The refreshed Lenovo IdeaPad 330s comes in lots of pretty colors
The rule of thumb with computers used to be that you had to spend the absolute top of your budget in order to get a decent PC. Technology moves swiftly, and even lower-end devices are extremely powerful. Lenovo has taken full advantage of this, with their latest line of IdeaPad notebooks that are perfect for college.
One of the greatest things about Lenovo’s computers is that they don’t cram all their innovation and design into the high-end computers and let the lower ones languish as fat, overheated doorstops. You have multiple options and configurations for computers that are well under $800-for the majority of users, the IdeaPad line is the sweet spot between price and performance. These are great everyday use laptops, for when you need a real computer over a tablet or a phone, but you aren’t doing heavier lifting than writing, browsing the web, and binge-watching HGTV.
Let’s start with the most wallet-friendly, the IdeaPad 330. It starts at $249.99, clocks in at 4.6lbs, and comes in 14″, 15″ and 17″ screen sizes. There are multiple processor choices so you can spend a bit more to get more power if you need it, but even if you stay with the lower-end configurations you’re getting stereo speakers from Dolby Audio. Depending on your budget, you can also pick up an IdeaPad 330 with a fingerprint reader, touchscreen, and a DVD drive. Because, yes, some people are still using and watching DVDs.
If you have more room in your budget and want something a touch more portable, the IdeaPad 330S is worth considering. The “S” stands for slim, not that anyone is body-shaming the rest of the IdeaPad line. In any case, the 330S loses some weight at 3.5lbs, but picks up an aluminium top, thinner bezels, an IPS screen with a wider viewing angle, and the option for backlit keyboards and Intel Core i7 processors. These will also have Dolby Audio speakers, and come in at only $499.99.
Lenovo IdeaPad 330
Finally, if you’re looking for style, portability, and power, there’s the IdeaPad 530S. This one is even slimmer, at 3lbs and only .6 inches thick, making it very portable. It’s also very stylish, with an aluminum chassis and multiple color options. Like the other IdeaPads, you can pick from multiple configurations of processor power, backlit keyboards, and fingerprint readers. These will have Dolby Audio too, but with the added boost of using Harman speakers for even better sound quality. Most amazing, the IdeaPad 530S starts at only $799.99; not bad for a lightweight aluminum notebook!
Lenovo wants you to be happy and productive, so all the IdeaPads have 4-in-1 card ports, USB 3.0, HDMI, and USB-C. Best of all, the entire line is also capable of Rapid Charge, where 15 minutes of charging can get you up to 2 hours of battery life. That alone is a great feature-how many times have you gone to pull out a laptop for work, or worse, during a meeting, only to find out the battery is nearly dead?
So to recap, a budget from as low as $249.99 can get you a reasonably powerful computer running Windows 10, and with a budget well below flagship PC levels, you can still configure an all-aluminum, lightweight, powerful notebook.
The new IdeaPad models will be available this month, just in time for graduations, Father’s Day, and summer vacation.
Lenovo IdeaPad 530s
