Lenovo IdeaPad 520(-15IKB) 15 Mainstream 15.6″ Laptop with Intel Core i5/i7 CPUs, Optional Nvidia GPU

Check Price on Lenovo

Amazon Deals on Laptops

Compare Specs

The Lenovo IdeaPad 520 15 is a traditional mainstream 15.6″ Windows-based laptop. The IdeaPad 520 is one level above the cheaper 320 series. The former has IPS wide viewing angle display technology and a dedicated video card option as the main advantages.

Lenovo’s IdeaPad 520 15, also known as the 520-15IKB, has a Full HD (1920×1080-pixel) IPS non-touch display. The laptop has a full-size keyboard with a numeric pad, but any info on key backlight is missing on the manufacturer’s website. The machine ships with the 7th Generation Intel Core dual-core processors. At the time of this writing, it’s available wih the Core i5-7200U with basic Intel HD 620 integrated graphics and Core i7-7500U coupled with the Nvidia GeForce 940MX 4GB dedicated video card. Both choices enable completely smooth work on the routine computing tasks. They are helped by capacious 8GB and 12GB system memory options for comfortable multi-tasking. Choosing the i7 + 940MX configuration is a good move if you plan to use the IdeaPad 520 for gaming and some demanding tasks like making 3D animations or video production. Currently, the only data storage option is a common 1-Terabyte mechanical hard drive.

Here’s a specs comparison of the available IdeaPad 520 15 configurations – the 80YL00P7US and 80YL00P8US.

Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB CPU RAM Graphics Price*
80YL00P7US i5-7200U 8GB Intel HD 620 $649
80YL00P8US i7-7500U 12GB Nvidia 940MX $899

*Prices as of 08/11/2017 on Lenovo Store.

Lenovo IdeaPad 520(-15IKB) 80YL00P7US 80YL00P8US 2

The rest of the Lenovo IdeaPad 520 feature set includes a built-in DVD optical drive, stereo speakers, a 720p web camera, 802.11AC Wi-Fi wireless, Ethernet LAN port, Bluetooth, two standard-size USB 3.0 ports and a smaller USB-C port, HDMI video out connector, a combined audio jack for microphone / headphones, and a multi-format media card reader.

The official battery life estimation is up to 5 hours.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 520 15 weighs in at 4.8 pounds.

Lenovo IdeaPad 520 15 80YL00P7US 80YL00P8US

Lenovo 520 15 80YL00P7US 80YL00P8US 4

Specifications of the Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB

Here are the specs of the Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB with descriptions of its features. For comparison against other laptops, you can use the "Compare Specs" button.

Brand Lenovo
Laptop Type Standard non-convertible laptop

This laptop features a clamshell-only design, without ability to convert itself into a tablet.
Screen Size 15.6-inch

This is by far the most popular laptop screen size. It provides a lot of screen real estate, while avoiding bulkiness of the 17.3" laptops.
Screen Resolution 1920x1080 pixels Full HD

Full HD is the most common laptop screen resolution today. It provides a good image sharpness and a decent amount of space on the display for the user interface and programs. However, it isn't as good as the top-tier 4K Ultra HD.
Touchscreen No

This laptop doesn't support touchscreen input.
Other Display Specs IPS type

Displays based on IPS technology provide much wider viewing angles than the budget-class TN screens.

Anti-glare coating

Anti-glare coating reduces ambient light reflections, as opposed to the glare-type displays with more vivid colors.
Processor (CPU) Intel Core i5-7200U 7th Gen (enables smooth everyday computing)

Intel Core i7-7500U 7th Gen (older mid-range processor for home and office use)
Graphics (GPU) Intel HD 620 integrated graphics of 7th Gen Core i3, i5, i7 (for light gaming)

Nvidia GeForce GT 940MX 4GB dedicated video card (for light gaming, but with improved smoothness)
System Memory (RAM) Size 8GB RAM

The 8GB RAM size is the standard one in 2023. It provides comfortable multi-tasking for the most home and office users.

12GB RAM

12GB is greater than the recommended minimum of 8GB and enables very comfortable multitasking during everyday tasks. However, many games and professional software may require 16GB or more.
Data Storage 1000GB (1TB) HDD

1TB is an excellent storage capacity, but HDD is a slow type of storage.
DVD Optical Drive DVD writer
Keyboard & Input Non-backlit keyboard with dedicated number pad

The keyboard has a separate numeric pad on the right side of the keyboard, but it has no keyboard backlight.

Touchpad with click buttons built into the surface

The left and right click buttons are built into the surface of the touchpad, as opposed to separate physical buttons.
Speakers & Audio Stereo speakers

As usual, the device features a pair of built-in stereo speakers.

Combo microphone and headphones audio jack

This laptop has the ordinary 3.5mm combo audio jack that supports both headphone output and microphone input simultaneously.
Camera Front-facing web camera

Laptops usually feature a frontal webcam located on the display bezel. This laptop is no exception.
Wi-Fi Wireless 802.11AC

The 802.11AC is the previous-generation wireless networking standard. It's also known as Wi-Fi 5. 802.11AC is succeeded by 802.11AX Wi-Fi 6 with data transfer speed and multi-device connectivity improvements.
Ethernet Network Port Yes

This laptop has an Ethernet LAN port for wired internet and networking connectivity.
Mobile broadband (4G LTE) No
Bluetooth Yes

This laptop has a built-in Bluetooth module. It enables you to connect the computer to Bluetooth mice and other Bluetooth peripherals, smartphones, and other Bluetooth-equipped devices.
USB Ports 1 x USB-C

A compact type of USB port, commonly found in modern laptops and phones.

2 x USB 3.0

A pair of full-size USB ports.
Video Output Ports 1 x HDMI

HDMI is a widely used digital video output port. You can find HDMI-in ports on most computer monitors and TVs.
Media Card Reader SD card reader

The laptop has a slot for full-size SD memory cards, used in many digital cameras. You can also use microSD cards with a card adapter.
Battery 35 WHr capacity

"Up to 5 hours" of battery life

30 Whr
Weight 4.8 pounds
Height 0.9"
Width 14.9"
Depth 10.2"
Windows Version Windows 10 Home

Windows 10 Home is aimed at the regular home and office computer users. Only select business users need the Professional edition. Windows 10 Home users are eligible for a free upgrade to the latest Windows 11 Home.
Warranty 1-year

A typical laptop warranty.

Check Price on Lenovo

Amazon Deals on Laptops

Compare Specs

User Reviews and Q&A on the Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB

Below you can read and submit user reviews, questions, and answers about the laptop. Thank you for your contribution.

  1. Seyram Kwame Attah

    In addition to the 1TB mechanical hard disk, can I add an additional 520Gb SSD drive to this laptop.

    Thank you

    • Danijel Z

      Hi, you should check in the specifications of your particular IdeaPad 520 model whether the notebook has an M.2 SSD slot in which you can insert an M.2 SSD drive. According to this specs sheet of the laptop, only “some” IdeaPad 520 models do have M.2 slot:
      http://psref.lenovo.com/Product/Lenovo_Laptops/ideapad_520_15

×

Related laptops