The Lenovo G550 laptops is a are mostly intended for business usage, although one member of the family is also capable of functions that are intended for gaming, which requires more powerful features. In any case, being a family, all the members of this Lenovo G550 review share some common features .
One such feature is the processor. Two members of the G550 family are equipped with Intel Core 2 Duo processors, each running at an average speed clocked at 2.2 GHz. The other G550 has a duo core CPU running at 2.3 GHz. In any case, these speeds are all good enough for multi-tasking. Being mostly laptops designed for business and everyday usage, multi-tasking is very important so users can finish their tasks quickly and efficiently. All of them also have fat memory spaces. They feature 2-3GB of RAM.
The Lenovo G550 laptops come in one size: 15-inch. All LCD screens for the G550 laptops are wide screen, and all of them have the native resolution of 1366×768. this resolution is very favorable toward multi-tasking, especially when one needs to open and look at one or more windows simultaneously. They can do so by stacking window after window beside each other for quick reference while working. Regardless of sizes, however, all LCD displays in the G550 family are back lit by light-emitting diodes.
Majority of the Lenovo G 550 laptops are weak when it comes to the graphics part. Two models are given only integrated graphics media accelerators from Intel. However, one unit stands out – the Lenovo G550 - Core 2 Duo/Nvidia 512MB – because it has a dedicated graphics card with 512 megabytes to spare for graphics processing: the Nvidia GeForce G 210M. Of all the Lenovo G550 laptops, this model alone is able to function both for normal computing as well as for heavy graphics processing. Other members of the family are limited to basic computing purposes like word processing as well as some light gaming in the side.
Hard disk capacity also varies for the members of the G550 family of laptops. The core 2 duo laptops have 320 gigabytes of hard disk available for its users, but the duo core G550 has a 250 GB.
Let us now review the individual G550 laptops from Lenovo.
Lenovo G550 – Duo Core
The Lenovo G550 – 2958R6U is powered by a 2.10 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the Lenovo G550 – 2958R6U also has 2 gigabytes of RAM making it the least powerful of the family in terms of RAM and processing power.
| SPECS | |
| Processor | Intel® Pentium® Processor T4500 (2.3GHz 800MHz 1MB ) |
| OS | Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 32 |
| Display | 15.6 ” WXGA LED Backlight TFT 1366×768 |
| Graphics | Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 |
| Memory | 2 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz |
| Hard drive | 250GB 5400 |
| Optical Drive | DVD Recordable (Dual Layer) |
PROS
The G550-29586U has a powerful processor on its side, though it has less processing power than its siblings at only 2.3GHz. It also has lower RAM and hard drive capacities. The differences are only minuscule, however.
The laptop also has a decently sized screen at 15.6 inches.
CONS
A common feature among majority of the G550 laptops, the Lenovo G550-29586U is unable to go beyond normal graphics processing with its Intel GMA X4500 graphics card.
Lenovo G550 - Core 2 Duo
One of a line of business laptops published under the Lenovo Essential family, the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU has a promising set of features designed solely for the busy entrepreneur and perhaps students who are always rushing to meet deadlines with reports and other literature required for their curriculum.
To ensure seamless operation and processing, Lenovo has equipped the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU with a powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processor clocked at a speed of 2.2 GHz. Powerful as it is, it would need a lot of memory in order to efficiently handle a lot of tasks. To address that, the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU is armed with a fat memory bank. You get an initial RAM of 2 gigabytes with your purchase, but you have the option to upgrade it to 4 gigabytes at most. The memory bank is a DDR3 RAM, the newest on the line.
The Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU has a 15.6 inches LCD screen. This size is more than adequate for the average user. Plus, the screen has a native resolution of 1366×768. The screen is glossy, but it also has a backlight provided by light-emitting diodes so glare from having a light source behind the user (i.e. sunlight) is not a problem when using the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU. The LCD display also has a native 16:9 aspect ratio, eliminating black lines when viewing DVD movies and movie files on the computer.
For any computer user, adequate hard disk space is always a prime concern. But with the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU, you can have as much space as you need for your important files as well as some other things that you might want to store like music, movies, games, and other files. The Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU has 160 gigabytes of hard disk space.
As for graphics, the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU only has an integrated Intel GMA 4500 MHD to process it. This means that it is unable to do hardcore graphics processing. However, it does not need to as it is designed solely as a business laptop and not a gaming platform.
The Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU also falls a bit short in terms of battery life. While long enough to access the Internet sporadically during a trip, 3.8 hours of battery life is still a bit short compared to its other sibling, the Lenovo G450 – 2949CHU which can last up to 5 hours off the power socket.
CNet estimates the price for the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU to be from $649 to $789.
| SPECS | |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile 2.2 GHz |
| Memory | Up to 4 gigabytes |
| Display | 15.6 inches 1366×768 |
| Graphics | Intel GMA 4500 MHD |
| Hard drive | 160 gigabytes |
| Battery Life | 3.8 hours |
PROS
Like its siblings, the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU sports a powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processor running at almost the same speeds: an average of 2 Gigahertz. Coupled with a fat RAM space, users have at their disposal a very useful laptop that will help them get their job done quickly.
The Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU is also one of the thinnest laptops in the market. Its height is pegged at 1.43 inches only.
CONS
Like almost all business-oriented laptops in the market, the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU suffers from a lack of powerful graphics adapter. With its Intel 4500 MHD graphics media accelerator, the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU is unable to provide a platform suitable for gaming.
The Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU is also a bit on the heavy side, with a weight of 5.95 lbs.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU is best used as a business laptop or for regular tasks. With its powerful processor, it will certainly deliver for that purpose. However, those that are seeking graphics capabilities will have to look somewhere else as the Lenovo G550 – 2958HHU falls short on that requirement.
Related posts:
- Lenovo ThinkCentre Edge 91Z Review
- Lenovo G450 Review
- Lenovo Thinkpad SL – Review
- Lenovo G575 Review
- Lenovo Laptops
Tags: Lenovo Essential Family, Lenovo G550, Lenovo G550 Review, Lenovo Laptops
Wow what an informative article, has really helped me in my laptop buying decision. Thanks!
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