Today we have the rest of our Lenovo IdeaPad Y650 review. In case you missed the first part, you can find it here. Read on for the rest of our review and leave comments if there is anything else we missed that you would like to know!

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Features & Technology
While there are a few different builds of the Y650, they are all pretty well loaded. To save some typing here, this is what you’ll find standard on all Y650’s:

• 3GB+ RAM
• DVD burner
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor
• HDMI
• eSATA
• 320GB storage

You primarily choose between processor speeds and Intel vs NVIDIA GeForce G105M graphics. If you pick the top-end model, which we are looking at here today, you even bump up to Vista Home Premium 64-bit with the full 4GB RAM. When you combine this with a stylish, quality chassis and impressive LCD, the deal just gets sweeter. A 7200 rpm drive would seem logical in the premium model, but for around $1200 you are still getting a bargain.

Connectivity & Ports

Right Side (front to back): 6-in-1 card reader, USB 2.0, Mic, Headphone, eSATA, ExpressCard/34, Ethernet, Cable lock slot

Left Side: USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI, power

Front (left to right): WiFi switch, DVD burner

Software Preload
Something of concern to many computer users, especially the more advanced ones, is what kind of software the system comes preloaded with. All Y650 models come with Vista Home Premium and the one we are reviewing has the 64-bit version. You have everything you need for playing back any type of media you might want and yes, the ubiquitious Office 2007 trial is there.

What I found annoying though was the plethora of Lenovo’s practically adware software, from the first bootup to the regular messages about the Carbonite online backup service. You can uninstall these programs and I’d personally recommend you do so – they add more annoyance than they do value. The Lenovo Idea Center is primarily an accessory and affiliate sales device, with a couple half-hearted RSS and video features built-in. Remember Message Center from ThinkPads? Now it’s called Idea Notes – brilliant.

There is a decent DVD player from Cyberlink called Power2Go and the Lenovo utilities that enable the multimedia buttons are handy. A 90 day trial of Norton is included, for what it’s worth.

Real-World Usage
Multimedia is the IdeaPad Y650’s forte. I watched many a DVD and videos on Hulu, thoroughly enjoying the large, bright LCD and quality speakers. Some don’t like a front-loading DVD drive as it is difficult to use in tight spaces, but this machine is big (albeit thin & light) and I don’t plan on whipping it out on the airplane.

One thing that interests me greatly about all the new notebooks out there is the HDMI port. HDMI, in the home theater realm, transfers audio along with video in one convenient cable. This is a major boon for notebooks, as audio output to a home theater device has always been an issue. Hooked on Hulu, Pandora, or other free media sources? Now all you need is one cheap cable and an HDMI port to be enjoying that content on your TV. However not all notebooks implement the audio output and on those who do, it’s not always easy to enable it.

I’m happy to report that Lenovo’s IdeaPad HDMI experience is excellent. Plug in the cable with your powered-on home theater device and output is automatically enabled. It seems that 720p is the resolution chosen by default, although it isn’t much trouble to change the resolution to whatever you want through NVIDIA’s drivers, including the full 1080p; it is even easier on the Intel integrated graphics models. Audio output is automatically switched to the HDMI channel as well and away you go!

Performance is excellent across the board. The combination of a speedy Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB DDR3 RAM, and relatively quick 320GB 5400 rpm drive make for a good combination. The NVIDIA GeForce G105M graphics are great for accelerating HD video playback and eliminating the burden of integrated graphics, but don’t exactly blaze in the gaming department.

Battery life is the main thing lacking in the Y650, and understandably so. You have to make compromises to get a 1-inch thin, 5.6 lb laptop with a massive 16-inch display. Lenovo quotes the runtime at around 2.5 hours and that is about what we experienced during normal usage. You can stretch it to 3 hours with light usage and add up to an hour to that runtime with Intel integrated graphics. However, it doesn’t even have enoug juice to finish watching an average DVD.

Conclusion
Lenovo’s IdeaPad Y650 makes for an amazing multimedia experience. The strong LCD, punchy speakers, and HDMI output really elevate Lenovo’s consumer offering. Did I mention it’s only an inch thick/thin and weighs less than 6 lb, for around $1200 on sale (in the U.S.)?

Battery life isn’t impressive, but the combination of its sleek chassis and strong features balance that out to a degree. A hair louder speakers would be handy, but if this is your primary media player then you likely have your own external speakers.

Unfortunately the feature list is only finally bringing Lenovo on par with competition. For a while Lenovo’s entire lineup lagged behind the industry in features and value. However with a design that is a step above the rest and a strong feature set, Lenovo’s IdeaPad Y650 should be a serious contender in your multimedia notebook shopping. I know I want to have a Y650 on my desk, even if it’s just to watch videos all day.

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