Lenovo IdeaPad 320-15IKB Mid-Range 15.6″ Laptop with Intel Core i3/i5/i7 CPUs

The Lenovo IdeaPad 320-15IKB is a mid-range 15.6-inch notebook starting at $430. It features the 7th Generation Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, up to 12GB of RAM, up to 1 Terabyte hard drive or 256GB solid state drive storage, and a DVD optical drive. They are packed in a “Platinum Grey” chassis made of plastics, with a non-backlit keyboard and spacious trackpad in the center of it.

The display comes in two variants – with usual HD 1366-by-768 and with crispier Full HD 1920-by-1080 resolution. In both cases, technolgy behind the panel is TN. This means narrower viewing angles than on IPS-based screens. Touch-screen option is also missing. A good thing about the display is its anti-glare coating, as opposed to more common glossy finish.

Regarding performance, all of the available processor options ensure flawless work in usual home and office-related programs. Offered are the 7th Gen Intel Core i3-7100U, i5-7200U, and i7-7500U. Choosing the i5 and i7 chips increases the base price, but they provide more oomph to support some more intensive computing. To further increase speed, you can choose SSD storage over slower HDD. SSD will boost system responsiveness and loading / boot-up times. System memory starts at 4GB. That’s enough for moderate multitasking. If you plan to run many programs simultaneously, Lenovo offers you with 8GB or 12GB RAM options.

All three CPU options include the Intel HD 620 graphics, which is good only for basic gaming, as shown in this review.

Here’s a breakdown of differences between IdeaPad 320-15IKB configurations sold directly by Lenovo:

*Prices as of 08/11/2017.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 320-15IKB has stereo speakers and a webcam with low VGA quality on the Intel i3-based configuration and better HD quality on i5 and i7 systems. 802.11AC Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, two USB 3.0 ports and a USB-C compact type port, HDMI video output, combo microphone / headphones jack, and a 4-in-1 media card reader.

According to the manufacturer, the laptop provides a battery life of up to five hours. It’s worth noting that the Intel i7-based IdeaPad 320 has a slightly larger battery of 35 WHr, as opposed to standard 30 WHr.

The notebook weighs in at 4.8 pounds and comes with Windows 10 Home operating system.

Lenovo also sells the IdeaPad 320 series with less widely used AMD low-end and mid-range processors instead of Intel’s Core series.