Lenovo Legion Y530, analysis of this gaming laptop

 Lenovo Legion Y530, analysis of this gaming laptop

Lenovo is a brand that always tries to innovate in all fields. Their computer designs are among the most original and interesting on the market, while maintaining competitive prices. The Lenovo Legion Y530 is a laptop that follows that line. Aimed at those users who are looking for a gaming equipment without spending their salary , it incorporates interesting new features both in its design and in the cooling system.

Lenovo Legion Y530 at a glance

In its guts, we find a next-generation Intel Core processor, an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 in the configuration we have tested) and an internal memory that combines a PCIe SSD and a traditional hard drive. All this with an IPS- type screen with Full HD resolution and 250 nits brightness. And with a maximum autonomy of more than nine hours. The Lenovo Legion Y530 is available for sale for an official starting price of 900 euros.

Lenovo Legion Y530 datasheet

screen15.6 inches Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixels), 250 nit brightness
Processor and RAM2.3GHz Quad Core Intel Core i5-8300H Turbo Boost up to 4GHz

8 GB RAM

Internal memory256GB PCIe SSD + 1TB HDD (the unit tested)
Graphic cardNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
BatteryUp to 9.5 hours of use
Operating systemWindows 10
Connections3 x USB 3.1, 1 x USB C, 1 x Mini Display Port 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2.0, Ethernet port, 3.5mm Jack
DesignAluminum, with white backlit keyboard (two intensities)
Dimensions and weight365 x 260 x 24.2 millimeters (2.3 kilos)
Featured FeaturesTwo cooling systems for the CPU and GPU
Release dateAvailable
PriceFrom 900 euros

Lenovo-Legion-Y530 with brand logo

A team that lives between the gamer world and leisure

No. It is not the Lenovo Legion Y730. But it maintains part of the keys of this powerful gaming team. In its guts we find a quad- core Intel Core i5-8300H processor , with a speed of 2.3 GHz. This speed can be taken up to 4 GHz at times when we need a greater push. This processor is combined with a RAM of 8 GB (with a maximum of 16 GB).

Lenovo-Legion-Y530 rear connections

Within the graphic section, we have several options. In our case, we were able to fiddle with a unit that includes the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card . The configuration sold through the official Lenovo store is the one that incorporates the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU, with 4 GB of dedicated memory. Keep in mind that it is an entry card, designed so that we can play the vast majority of modern games but without opting for demanding configurations.

Lenovo-Legion-Y530 view from profile

As for its internal memory, we also have several options according to configuration. The one that we currently find for sale in the official store opts for a 1 TB 5,400 rpm hard drive . We have been able to fiddle with a more powerful configuration, which combines a 256 GB PCIe-type SSD memory and a 1 TB hard drive.

We have passed these two units through a speed test:

Lenovo Legion Y530, analysis of this gaming laptop 1

Lenovo Legion Y530 SSD drive test

The main drive is really fast, with read speeds reaching 3 GB / s and maximum write speeds of 1.1 GB / s.

lenovo-legion-y530-test-disk-d

Lenovo Legion Y530 Hard Drive Test

In the case of the secondary disk designed to store a greater number of games and files that we are not constantly accessing, the speed is lower but it maintains good figures.

Lenovo-Legion-Y530 open to maximum detail hinge

Different design

The Lenovo Legion Y530 is committed to a different design than what we are used to, especially in gaming laptops. It does have some nods to this type of device, such as LED lighting in the Y of the Legion logo on the top of the case . But in general, it is a device that at first glance could easily pass for a model for leisure. Of course, with the particularity of an extension that reaches further from the screen. This extra zone has several clear advantages. For example, it helps more cooling with two racks on the sides. The central area has several connectors that reduce the visual impact on the sides of the laptop.

Lenovo Legion Y530 detail direction keys

On the less positive side, the screen does not give the same feeling of robustness when opened as in other Yoga models. At the level of use we have not noticed any problem, but we have not managed to get rid of the idea that it is weaker than in the brand's laptops in which the hinge is located at the limit of the case .

Lenovo-Legion-Y530 keyboard and trackpad zone

The Legion Y530 has a sleek cut, with the body in black. I especially liked the spaciousness of the space to place the palms of the hands and the feel of this area, softer and with good grip than the typical aluminum ones. It has also seemed to me that it holds up sweat very well, something that is not usual in this type of case with a more rubbery touch.

In this midway between leisure and pure gaming, the Lenovo Legion Y530 is an easy-to-carry laptop. It has a weight of 2.3 kilos and a profile of 2.4 centimeters.

Lenovo Legion right grille

One of the aspects that Lenovo has wanted to influence is its advanced cooling system, more typical of what we could find in a gamer tower. We are talking about a double cooling, a system for the processor and another for the graphics card . In this way, it is possible to maintain a lower temperature even at times when we are immersed in very demanding games. This helps, in addition to the grids on the front (which I mentioned earlier), two other grids that are located on each side of the equipment.

Lenovo Legion Y530 keyboard detail

Keyboard and trackpad to match

The keyboard is one of the sections that I liked the least in the Lenovo laptop tests, especially in the placement of some key keys. But in the Legion the opposite is true. The keys have the ideal height, separation and resistance to type with comfort and so that we do not miss a keystroke by mistake when playing . They are well placed and although the Enter key is somewhat small, I have rarely failed to press it. They have a curious shape with a curved lower edge that gives them a distinctive touch, and that I have not found shocking when handling it. Also included is a numeric keypad on the right side and backlight. This white backlight has two different power levels.

As for the trackpad, it has a remarkable size and reacts quite well to finger movements. It is quite comfortable to use, although I still prefer a traditional mouse.

Lenovo-Legion-Y530 screen and trackpad

15.6-inch screen with good brightness level

The screen of the Legion Y530 has a standard size of 15.6 inches, the most used format for leisure laptops and similar uses. It is an IPS panel with a Full HD resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. No touch functionality, by the way. But with a good brightness level of up to 250 nits. The truth is that by tinkering with it, it has fulfilled what is expected and a more premium panel with more brightness has almost never been missed. Although this laptop can be carried outside the home, its natural habitat is inside the home and there it is rare that we miss more light.

Lenovo Legion Y530, analysis of this gaming laptop 2

Lenovo Vantage Program Interface

Lenovo Vantage

Without abandoning the screen section altogether, one of the most interesting applications that this laptop incorporates as standard is Lenovo Vantage. Through this tool we can control different aspects of the equipment. Among them the color temperature of the screen. The less cold this temperature is, the lower the impact of blue light, which can cause greater eye strain if we spend a lot of time in front of the computer.

It also includes a very useful toolbar with shortcuts to change the color temperature, activate the backlight, the trackpad or the fast charge of the laptop. It seems to me one of the great successes at the software level since it allows you easy access to functions with which you normally have to fight or go around. By the way, it also incorporates a large battery icon so you can know exactly what percentage it is.

detail-toolbar-lenovo-vantage

This is the Lenovo Vantage toolbar

Equipment Connections

In the connection section, the Legion Y530 is very complete. Thanks in part to its quirky design with an extension beyond the screen. In this back we can find the charging port, an HDMI, a mini DisplayPort, a normal USB 3.1 port and another of type USB C, as well as an Ethernet port . On the left side there is one more USB 3.1 port (normal size) and an audio jack. On the right side we have another USB 3.1 port.

Lenovo-Legion-Y53 power on with led light

Among the wireless connections could not miss Bluetooth and WiFi AC, which allows the connection through the 5 GHz bandwidth (faster and less congested).

Autonomy, price and opinions

Despite being a team with the gaming label, Lenovo wanted to give it a point of travel computer with a quite remarkable autonomy of nine hours. It is not like specific ultrabooks to work, but it does give us more freedom when it comes to taking it away from home. In our tests, it has lasted around four hours with normal use (with the brightness near maximum and use of the browser, video and other applications). In the case of giving more cane with the games, the time goes down to two and a half or three hours at most . In any case, we have fast charging technology capable of giving us two hours of laptop use with only 15 minutes of charging.

Lenovo-Legion-Y530 sideways

The basic configuration of the Lenovo Legion Y530 can be purchased through the official store for a price of 900 euros . In short, a laptop that lives on the border between the world of gamers and leisure, with a very interesting design with which greater cooling is achieved. If you are not looking for a cucumber to play with the settings of the games to the maximum, this laptop can more than deliver (and without having to leave you a kidney when buying it).