Lenovo IdeaCentre Y900 RE Gaming Desktop And IdeaPad Y900 Gaming Notebook Preview

Both Y900 systems feature a backlit logo, which represents the Y gaming series. The logo is about as wild as Lenovo gets, but it signals that you’re using a gaming system well enough. Both computers are classy, mostly-black affairs with a few colored accents to provide a little attitude. Young gamers might want PCs with more lights and bling, but Lenovo’s style is a good look nonetheless.


IdeaCentre Y900 Razer Edition: The front of the desktop’s chassis has angled panels that look like futuristic armor. Behind the panels sit two intake fans and a filter, along with two optical bays. A mini panel flips open to reveal the optical drive when its tray extends. A row of ports at the top of the front panel includes four USB 3.0 ports (one of which supports anytime USB charging), two mic/headphone jacks, and a 7-in-1 SD card reader.


The two peripherals that put the “Razer” in “Razer Edition” are solid choices for a gaming PC. The BlackWidow Chroma keyboard has intense backlighting in virtually any color you can dream up. It features a column of programmable keys near your left hand and has 10-key rollover so that the keyboard accurately recognizes all of your key strikes. Importantly, all of the keys have Razer’s custom mechanical switches (the green switches, which have a “click” sound and tactile feel) for a better experience and tactility than typical rubber membrane key switches.

The Razer Mamba Tournament Edition mouse features Chroma lighting and all the bells and whistles, including multiple buttons, a tilt scroll wheel, and a 7-foot, braided cord. 

Lenovo Y27g RE: Lenovo’s G-SYNC monitor provides 27 inches of 1920 x 1080 gaming goodness. The R1800 curvature is noticeable, even from a distance, and the 178-degree viewing angle means you won’t have to sit directly in front of the monitor to have a good bead on the action. The monitor feature’s Razer’s Chroma LED lighting, which is a nice touch. Overall, it’s a solid panel, though as we mentioned earlier, it’s a bit pricey - not that you'll care much if you win it in our sweepstakes.


IdeaPad Y900: While the Y900 desktop sports green lighting (out of the box), the IdeaPad Y900 gaming laptop rocks a red-and-black look. The notebook is huge, as we noted earlier, but it comes off as a tough, broad-shouldered beast instead of a boxy laptop, thanks in part to its brushed metal chassis and tight tolerances.
  
The 17.3-inch IPS display is bright and reasonably crisp at 1920 x 1080, and it’s large enough that you won’t pine for a separate monitor.


Lenovo hit a home run with the keyboard and touchpad. The IdeaPad Y900 features a mechanical keyboard with customizable backlighting – both under the keys and bordering the touchpad. The keys lighting is bright red by default, but you can change that in the Lenovo Nerve Center software. Want to make the WASD keys a different color than the rest of the keyboard? No problem. Want a rainbow-like wave constantly rolling across your keyboard? A few clicks, and you have it.


You might not even notice one of the laptop’s best design features until you start playing a game. The laptop’s palm rest is a soft, raised, textured material that is infinitely more comfortable than the typical plastic or metal surfaces on most laptops. For those of us who spend hours playing at a time, it’s a simple luxury that makes a premium gaming laptop experience that much more enjoyable.


The system has a reasonable complement of ports, including two 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a USB Type C port, and HDMI and DisplayPort outputs. The laptop also has a headphone/mic jack and an SD card reader.


Gaming laptops usually generate more noise than standard, cooler-running thin and light notebooks, and the IdeaPad Y900 is no exception. In fact, its fans can get a bit loud at times. However, the trade-off for serious gaming performance will be worth it for many gamers. If the sound bothers you, grab a solid pair of headphones and you’ll be good to go.