Lenovo Y700 Overview
The Y700 is not an overly-large laptop, but it is not an Ultrabook either. I feel that it is the perfect size as it is not as large or heavy as larger desktop replacement laptops, but again not as thin or light as an Ultrabook. The official dimensions are 15.23″ x 10.90″ x 1.02″ and it weighs in at just about 5.7 lbs. Lenovo has gone with a very nice brushed aluminum lid that has the Lenovo logo in the top corner.
Looking at connectivity you starting on the left side you have your power connection, USB port, SD card reader, and a combination 3.5mm audio connection.
On the opposite side we have two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI out, Ethernet, and a Kensington lock port.
There are no ports on the backside of the Y700. Here we can see that the display uses a single-hinge design. This design is quite strong and I did not notice any movement, even during intense gaming sessions. You can also see the two speakers, which are accented in red. These are 2W JBL speakers.
Opening up the Y500 reveals the 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) touch display. The screen uses a semi-glossy panel so outdoor visibility will be limited. Glare is something you are going to experience on all glossy displays, luckily we have some good viewing angles so we can easily adjust the display to cut down on the glare. At the top of the screen is a 720p webcam that you can use for casting and Skype calls.
Moving down to the keyboard you can see we have a full keyboard layout that offers a full compliment of keys and a number pad. There are also dedicated arrow keys that many gamers will appreciate. There are no macro keys and Lenovo does not provide any software for programming the keyboard.
The keyboard has red backlighting which goes with the gaming theme Lenovo has with their gaming products. The backlighting has two different levels and can be completely turned off if you wish. Typing on the keyboard is very comfortable, although for gaming it would have been nice to have a deeper travel length on the keys. At the top right you can see the power button, which happens to be the only button on this laptop.
Moving to the touchpad, it has a nice size to it (10.6 x 7 cm). It sits slightly off center to the left on the unit. The surface is made of matte plastic, which has a good feel and allows for a smooth glide. If you are typing the touchpad automatically disables itself to prevent accidental movement. The left and right mouse buttons are built into the touchpad at the bottom. The area around the keyboard and touchpad are rubberized for a comfortable feel.
Flipping the unit over we can see three rubber feet that will keep the Y700 in place even during the most intense gaming sessions. You will also notice a third speaker here, which is a 3W subwoofer. The Y700 features Dolby Home Theater technology.
