Lenovo IdeaPad S540 Mini-Review Back

Photos: 7
Photo source: Lenovo
A fantastic laptop that combines great build quality, above average display and fantastic performance in a tiny package.

Written: 05 June 2020, Updated: 10 April 2021

  • 100% sRGB coverage
  • 19:10 aspect ratio.
  • Fantastic performance
  • Great build quality
  • Display is very glossy

Specifications

General
Manufacturer Lenovo
Name IdeaPad S540
Type Clamshell
Operating System(s) Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro
Color(s) Ice blue; light silver; iron grey; frost white
Size & Weight
Weight 2.76lbs, 1.25kg
Width 11.69", 296.9mm
Depth 8.21", 208.5mm
Thickness 0.63", 15.95mm
Performance
Gaming Score 37
Processor(s) AMD Ryzen 5 4600U
AMD Ryzen 7 4800U
Graphics AMD Vega 6
AMD Vega 8
Storage (GB) 512
Battery
Mobility Score 71
Capacity (Wh) 56
Idle (hours) 17:48
Wifi (hours) 11:00
Video (hours) 13:20
Load (hours) 1:15
Average Runtime 9:15
Memory (RAM)
Size (GB) 8, 16
Type DDR4
Frequency (Mhz) 3200MHZ
Display
Resolution 2560x1600
Size 13.3"
Type IPS
Aspect Ratio 16:10
Brightness (nits) 315
Glare Glossy
Refresh Rate 60
Touch No
Stylus No
Ports
USB-C 2
USB 3 1
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Case, design, and build quality

Lenovo used a sturdy aluminum case for the S540, so there is virtually no flex when handling it. Thanks to the 19:10 aspect ratio of the display, the usually fairly large bottom bezel has been replaced by the taller display. So you get more screen real estate in a laptop that is the same size as competing models with 19:9 aspect ratios.

Ports

Left: 2x USB-C

Right: Power button, 3.5mm audio jack, USB-A 3.1

The port selection is fairly standard for this class of notebook. The USB-A port is a nice addition, but it would have been good if Lenovo had put one USB-C port on the left and one on the right, so the charging cable could be plugged in from any side.

Display

  • Size: 13.3
  • Type: IPS
  • Resolution: 2560x1600
  • Aspect ratio: 19:10
  • Brightness (nits): 315
The display stands out among competing AMD laptops for not having any glaring weaknesses: The brightness at 300nit, while not amazing, is at least usable in a bright indoor environment. But the biggest surprise is the 2560x1600 pixel resolution with a 19:10 aspect ratio, which is pretty rare. Additionally, the panel covers 100% sRGB.

ZenlaptopsVerdict

Although the IdeaPad is supposed to be Lenovo's budget line, the AMD version of the S540 is an amazing package. The great display is a very positive surprise.