can you give me your input on this laptop?

[robphelan]

I've been looking for a 15" I7 laptop - primarily for mobile remote development.

It's the Lenovo Y510p. This variant runs $889

Processor
4th Generation Intel Core i7-4700MQ Processor(2.40GHz 1600MHz 6MB)
- Operating system
Windows 8.1 64
- Display
15.6" FHD LED AntiGlare with integrated camera (1920x1080)
- Graphics
NVIDIA GT750M GDDR5 2G 2GB
- Memory
8.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3L SDRAM 1600 MHz
- Hard Drive
1TB 5400 RPM + 24GB SSD
- Optical Drive
DVD Recordable (Dual Layer)
- Network Card
Intel 7260 b/g/n Wireless (2x2 BGN)
- Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version 4.0
- Warranty
One year
- Battery
6 Cell 72 Watt Hour Lithium-Io

The other variant I'm considering has the following differences and is $10 more.

Display
15.6" FHD LED Glossy (1920x1080)
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GT755M GDDR5 2GB
Hard Drive
1TB Hybrid 5400 RPM + 8GB SSHD


I'm not big on glossy displays as I do code outdoors sometimes. But the GT755M does provide an increase in graphics for gaming.. which I won't do much on a laptop.

the last difference is the HD - i really like the idea of a 24GB SSD to speed bootup times.

I'd appreciate your input + direction to competing laptops!

 

[ninaholic37]

Sounds like a pretty good deal for what you get.

Curious to hear what you think it (the one you end up picking) afterwards.


edit: Customer reviews on Lenovo seem to rate it all over the place:
http://reviews.lenovo.com/8923-en_u...C087/lenovo-ideapad-y510p-reviews/reviews.htm

 

[robphelan]

thanks for point out those reviews.. I recall seeing a lot of complaints re: the wireless connection - and that was due to a certain piece of Intel HW. I believe out of the 4 options for this model, only 1 has that particular wireless module

 

[Enigmoid]

Remember that you can always pop the 8-24 GB SSD cache out and install a M.2 or Msata drive.

The 755m is maybe 2-5% faster than the 750m with core clocks of 980 mhz vs. 967 mhz. This does not include boost. The 5400 mhz vram vs. 5000 mhz vram doesn't make any difference.

 

[Hail The Brain Slug]

I had one for a short time. The cooling solution is pretty poorly designed. Little details about the laptop as a whole made me send it back.

1) It's big. Heavy. Bulky.
2) It feels fairly fragile, I was not comfortable when I handled it no matter what I was doing.
3) LCD is a crappy TN, that annoys the heck out of me.
4) Keyboard gets warm-hot when playing games (Like Diablo 3). It's even pretty warm when idling at the desktop.
5) The edge bezel around the wrist rest on mine had a small gap and it would cut into my wrists
6) The bezel around the screen was crap.
7) If you get the SLI version, it will blow hot air right out at your mouse hand.
8) Lenovo installs massive piles of crapware, I would suggest a total format.
9) Trackpad blows.

All those being said, there are some nice things about it.
1) Cheap. CHEAP for what you're getting.
2) Headphone amplifier is actually pretty decent. There's even a red LED inside the jack so you can align and plug headphones in without looking at the side to find the hole (Especially in the dark)
3) Easily upgradable memory and hard drive.
4) The keyboard is pretty nice, although it had some bad flex.

If your budget is very strict, you probably can't get as much bang for the buck. If your budget is a little less strict, I would look at other options.

Edit: I never had an issue with the wireless 7260. I think most of the issues people have had were with the Centrino wireless that sucked.

 

[s44]

I'd skip the gaming part and get a cooler, lighter, more solidly built, full SSD 15" Ultrabook.

 

[Capt Caveman]

My brother has one(the first one you listed for $849 a month or so ago) and I got a chance to play around with it this weekend.

It's big for a 15.6" laptop and heavy but if you don't plan to lug it around a lot. I fouind it to be well built, quiet and cool.

I was considering one but may go for a Y40 instead.

 

[robphelan]

thanks for all the info.. i'm still looking (and am glad I didn't buy this one - i appreciate your reviews).

My budget isn't too strict.. I would like to top out at 1400 - 1500 w/tax max.

 

[s44]

Do you really need an i7? Most of the better designed ones blow your budget when you add that in.

 

[robphelan]

if i'm thinking solely on remote development, i suppose it's not critical. How do the 4th gen I5 chips hold up? I guess I could bump up the RAM with the savings