Lenovo IdeaPad G5070 15.6" Core i3 Notebook - Intel Core i3-4030U, 500GB HDD, 4GB RAM, Windows 8.1

The G-series is a spiffy collection of consumer notebooks, suitable for just about every budget. Sure there are higher-end notebooks from Lenovo, capable of more and at a higher price-point, but if you’re looking for something in the middle of the road rather than a bare-bones PC, the G-series is more than you’re looking for (but at around the price you were planning on paying).

Take the G5070, for instance. This 15.6-inch notebook doesn’t feature one of Lenovo’s brilliant touchscreen displays but it doesn’t really have to. Yes, it runs Windows 8.1 which always functions very well on a touchscreen but this full notebook with its 1366 x 768 display doesn’t need it. You’re getting a full keyboard and trackpad, meaning that the touchscreen would just get in the way.

As far as the internal specifications go, Lenovo have collected a nice bunch of silicon under the hood of this textured black shell. One of Intel’s new generation Core i3 4010U chips is nestled under the keyboard and it brought friends. Four of them, actually, 4GB of DDR 3 system memory is yours to play with.

You’re also looking at Intel’s Integrated Graphics. Good for movies and other media, adequate for some games and more than enough to get any home office work done with no complaints. For something with a bit more power in this department, look to Lenovo’s Z-series which ships with third-party Nvidia graphics.

Storage is 500GB of hard drive, which should be enough for most folks. Like most laptops, this can be upped as an aftermarket upgrade but be sure to get a professional to do the swapping.

What else do you need? Bluetooth support is present, as is an HD webcam, USB 3.0 support and DOLBY Advanced sound support. Those movies are going to sound awesome but there’s also a headphone/mic port for when you want to keep the noise levels down.