85 → 47%
Average
71%
77%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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Sascha Mölck, 2016-06- 4 (Update: 2018-05-15)