The current version of the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 is a laptop that's hard not to like. A chunky, 15-inch Windows 8 machine with some real gaming muscle, sharp design, and a funky red-on-black backlit keyboard, it perfectly embodies the aesthetic Lenovo seems to be reaching for in the consumer-targeted IdeaPad line. It's not as staid as the much more traditional ThinkPad line, but instead takes basic black plastic and brushed metal and adds a sophisticated edge.
The Y500 is represented here by an impressive high-end SLI configuration, which Lenovo says runs $1,299, but this dual-GPU configuration is only available from retailers such as NewEgg. However, Lenovo is offering deep discounts on some single-GPU configurations on its website as of this writing, with a couple under $900. Despite the attractive prices and components, there are still issues. The Nvidia GeForce 650M GPU found here is great for a mainstream laptop, but the lack of a touch screen means the system is not well-suited for all the nongaming hours you're going to spend in the Windows 8 UI. The keyboard is excellent (and the red backlight gives it a nice edge), but the touch pad has an imprecise, floating feel, exacerbated by the lack of a secondary touch input on the screen.V
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Adding some extra kick is the system's modular Ultrabay concept. Years ago, you would see this occasionally on midsize and larger laptops, but today it's very rare. Where the optical drive would normally go, in right side of the system chassis, is instead a bay that can handle different optional components.
The Ultrabay accessory included in our review unit is a second GeForce GT650M graphics card -- a rarity indeed for a gaming laptop -- but you can also use the bay for an extra hard drive, an additional cooling fan, or an optical drive.
All that makes the Y500 powerful, flexible, and stylish. It's also well-made, looks sharp, and is quite reasonably priced (and a positive bargain, if the current sale prices hold). If it only had a touch screen for a frustration-free Windows 8 experience, this might be my favorite laptop of 2013 to date. As it is, the non-touch screen would be a deal-killer for me if I were reaching into my pocket to buy a new laptop.
| Price as reviewed / starting price | $1,299 / $849 |
| Processor | 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-3630QM |
| Memory | 16GB, 1,600MHz DDR3 |
| Hard drive | 1TB 5,400rpm, 16GB SSD |
| Chipset | Intel HM77 |
| Graphics | (2x) NVIDIA GeForce GT650M |
| Operating system | Windows 8 |
| Dimensions (WD) | 15.2x10.2 inches |
| Height | 0.6 inch - 1.4 inches |
| Screen size (diagonal) | 15.6 inches |
| System weight / Weight with AC adapter | 6.4 pounds / 8.1 pounds |
| Category | Midsize |
