Lenovo 500 series
Lenovo B590
Lenovo B580
Lenovo B575e
Lenovo IdeaPad N586
Lenovo IdeaPad N581
Lenovo IdeaPad G580
Lenovo G585
The review uncovers, whether the G500s is convincing. To see how it performs, we compare the computer to Toshiba’s Satellite C850-1LX( Celeron 1000M, HD Graphics( Ivy Bridge); and Dell’s Vostro 2520( Core i3-2328M, HD Graphics 3000) .
Case The G500s series features a case made from black plastic. We appreciate that all surfaces - apart from the display - are matte. The texture on the upper side of the base unit has a vertical pattern and reminds one of brushed aluminum while the lid shows a slightly ribbed texture. The latter increases the grip, but is also susceptible to fingerprints. Contrary to previous models of the G series, e.g., the G580 or the G585, the G500s is significantly thinner( by about 8 mm/~ 0.3 inches) . Lenovo follows the trend to slimmer and slimmer notebooks. Dell and Toshiba also use a plastic case, but with conventional height.
The stability of the slim Lenovo computer should be better. Commonly weak parts of the base unit( left and right of the keyboard, beneath the touchpad, left front corner) depress easily with a light press of a finger. Bending of the base unit can be observed from side-to-side twisting. The stability of the lid is on par with other cheap notebooks. It also bends from side-to-side twisting. In addition, depressions of the outer lid are big and lead to image errors. The hinges hold the lid tightly in place. If you open the lid slowly and carefully, it is possible to open the lid using just one hand.
Connectivity All three comparison computers offer the usual connectivity features. While the Vostro only supports USB 2.0, the G500s and the Satellite come with USB 3.0. However, only the Vostro features Gigabit-Ethernet, while the competitors only come with Fast-Ethernet. The interface layout of the G500s is not good. Nearly all ports are at the height of the palm rests.
Communication
All communication modules of the G500s stem from Atheros. The Wi-Fi module( AR9485) supports the 802.11 b/g/n standards. We did not observe any reception problems or interruptions regardless whether the notebook is close to the router or two floors below it. Much to our surprise, Lenovo only equipped the G500s with a no longer up-to-date Fast-Ethernet chip( AR8172/8176/8178-family) . Nowadays, Gigabit-Ethernet is simply standard. The notebook also features Bluetooth-4.0. Images from the web cam look dull and muddy and have a maximum resolution of 1280x720 pixels.
Accessories
The accessories only include the usual documents: quick start poster, warranty information and security information.
Operating System and Recovery
Windows 8( 64-bit) is used as operating system. A Windows 8 DVD is not included. A recovery system allows repairing the OS or restoring the factory state. In order to launch it, simply press the One-Key-Recovery button( small button beside the power button) when the notebook is turned off. The notebook boots and displays a menu, which among other things allows access to the BIOS setup. Choose System recovery here.
Replacing the preinstalled Windows 8 with Windows 7 should work without problems. Drivers for Windows 7 and 8 can be downloaded from Lenovo’s homepage. As you can also buy the G500s without an OS, we tried to install Ubuntu Linux 13.04. Most of the hardware including Wi-Fi and function keys( brightness control, volume control) work straight away. But, there is a small bug. The display brightness is automatically changed to zero every time the system is booted( including the installation) . As the display remains black, you need to increase the brightness after every boot.
Performance With the G500s series, Lenovo offers several cheap office notebooks, which meet basic requirements of notebooks. Chat, Internet, Skype, text processing, and watching videos do not pose a problem for these devices. If you also want to play computer games, you should choose the model with the GeForce GT 720M GPU. Our test sample is currently the cheapest model of the series and costs about 400 Euros(~$528) . The models differ in CPU( Pentium up to Core i7), hard drive capacity, RAM capacity, GPU, and OS. The currently cheapest model with a GeForce GPU( Core i3-2328M, SSD-Cache, otherwise identical) is available for about 500 Euros(~$660) . In addition, several models feature touchscreens.
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