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- Excellent performance
- Discrete graphics
- Can play most 3D games
- Powerful speakers
- Relatively short battery life
- Overly glossy display
Reviewers are absolutely floored by the performance of the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460, a 14-inch multimedia laptop sold at Lenovo.com. Performance is excellent for a laptop of this size and price, and experts say it is a great choice for those who want to stream video or play 3D games. Although it's not marketed as a gaming laptop, testers obtain very good frame rates on the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 -- even for demanding titles (although not at the highest resolutions). Loud speakers are another plus. The base model of the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 comes with a 2.26 GHz Intel Core i3-350M processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard drive and Intel graphics. However, most reviewers test upgraded configurations with a Core i5 processor and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 graphics (*Est. $950 and up). Battery life is decent when using integrated graphics, but it plummets to less than three hours when the discrete graphics chip is in use. A number of reviewers also complain about the overly glossy display, which kicks back a ton of glare. SlideNav, a touch-sensitive navigation bar for launching applications or locking and unlocking the display, is loved by some but panned by others. The HP Envy 14 (*Est. $1,000 and up) also gets high marks among mainstream laptops.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 attracts a ton of attention from professional reviewers. Nearly every major review site tests the laptop, with the best information coming from Laptop Magazine, ComputerShopper.com and PCMag.com. These sites all conduct thorough testing and publish benchmark results. There are also solid reviews at NoteBookReview.com, Wired, PC World and CNET.
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Our Sources
ComputerShopper.com gives the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 an Editors' Choice award. Performance is excellent, the speakers are better than most, and editors appreciate the sleek, textured design. However, the three-hour battery life is a disappointment.
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460, John R. Delaney, May 2010
2. Laptop MagazineDetails/Subscribe
The Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 scores a 3.5-star rating from Laptop Magazine. Performance is strong across the board, even for gaming, and the speakers provide excellent audio quality. However, Avram Piltch finds the keyboard a little too stiff. Battery life is another downside.
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460, Avram Piltch, May 17, 2010
Like most reviewers, PCMag.com has few complaints about the Lenovo's multimedia and gaming performance. "If not for anything else, get the Y460 for the components," Cisco Cheng writes. Battery life is short when the ATI discrete graphics card is enabled, but using Intel integrated graphics nets a few more hours.
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460, Cisco Cheng, May 21, 2010
NotebookReview.com gives the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 a 4-star rating (out of 5). Kevin O'Brien says the performance is "nothing short of amazing." Loud speakers and a comfortable keyboard are additional pluses.
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 Review, Kevin O'Brien, June 22, 2010
5. CNET
Dan Ackerman at CNET praises the Lenovo's overall performance, calling it "satisfyingly fast." The thin design also gets high marks. However, he thinks the SlideNav functionality is overrated and battery life is short.
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 0633, Dan Ackerman, May 26, 2010
The Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 earns a 4-star rating from PC World. Patrick Joynt reports excellent performance, even for 3D gaming, and he loves being able to switch between integrated and discrete graphics. However, he complains about the lack of a Blu-ray drive and says that the display is "cripplingly glossy."
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460, Patrick Joynt, June 22, 2010
The Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 gets a very high rating from Wired: 8 out of 10. Christopher Null raves about the laptop's performance, but he notes short battery life.
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460, Christopher Null, June 8, 2010
SlashGear.com doesn't rate the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460, but Chris Davies gives the laptop a positive review. The Lenovo flies through his performance tests and posts high marks for gaming and video editing.
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 Review, Chris Davies, June 15, 2010
9. About.com
Mark Kyrnin, the computer guide at About.com, gives the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 a 4-star rating. While he thinks it is a little expensive (the laptop has dropped in price since this review was written), the switchable graphics are a huge plus. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 14-Inch Thin and Light Laptop PC, Mark Kyrnin, June 18, 2010
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