Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 (GTX 1050) Review? The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 stands out in the crowded market of budget-friendly gaming laptops. With a focus on delivering solid performance without breaking the bank, the L340-17 is designed to offer gamers a reliable entry point into the world of gaming laptops. Equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card, this model aims to balance performance and affordability. This comprehensive review will delve into the various aspects of the Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17, including its design, display, performance, battery life, and overall value.
Design and Build Quality
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 boasts a sleek, minimalist design that is both stylish and functional. Its matte black finish with subtle blue accents gives it a modern and professional look. The laptop’s chassis is made of plastic, which helps keep the cost down, but it still feels sturdy and well-built. The 17.3-inch display size is one of its standout features, providing ample screen real estate for immersive gaming experiences and multitasking.
The build quality is robust, with the laptop feeling solid even under pressure. The hinge mechanism is smooth and allows for easy opening and closing. However, it is worth noting that the laptop’s plastic construction may not offer the same premium feel as higher-end models made of metal.
Display
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 features a 17.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS display. This large screen size enhances the gaming experience by offering more screen space and a more immersive view of your games and media. The IPS panel ensures accurate color reproduction and wide viewing angles, making it a good choice for media consumption and creative work.
While the display is bright enough for indoor use, it may struggle under direct sunlight or bright environments. The color accuracy is decent, though not as high as some of the more premium models in Lenovo’s lineup. For casual gamers and everyday users, the display will suffice, but professional gamers and content creators might find it lacking compared to higher-end displays.
Performance
At the heart of the Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card. This entry-level gaming GPU offers solid performance for most modern games at medium settings. It is capable of handling titles such as Fortnite, Overwatch, and PUBG with decent frame rates. For more demanding games, you might need to adjust the settings to achieve optimal performance.
The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i5-9300H processor, which is a quad-core CPU with a base clock speed of 2.4 GHz and a turbo boost frequency of up to 4.1 GHz. This processor is well-suited for gaming and multitasking, offering a smooth performance in most scenarios. The combination of the GTX 1050 and the Core i5-9300H ensures that the laptop can handle everyday tasks and gaming without significant slowdowns.
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 comes with 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, which is sufficient for gaming and multitasking. However, the laptop has an additional slot for upgrading the RAM if you need more memory for demanding applications or future-proofing your system.
For storage, the laptop includes a 1 TB HDD, which provides ample space for games, files, and media. While the HDD offers plenty of storage capacity, it is slower compared to an SSD. This means that boot times and load times for applications and games might be slower than on systems with SSDs. Some users might consider upgrading to an SSD for improved performance.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 features a full-sized keyboard with a numeric keypad, which is useful for gamers and users who frequently work with numbers. The keys are well-spaced and offer a comfortable typing experience with a good amount of travel. The keyboard also has blue backlighting, which adds a nice touch to the overall aesthetics of the laptop and is helpful for typing in low-light environments.
The touchpad is responsive and supports multi-touch gestures, making it easy to navigate through the operating system and applications. However, it is slightly smaller compared to some other laptops, which might be a minor inconvenience for users who rely heavily on touchpad input.
Battery Life
Battery life is a crucial consideration for many laptop users, and the Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 delivers a mixed performance in this area. With a 45 WHr battery, the laptop provides around 4 to 5 hours of battery life during typical usage, such as web browsing, document editing, and streaming. When gaming or performing intensive tasks, the battery life drops significantly, often lasting less than 2 hours.
While the battery life is adequate for a laptop of this price range, it is not exceptional. Gamers and users who require extended unplugged usage might need to keep the power adapter handy.
Connectivity and Ports
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 offers a decent range of connectivity options and ports. On the left side of the laptop, you will find a USB 3.1 Type-C port, two USB 3.1 Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. The right side features a USB 2.0 port, an SD card reader, and the power input.
The inclusion of a USB Type-C port is a positive feature, as it provides faster data transfer speeds and future-proofing. The HDMI 2.0 port allows for easy connection to external monitors or TVs, making it convenient for presentations or media playback. The SD card reader is a handy addition for photographers and videographers who need to quickly transfer files.
Audio Quality
The audio quality of the Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 is acceptable for a budget gaming laptop. The built-in speakers are located on the bottom of the laptop, which can sometimes lead to muffled sound. However, the audio output is clear and loud enough for most casual listening and gaming scenarios.
For a better audio experience, using external speakers or headphones is recommended. The laptop’s headphone jack provides good sound quality, and it supports various types of headphones for a more immersive audio experience.
Thermal Management
Thermal management is an important aspect of gaming laptops, and the Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 handles heat reasonably well. The laptop features a dual-fan cooling system that helps keep temperatures in check during gaming and intensive tasks. While the fans can get noisy under load, they are effective at preventing thermal throttling and maintaining stable performance.
During extended gaming sessions, the laptop may become warm, particularly around the keyboard area. However, it does not become uncomfortably hot, and the cooling system does a good job of managing heat.
Software and Operating System
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 comes with Windows 10 Home pre-installed, which provides a familiar and user-friendly operating system. Lenovo also includes some of its own software and utilities, such as Lenovo Vantage, which allows users to customize settings, update drivers, and optimize performance.
While the pre-installed software is generally useful, there is some bloatware that might not be necessary for all users. However, most of it can be easily uninstalled if desired.
Price and Value
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 is positioned as a budget-friendly gaming laptop, and it offers good value for its price. With its GTX 1050 graphics card, Core i5-9300H processor, and large display, the laptop provides a solid gaming experience without a high price tag. It is well-suited for casual gamers and users who need a reliable machine for everyday tasks.
While the laptop’s performance may not match that of higher-end models, it delivers respectable results given its price point. The ability to upgrade RAM and the inclusion of a large HDD provide additional value and flexibility.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Affordable price point for a gaming laptop.
- Large 17.3-inch Full HD display with good color accuracy.
- Solid performance with GTX 1050 and Core i5-9300H.
- Decent range of connectivity options.
- Comfortable keyboard with backlighting.
Cons:
- Plastic build feels less premium.
- Battery life could be better.
- Display may struggle in bright environments.
- HDD storage is slower compared to SSDs.
Conclusion
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 (GTX 1050) offers a compelling option for budget-conscious gamers and users looking for a reliable laptop with decent gaming performance. Its combination of a large display, solid performance, and affordable price makes it a worthwhile consideration for those entering the gaming laptop market. While it has some limitations, such as battery life and the plastic build, it provides good value for its price range.
Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad L340-17 is a solid choice for casual gamers and everyday users who need a large-screen laptop that delivers reasonable gaming performance without a hefty price tag. If you are looking for a budget-friendly gaming laptop that balances performance and value, the IdeaPad L340-17 is worth considering.