Lenovo IdeaPad P500 – 59345704

UPDATE: A newer SKU, the P500 – 59372845 delivers the same specs for a lower price of $500. Go for it instead of the this 59345704 model.

The Lenovo IdeaPad P500 – 59345704 15.6-incher doesn’t belong to a completely new laptop series. It’s actually a model from the Z500-series, which is for some reason rebranded for Best Buy. The P500 / Z500 is a standard laptop with full-blown Intel’s standard voltage Core i chips, but with a sleek ultrabook-like chassis measuring 1-inch thin in profile. The system is built upon the 3rd Generation Intel Core i5-3210M dual-core CPU with the HD 4000 integrated graphics.

The P500 – 59345704 configuration has 6GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive. Lenovo has also squeezed in a DVD burner into this thin laptop. All of these components are encased in an aluminum base of the notebook with chiclet AccuType ergonomic keyboard, whereas the lid has a soft-touch finish. The base is silver, while the back is dark gray.

Rounding up this fully-equipped laptop, there are also a 720p webcam, stereo speakers, three USB ports, Bluetooth, and HDMI out. As an extra feature, Lenovo has included Intel Wireless Display technology for video streaming onto external displays without wires involved.

There is no official info on battery life, but it could be the main drawback of this notebook, since it has a 4-cell battery and standard voltage CPU.

The P500 – 59345704 costs $560, which is a bargain price if you consider the premium design, the latest i5 chip, and above average amounts of RAM and HDD storage.

Lenovo IdeaPad P500 – 59345704 Specifications

• Display: 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution, glossy coating
• Processor: 3rd Generation (Ivy Bridge) Intel Core i5-3210M dual-core, 2.5-to-3.1GHz clock rate, 3MB L3 cache
• Graphics: Intel HD 4000 graphics
• Memory: 6GB DDR3 memory, expandable to 8GB
• Storage: 750GB HDD (5400 rpm)
• Optical drive: DVD burner
• Webcam: 720p webcam
• Audio: stereo speakers
• Network: 802.11n wireless, Gigabit Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth, Intel Wi-Di (Wireless Display)
• Input: Chiclet-style keyboard with numeric-pad, multi-touch seamless touchpad
• Ports and Slots: 1 x USB 3.0 port, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, 1 x HDMI, 1 x VGA, multi-in-1 media reader
• Battery: 4-cell Lithium-Ion battery
• Dimensions: 1″ x 14.8″ x 10.4″
• Weight: 4.9 pounds
• OS: Windows 8
• Warranty: 1-year