Lenovo's affordable IdeaPad lineup gets partial refresh for 2018

As the usual laptop refresh season moves along, Lenovo has announced a bunch of updates to its affordable IdeaPad lineup. More specifically, 14-, 15-, and 17-inch IdeaPad 330 models; 14- and 15-inch IdeaPad 330S models; and 14- and 15-inch IdeaPad 530S models are expected to be made available sometime in May from the Lenovo website. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect from the new models.

Lenovo IdeaPad 330

Starting at about $250 for the 15-inch model, the IdeaPad 330 features an anti-glare display (touch is optional) with up to an FHD resolution, plus there's up to an NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphics card (GPU) to handle light gaming and some multimedia editing.

Budget models will have an Intel Celeron dual-core N4000 CPU available, while the higher-end models will have up to an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H CPU for serious performance. Rounding out the specs are optional fingerprint readers and optical drives if you're holding onto your older media.

There are a bunch of colors to choose from, including platinum grey, onyx black, mint green, midnight blue, blizzard white, and chocolate. Whereas the 15-inch model is the cheapest IdeaPad 330 on offer, the others aren't far behind. Expect to pay about $350 for the 14-inch model and about $500 for the 17-inch model.

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Lenovo IdeaPad 330S

Piggybacking off the IdeaPad 330 is the "S" version, which is a slimmed down PC perfect for anyone on the go (or who just likes to have a thin laptop). It's about a pound lighter than the standard IdeaPad 330, and it's just 0.7-inches thick.

The IPS display in both sizes is available with an FHD resolution, and you can get here up to an NVIDIA GTX 1050 GPU suitable for light gaming and light multimedia editing. Like the standard IdeaPad 330, the 330S has been updated with 8th Gen Intel CPUs, and there are a bunch of colors to choose from, including platinum grey, midnight blue, rose pink, blizzard white, and iron grey.

Expect to pay about $500 for the 14-inch 330S, while the larger 15-inch model starts at about $450.

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Lenovo IdeaPad 530S

Like the 330S, the IdeaPad 530S is a slimmed-down laptop ― it weighs in at about three pounds and is just 0.6-inches thick ― that nevertheless has some impressive hardware packed inside. The latest 8th Gen Intel CPUs make an appearance, and discrete graphics in the form of an NVIDIA MX130 or MX150 give enough of a boost to get in some light gaming in the evenings.

The all-aluminum chassis can take a beating while you're on the road, and you can show off some style with either onyx black, copper, liquid blue, or mineral grey colors. The IPS displays, available in 14- and 15-inches, can be had with up to an FHD resolution, and 300 nits of brightness should be enough to let you work wherever you find a seat.

Like the other updated IdeaPads, the 530S has Lenovo's new Rapid Charge tech, which apparently gives you two hours of battery life from 15 minutes of charging. Likewise, all models are sporting USB-C 3.1, USB-A 3.0, and HDMI ports.

Pricing for the IdeaPad 530S starts at about $800 for the 14-inch model, while you can expect to pay about $850 for the 15-inch configuration.

See at Lenovo