Solved! Lenovo ThinkPad E585 vs IdeaPad 530S

[supermom2k18]

OK, need help deciding. Which would be the best for my office needs - general productivity type activities (Outlook, Publisher, Excel, etc), photo/video editing. I have listed the config details of the 2 laptops - I have the ability to change the specs on the ThinkPad ex. the memory from 4GB DDR4 to
8GB DDR4 2400MHz or 8GB (4 + 4) DDR4 2400MHz for $53 more. I want to keep the budget to under $700 if possible.

Lenovo ThinkPad E585 with these specs:

ThinkPad E585 ($552 as below)

Configuration Details
Processor : AMD Ryzen™ 5 2500U quad-core (2.00GHz, up to 3.60GHz Max Boost, 4MB Cache)
Operating System : Windows 10 Home 64
Operating System Language : Windows 10 Home 64 English
Display : 15.6" HD (1366 x 768) anti-glare
Memory : 4GB DDR4 2400MHz
Graphics : Integrated AMD Radeon™ Vega 8 mobile graphics
Keyboard : Keyboard with Number Pad - English
Pointing Device : NO Fingerprint Reader, Black Cover
Display Panel : 15.6" HD (1366x768),Anit-Glare,Aluminium GS,Black
TPM Setting : Hardware dTPM2.0 Enabled
Camera : 720p HD Camera with integrated microphone
Second Hard Drive : 256GB Solid State Drive PCIe-NVMe OPAL2.0 M.2
Battery : 3 Cell Li-Polymer 45Wh
Power Cord : 65W AC Adapter (2pin) - USB Type C
Wireless : 802.11AC (2 x 2) & Bluetooth 4.1
Language Pack : Publication - English
Warranty : 1 Year Depot or Carry-in

IdeaPad 530S ($665 as below)

Configuration Details
Processor: 8th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-8550U Processor (1.80GHz, up to 4.0GHz with Turbo Boost, 8MB Cache)
Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64
Display Type: 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS anti-glare
Memory: 8 GB DDR4 2400MHz
Hard Drive: 256GB Solid State Drive PCIe
Warranty: 1 Year Depot or Carry-in
AC Adapter: 65 watt AC
Graphics: Integrated Intel® UHD Graphics 620
Battery: 4 Cell Li-Polymer 45Wh
Bluetooth: Bluetooth® 4.1
Camera: 720p HD
Fingerprint Reader: Fingerprint Reader
Keyboard: Backlit keyboard - US English
Wireless: Lenovo Wireless AC (2 x 2)

 

[Solandri]

Normally I prefer Thinkpads. But unless you're 60 years or older, 1366x768 on a 15.6" display is just stupid. Go for the 1080p display. You will also want at least 8 GB for photo/video editing. Video editing will be more comfortable with 16 GB, though you may want to try it with 8 GB first before deciding to upgrade.

Lenovo has also been putting some really poor screens into the low-end Thinkpads (50%-70% sRGB, a measure of max color saturation). That will severely impair any photo/video editing you do on the laptop. I can't find a review which measures sRGB coverage on the 15.6" Ideapad 530S. The older 15.6" 520S scored a very poor 56% sRGB. But the 14" 530S has an excellent 96% sRGB screen. If there's a store nearby with the 530S in stock, I'd go check it out in person and compare the screen's color saturation to other laptops.

TVs, external monitors, movies, JPEGs, and the web are all tuned for 100% sRGB. If you edit a photo or video on a screen with (say) 70% sRGB, the colors will appear muted. So you will try to boost the color saturation to compensate. When someone on a 100% sRGB screen views your photo or video, the colors will be oversaturated and lurid.

One option to get around the problem is to only do photo/video editing using an external monitor. Nearly all of those hit 100% sRGB.

 

[supermom2k18]

Normally I prefer Thinkpads. But unless you're 60 years or older, 1366x768 on a 15.6" display is just stupid. Go for the 1080p display. You will also want at least 8 GB for photo/video editing. Video editing will be more comfortable with 16 GB, though you may want to try it with 8 GB first before deciding to upgrade.

Lenovo has also been putting some really poor screens into the low-end Thinkpads (50%-70% sRGB, a measure of max color saturation). That will severely impair any photo/video editing you do on the laptop. I can't find a review which measures sRGB coverage on the 15.6" Ideapad 530S. The older 15.6" 520S scored a very poor 56% sRGB. But the 14" 530S has an excellent 96% sRGB screen. If there's a store nearby with the 530S in stock, I'd go check it out in person and compare the screen's color saturation to other laptops.

TVs, external monitors, movies, JPEGs, and the web are all tuned for 100% sRGB. If you edit a photo or video on a screen with (say) 70% sRGB, the colors will appear muted. So you will try to boost the color saturation to compensate. When someone on a 100% sRGB screen views your photo or video, the colors will be oversaturated and lurid.

One option to get around the problem is to only do photo/video editing using an external monitor. Nearly all of those hit 100% sRGB.

Thank you for this info - super helpful. Now, my problem is that the E585 I was looking at is no longer available. So, back to the drawing board, but thanks to your response, I can look at my options with a keener eye.