Lenovo gets serious with its new Y Series gaming range #IFA
I dig Lenovo, I really do. I love my Yoga 2 Pro and whilst trawling through all the new goodies, such as the Yoga Tab 3 Pro, I noticed that their Y Series gaming machines had a definite presence at IFA 2015 and, by the looks of things, a whole new rethink.
It seems that PC gaming is showing no signs of giving way to the consoles, and rightly so if you ask me.
The options available to us PC gamers become more bountiful each day and Lenovo is looking for a larger slice of this enthusiast pie.
The fresh-logoed Lenovo has developed a line of gaming rigs including the IdeaPad Y700 laptop, and IdeaCentre Y700 and Y900 gaming PCs.
The IdeaCentre machines are aimed at both the plug-and-play consumer as well as the system builder. These PCs are kitted out with the latest hardware but Lenovo has kept the machine upgradable which is great if, like me, you can’t but help constantly tweak your PC.
These gaming machines are wrapped in a chassis large enough to fit a full ATX motherboard. Both models feature processor options up to a quad-core Intel Core i7 Skylake.
The main difference between the Y700 and Y900 is the latter’s ability to take dual graphics cards for SLi kicks.
Y Series gaming laptop
The IdeaPad Y700 has been designed for gaming on the go, Lenovo says that the laptop has been imbued with the power of Intel’s and AMD’s latest processors. Gamers will also get to configure the IdeaPad Y700 with dedicated graphics options.
The IdeaPad Y700 features a sharp QHD screen which is available in 15- and 17-inch flavours. A touchscreen is optional, as is the Intel RealSense 3D camera.
The RealSense camera can be used to scan the people and objects – this means that you could make a 3D avatar of yourself to use in-game, or you can replace common game elements with stuff you’ve scanned in with the camera. That could be like totes hilare!
Just like the Yoga Tab Pro 3, the IdeaPad Y700 is loaded with JBL speakers and a subwoofer.
Y Series gaming peripherals
In addition to upgrading its hardware, Lenovo is also introducing new gaming peripherals. The company is rolling out a new mechanical keyboard, mouse and headset.
The Y Gaming Surround Sound Headset will hit you up for £44, as will the Y Gaming Precision Mouse. The Y Gaming Mechanical Switch Keyboard will cost £90 and there will be a Y Gaming Backpack which will retail for £64.
The headset delivers 7.1 virtual surround sound, features a quick mute button and in-line volume adjustment. There is also a noise canceling microphone.
The Y Gaming mouse has eight programmable buttons, four levels of adjustable DPI, five levels of adjustable weights and adjustable speeds all packed into an ergonomic package. Lenovo also sells a waterproof Y Gaming Mouse Mat which will cost you a fiver.
The keyboard includes backlighting and anti-ghosting, comes with six customisable keys, five levels of brightness and a dedicated key for controlling the headset. The palm rest is detachable.
The backpack is padded and can accommodate up to a 17.3-inch laptop.
Y Series prices and availability
All accessories will be available in September. The IdeaCentre will arrive in November, while the IdeaPad laptop will arrive in October.
The IdeaCentre Y900 will cost £1,039 and Y700 will be £649. The IdeaPad Y700 will be priced at £617.
