Lenovo G770 review

The Lenovo G770 packs fantastic power and good graphical performance into a solid big-screen laptop which is great for the home. We'd recommend it to anyone looking for a desktop replacement, but movie buffs will be disappointed about the lack of a 1080p screen.

The first thing that strikes you when opening the G770 is the fantastic build quality. There's an expanse of brushed metal, in which sits a generous isolation-style keyboard with well-cushioned keys. It took us a while to get used to the travel between the keys, but it was comfortable to use for long periods.

Under the hood is a generous amount of power, and enough for anyone who's looking for a few years of good use. The processor is a Sandy Bridge Intel Core i7 2620M 2.7GHz, which is the same found in the MacBook Pro, which costs £1000 more.

Elsewhere, the AMD Radeon HD 6650M is nearly identical to the MacBook Pro, and there's more RAM with 6GB packed in. This simply shows that the Lenovo is able to handle anything that's thrown at it for a few years to come. Editing photos using Photoshop, creating home videos, and dealing with demanding video content are all easily within the G770s capabilities.

If you're looking to play games, the G770 won't disappoint either. It's no true gaming machine, like the Alienware M18x, but it will play most of the latest games. We played Battlefield 2 with no real problems, and it looked great on the 17.3-inch screen, although we did have to turn down the graphics to avoid the frame rate dropping.

Powerful processor

In our tests the Lenovo fell short of the dizzying heights of the Acer Aspire 5750G, but still out-performed the more expensive HP Envy 14. There was a strong score from the processor, which trounced the likes of the Dell Inspiron 17r and the Samsung R720.

Again there was no 1080p panel provided, which will disappoint movie buffs looking for the best possible picture, but if you already own an HD display such as a TV, then you can connect the G770 via HDMI. We've seen better, sharper screens, but it's adequate for working and enjoying media and photos.

Again, there's a lack of Blu-ray, but we honestly feel that a future-proof system can do without this as more media moves to the cloud. At 2.9kg, the Lenovo G770 is a true desktop replacement system, and it's really too large and heavy to consider taking around with you on a daily basis. However, the large screen more than makes up for it and, unlike the HP Envy 14, its weight pays off with a much more comfortable experience.

The Lenovo G770 is a fantastic purchase for anyone looking for a future-proof desktop replacement. It's packed with power and matches many of its more expensive competitors for speed and performance, without breaking the bank.

TechRadar Labs

Battery Eater '05: 158 minutes
Cinebench: 11524
3DMark 2006: 7667

We'd like to have seen a Full HD screen in a laptop of this type, and if you're looking for a future-proof media centre for watching movies, then you might want to look at more expensive alternatives like the Dell XPS 15Z.

However, if you just want to ensure you can carry on using your favourite programs and surfing the web for a few years to come, then this machine will certainly offer a great return on your investment.

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