Those are in quest of an affordable all-rounder laptop; they should look into Lenovo’s S540 series. Lenovo IdeaPad S540 is a budget-friendly multimedia laptop that offers a premium look and feel. Inside its sleek body, the IdeaPad S540 packs high-end hardware that can deliver heavy-duty performance. Reviewing this model for its performance was nothing but a treat for us.
Lenovo has launched the IdeaPad S540 in 13, 14, or 15-inch versions with varying specs. We tested the IdeaPad S540 – 81NE0024UK which is a 15.6-inch laptop. You have to look for “15IWL” label in case you want to buy this display size.
Let’s see what Lenovo IdeaPad S540 has to offer and what are its weaknesses and strengths. We have reviewed its design and build as well as display, keyboard and battery for functionality and performance.
Specs sheet
SKU: 81NE0024UK
Processor: Intel (Quad-Core) i7-8565U (8th Gen.) / 1.8GHz Max. Turbo Speed 4.6GHz
Storage: 1TB HDD
RAM: 8GB
Display: 15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) Resolution
Graphics: Intel UHD 620 Integrated
Battery: Up to 12 hours
Weight: around 4.18 lbs (1.9 kg)
Operating System: Windows 10 Home (64-bit)
Design
We reviewed the Lenovo IdeaPad S540 – 81NE0024UK model in mineral grey colour. It amazed us with its ultra-slim luxurious look and diamond-cut, anodized aluminium body. This specific model weighs around 4.18 lbs (1.9 kg) with a 19 mm thick profile. Corners are rounded throughout the body and give it a premium look.
Aluminium makes sure that its base can’t be wrapped, while the slim bezels inside the lid are made of plastic. Lenovo has placed the fan vent in the back instead of the sides.
Display
The IdeaPad S540 features matte IPS display along with a 15.6-inch widescreen. It offers a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 with a brightness of 300 nits. The screen brightness percentage is 88%, which is great for a laptop with such a price. The screen showed slow display response and we find it unsatisfactory for gaming.
However, the display is great if you want to stream videos or edit images. Thanks to Intel UHD 620 graphic card, you get magnificent visuals with bright colours.
Keyboard
Keys on the IdeaPad S540 are well-labelled and sufficiently large and the pressure point is reasonably comfortable. The noise development is curtailed and although the stroke is quiet, it is still noticeable. Lenovo has added a two-step keyboard illumination which is optional and helps you type in the dark surroundings. Up and Down arrow keys are reduced in size, almost by half which we find annoying.
The touchpad is appropriate for a laptop of this size and is about 4.1 x 2.8 inches in size. Lenovo has integrated the keys into the touchpad which you cannot press at the same time. The surface is relatively gliding, and we find the input to be accurate, even around the edges and corners.
Connectivity
Lenovo IdeaPad S540 features a full-sized SD card reader and three USB slots of which one is Type C. In addition, there is an audio jack port and an HDMI port. Sadly, it lacks Thunderbolt 3 or a LAN connection, which is kind of ungenerous. Absence of Type-C charging port is another issue that could break the hearts of many potential buyers.
Performance
Lenovo IdeaPad S540 – 81NE0024UK packs some solid components when it comes to specs. It is armed with an 8th generation Core i7 processor that runs on the Windows 10 Home PS. This is a quad-core processor that could deliver a basic clock speed of 1.8GHz with a maximum turbo speed of 4.6GHz.
In addition, there is an 8GB RAM to ensure smooth, high-speed performance. Then there is an enormous 1TB HDD storage, which is enough to store data for years. Practically, the IdeaPad S540 is an all-rounder laptop that could handle any task that you would throw towards it. There is an additional slot for a single RAM, and you could upgrade its memory up to 36GB.
Battery Life
The IdeaPad S540 comes with a built-in battery that is also the best part of this budget laptop. Lenovo claims that you would get up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge. Of course, it lasted less than 12 hours of WLAN test, but it is still a good battery. At reduced brightens, we get around 14 hours of video playback and more than 7 hours at maximum brightness.
Verdict
Lenovo IdeaPad S540 is an outstanding laptop with some serious specs and features. An elegant design, enormous storage, high-speed CPU and long-lasting battery are some main advantages. Of course, it has some demerits as well such as a noisy fan and average keyboard. Overall, the IdeaPad S540 offers the real value for money and performs well as an all-rounder multimedia laptop.
