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While looking for a gift for a loved one, you may have chanced upon the Lenovo IdeaPad Y530 and thought whether he or she would like it. If the Lenovo IdeaPad Y530 is on your shortlist, then you’re in luck since we’ll be discussing its various features and capabilities in this review.

Actually, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y530 is a popular choice because it’s not too expensive and it’s a good product too. But wait, you might want to comment that Lenovo laptops are pricey? Well Lenovo has been doing some pretty interesting things lately.

For less than $1,000, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Y530 gives you a multimedia laptop that has these features: a frameless display, touch-sensitive media controls and surround speakers and subwoofer.

Let’s start with its design. The Y530, like most ThinkPad laptops, has an all-black shell. Closer examination reveals that its surface actually has a pattern that works not just for style but also for easier handling. The overall look is clean and consistent. Some people might have a problem with its media buttons that are colored orange. Still, we think that it works well with the black look. Compared to others in the market, it is a bit thicker but carrying it in a backpack is actually not as uncomfortable as one might expect.

Turning the laptop over, you can see what makes the Y530 great. The bottom part gives you easy access if ever you want to upgrade some parts. You can see the wireless card, processor, RAM and even hard drive. However, I was concerned that there didn’t seem to be any security stickers.

As mentioned earlier, the Y530 has a frameless screen. Its display though has some problems. There are angles that the colors are accurate but moving it a bit can distort everything. There are even times that it seems as if the screen simply fades out. Glare is another problem when it comes to display. Even with minimal lighting, you could see the reflection of your face from the screen. A distraction especially when you’re working to finish something. Another downside is observed when you’re watching your favorite DVD movie. With the glare and viewing angle problems, DVD playback is added. Its 1280 x 800 resolution doesn’t have the 16:9 aspect ratio for that enjoyable movie experience.

In terms of performance, the Y530 lags behind since other notebooks offer better graphics card. If you’re just using to browse the net or type documents, it performs very well. The Y530 however doesn’t do that well when it comes to gaming. The really good thing about the IdeaPad Y530 is that you do get quality sound. It has four speakers and includes an integrated Dolby Home Theater audio system.The documentation that comes with the IdeaPad Y530 is surprising. It makes the laptop very user friendly. The software bundle though is rather depressing. Aside from Windows, all you get is the CyberLink software. Overall, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y530 may feel as if they put out some features to lower the price. But if you’re just using it for everyday work, or in the case of your children, for academic purposes, then the Y530 is a good choice.