Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST: At First Glance
Low-budget mainstream laptops have been the demand by those who cannot afford more expensive laptops. In other to meet these demands, Lenovo released the 15.6-inch Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST in 2018.
As a laptop that is meant for budget shoppers, the Lenovo Ideapad 130 15AST had to make do with some inexpensive specifications. That was Lenovo’s way of cutting down on costs.
Despite the compromises, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST is still a decent choice for users who are on a budget.
That said, if you are curious about the specifications and performance of this laptop, proceed to the subsequent sections of this review to find out.
Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST: Design, Dimension, and Weight
When it comes to design, the Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST is exactly what you would expect from a low-budget laptop. This is because the entire chassis of the laptop is made of plastic.
However, the plastic material feels smooth to touch, and it does not register fingerprints. For color options, the Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST is available in black and dark gray, which are very modest colors.
On the laptop’s lid, the only thing you will find is a ‘Lenovo” branding written at the top left corner. However, when you open the lid, you will see more things that will catch your attention.
The first thing you will see is the 15.6-inch display with slim bezels by the sides but thick bezels by the top and bottom. Again, you will find a “Lenovo” branding at the left corner of the lower bezel, very close to its edge.
Meanwhile, on the top bezel, you will find a 720p HD resolution camera at its center. This camera is suitable for casual video chats with family and friends.
Now let’s talk about the display resolution.
The Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST is available in two display resolution options. The first option has an HD (1366 x 768) resolution, while the second has an FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution.
As you might already know, the FHD (1920 x 1080) display resolution offers better picture quality than the HD resolution option.
However, the FHD (1920 x 1080) display option comes at a higher price tag than the HD (1366 x 768) display option. Also, the FHD display option will consume more power than the HD display option.
In addition to its resolutions, the laptop’s display also employs an anti-glare technology for reflection handling. For simplicity, anti-glare displays are matte; hence, they do not reflect when hit by light.
Thus, you will be able to use this laptop in bright environments like outdoors or on seats near open windows without worrying about screen reflection.
Now let us talk about display brightness. In that regard, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST has a mediocre peak brightness of 200 nits.
The brightness value is not impressive, but I am not very disappointed because this is a low-budget laptop, and Lenovo was really trying to cut costs. Due to the 200 nits maximum brightness of this laptop, it will be difficult to see the display clearly when working under direct sunlight.
However, the display will be bright enough when working in dark environments.
Another disappointing thing about the display is that it does not have an IPS panel. Hence, the viewing angles of the display are not impressive.
This implies that when you view the display from acute angles, you might experience a reduction in the quality of display content.
Now that we have discussed the display of this laptop, let us proceed to the hinge which holds it down to the keyboard. Impressively, the laptop has a long solid hinge that doesn’t squeak when opening or closing the lid.
Also, thanks to the flexible but firm hinge, you can open the lid up to 180 degrees. Hence, you can bend the lid until it lies flat on a surface.
That said, when you shift your gaze down from the hinge, you will find an island-style keyboard. The keyboard area is very broad, and the keys are decently spaced.
However, the keyboard is not backlit which means that when typing at night, you will need an external source of light to see the keys clearly.
I was expecting to see the power button at the top of the keyboard; however, it is not there. Instead, it is located at the right end of the keyboard, next to the forward key.
I find this position a bit awkward, as users who are not used to it might constantly press the power button when typing.
Since it is incomplete to talk about a laptop’s keyboard without talking about its touchpad, let us do that right away. The touchpad is located at the left corner of the palm rest.
Again, I find this position a bit awkward as users will have to position their hands towards the left to use the touchpad. Moreover, most people are already so comfortable with the usual center positioning of a touchpad.
To worsen the situation, the touchpad has integrated buttons that do not register clicks quickly.
Let me proceed to talk about the audio quality of the Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST. To start with, the laptop features two 1.5 W Dolby Audio stereo speakers that produce weak sound.
Due to the weak sound quality of the speakers, you will be better off connecting a headphone when watching movies.
Now, let us move on to the port selection of this laptop. As a budget-class laptop, the IdeaPad130 15AST does not have many ports.
Specifically, the laptop only comes with two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, one HDMI port, and one RJ-45 (Ethernet) port. Also, it has one Headphone/microphone combo jack, but it does not feature a Thunderbolt port.
For wireless connectivity, the laptop uses Bluetooth version 4.1 and 802.11ac, 1 x 1 wireless LAN.
Now that I have said all that, let us finally look at the weight and dimensions of the IdeaPad 130 15AST. Impressively, the laptop weighs only 2100 g which makes it lightweight even as a 15-inch laptop.
For its dimension, the IdeaPad 130 15AST measures 375.6 x 253.4 x 22.7 mm (W x D x H). In comparison with the 15-inch ASUS ROG GL502VM, the IdeaPad 130 15AST is lighter and smaller.
Specifically, the ASUS ROG GL502VM weighs 2240 g and has a dimension of 390 x 266 x 23.50 mm (W x D x H).
In conclusion, the design of the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST does not hide the fact that it is a budget laptop. However, it is lighter than a competing 15-inch that I checked it against.
Considering all that, I will rate it seven in this design review section.
Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST: Processor (CPU) Performance
In the aspect of processor, the Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST comes with an AMD A9-9425. The AMD A9-9425 is a dual-core processor, which means that it has two processor cores.
Not only that, but the processor’s base and boost frequencies are 3.10 GHz and 3.70 GHz, respectively. In addition to that, the processor has 1 MB of cache memory.
Basically, the AMD A9-9425 processor is not a high-end processor; instead, it is an affordable substitute for Intel processors. Hence, the processor is only suitable for daily computing tasks like surfing the web, streaming videos, and working with office apps.
To further discuss this laptop’s processing ability, I will share its result in a Cinebench R15 benchmark test. Cinebench R15 is a benchmark test tool that evaluates the performance of a computer’s processor.
The Cinebench R15 benchmark evaluates both the single-core and multi-core processing ability of a processor. For clarity, single-core refers to the processing of tasks using one processor core.
Meanwhile, multi-core refers to the processing of tasks using all the processor scores. In the single-core and multi-core tests of the Cinebench R15, a higher score denotes better performance.
From the test, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST scored 195 points in the single-core test. Meanwhile, it scored 284 points on the multi-core test.
In comparison with the ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 TP412UA-EC969T, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST performed better. Specifically, the ASUS Vivobook Flip 14 scored 138 points in the single-core test and 278 points in the multi-core test.
In conclusion, the AMD A9-9425 processor of the Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST is only suitable for performing light computing tasks. Hence, I will be rating it six out of ten in this review section.
Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST: Memory (RAM) Performance
The Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST provides just one DDR4 slot with a memory size of 8 GB. Meanwhile, 8 GB is the maximum RAM supported by this laptop.
So, it cannot be further upgraded.
However, with 8 GB RAM, this laptop has solid multitasking prowess. Speaking of multitasking, you can have 15 browser tabs and applications open all at once.
Additionally, switching between these many tabs and apps will also be swift.
Having highlighted the multitasking ability of this laptop, let’s consider its performance in the PCMark 8 test. Basically, PCMark 8 is a benchmark tool that estimates a laptop’s memory performance.
Just like the Cinebench R15 benchmark earlier discussed, higher scores also represent better performance in the PCMark test.
Based on the PCMark 8 test result, the Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST scored 4001 points. Comparatively, the ASUS ROG GL502VM scored higher with 4741 points.
Notwithstanding, the Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST is a good multitasker for basic computing tasks. Therefore, I will be rating the laptop eight out of ten in this memory review section.
Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST: Storage Options and Performance
The IdeaPad 130 15AST offers two storage options. These two storage options are SATA 3 HDD and SATA SSD storage types.
The SSD storage type supports a maximum capacity of 128 GB. Meanwhile, the SATA HDD memory type supports a maximum storage capacity of 1 TB.
Popularly, SSDs are known to offer faster storage speed, while HDDs offer larger storage space. Hence, if you prefer more space than fast storage speed, then the SATA HDD storage is the better option for you.
However, if you prefer a faster storage speed than a large space, then the SSD storage option is the better option for you.
Additionally, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST has a 4-in-1 card reader (MMC/SD /SDHC /SDXC) card reader for memory expansion.
Now let me highlight the performance of this laptop with a 128 GB SATA SSD in a CrystalDiskMark benchmark test. For a better understanding, CrystalDiskMark is a test tool that measures the speed of a computer’s storage.
It achieves this by measuring the write and read speeds of the laptop’s storage. Just to be clear, read speed is the time it takes for a laptop to open a file.
Meanwhile, write speed is the time taken for a laptop’s storage to save a file. Just like every other benchmark test discussed in this review, a higher score in the CrystalDiskMark test denotes better performance.
From the test, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST had a write speed of 112.5 MBps. Also, it had a read speed of 801.0 MBps.
Compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST, the Dell Inspiron 17 7000 had a sequential read speed of 816.4 MBps. It also has a sequential write speed of 127.3 MBps.
An interpretation of the test comparison is that the Dell Inspiron 17 7000 will open and save files faster than the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST.
After considering the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST’s storage performance, I rate it seven in this storage review section.
Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST: Graphics Card Performance
Similar to the display and storage, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST offers two graphics options. These graphics options include integrated AMD Radeon R5 graphics and dedicated AMD Radeon 530 graphics.
In case you don’t know, an integrated graphics card is one that is in-built into the processor. These types of GPUs do not have dedicated video RAM, unlike dedicated GPUs.
For clarity, video RAM is a temporarily used memory that stores frequently used graphics data, thereby boosting the graphics performance of a GPU.
To compensate for their lack of video RAM, integrated GPUs will share the computer’s memory with the processor. Therefore, the AMD Radeon R5 graphics card will share the 8 GB RAM we talked about in the memory section with the CPU to execute graphics tasks.
Hence, due to the lack of video RAM, integrated GPUs are not as powerful as dedicated GPUs. As a result of that, they are not suitable for performing intensive graphics tasks.
On the other hand, dedicated GPUs are called so because they have dedicated video RAM. Hence, they are more powerful and capable of handling more intense graphics.
Still, some dedicated GPUs are more powerful than others.
Back to the graphics options of the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST, the AMD Radeon R5 graphics card has a speed of 900 MHz. Meanwhile, the AMD Radeon 530 graphics card has a 730 MHz base frequency and 1024 MHz boost frequency.
In addition to its base and boost frequencies, the AMD Radeon 530 graphics card also has a 2 GB DDR3 dedicated VRAM.
Let us now consider the performance of the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST with an AMD Radeon 530 graphics card. To do that, we will use a 3DMark benchmark test.
Before we jump into that, you should know that 3DMark is a means of testing the graphics rendering proficiency of a computer.
Like previously mentioned benchmark tests, a higher score also means better performance in this test. Based on the 3DMark 11 results, the IdeaPad 130 15AST scored 1496 points.
Compared with the Acer Aspire 3 A315-21-651Y, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST performed better. Specifically, Acer Aspire 3 scored 992 points on the same test.
However, the Acer Aspire 3 uses AMD Radeon R4 graphics.
For gaming, the AMD Radeon 530 graphics card of the Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST was not powerful enough to play modern games in high settings. However, it delivered 45 fps when it played Dirt Rally 2.0 at 1080p resolution and low settings.
From the results, the most powerful graphics configuration of the Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST is good for playing most games. However, you might need to play modern games at low settings.
Therefore, the laptop deserves seven in this graphics review section.
Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST: Battery Life and Performance
The Lenovo IdeaPad 130 15AST is powered by a 2-cell 30 Wh, Lithium-Polymer battery. Lenovo advertised the battery with a battery life of five hours which is not bad for a low-budget laptop.
However, we know that a laptop’s battery life depends on the mode of usage. Therefore, we will consider a few battery tests showing different usage scenarios and how long the battery lasted.
In the first battery test, where the laptop was kept idle with minimum brightness, it lasted for 5 hours. Also, in another test that involved web surfing, the laptop lasted 3 hours and 13 minutes.
In comparison, the ASUS ROG GL502VM also lasted 5 hours 15 minutes on idle and 3 hours 40 minutes in a web surfing test.
Although the battery life of the Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST is not very impressive, it was not too different from what the competitor delivered.
Hence, I have decided to rate it a six in this section of the review.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST does not come with a facial recognition camera. It only comes with an HD webcam that is sufficient for casual video chats.
Lenovo advertised the 2-cell 30 Whr battery to last for five hours. In a test where the laptop was left idle, the battery life was in line with Lenovo’s claim as it lasted 5 hours and 15 minutes.
However, you can expect the battery to deliver a lesser battery life when you perform more intensive tasks. For instance, the battery life dropped to 3 hours during a web surfing test.
No. The Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST does not come with a fingerprint reader.
The Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST has a dedicated AMD Radeon 530 graphics card option that allows you to play light games. You can also play modern heavyweight games but then you will have to do that on low settings.
The Lenovo IdeaPad130 15AST was released in 2018.
Conclusion
The Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST is a good low-budget laptop with a plastic build like many other budget laptops. It has an HD webcam that is suitable for making video calls with friends and family.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST’s memory and graphics are also quite satisfactory.
However, in other to cut down on costs, Lenovo has opted for a less expensive processor and graphics. Also, the battery performance of the Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST is not outstanding, so you will have to stay close to a power source.
Nonetheless, if all you need is a laptop for everyday computing, the Lenovo IdeaPad 130-15AST is a viable option.
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