Lenovo V15 Gen 5 review – Our Screen Mistake, Your Budget Laptop Win
Consider this a cautionary tale wrapped in a laptop review: the Lenovo V15 Gen 5. At first glance, it’s a sensible budget choice – practical design, surprisingly quick SSD performance often seen in pricier models, and useful extras like a NumPad and even an Ethernet port. We were almost won over, we thought that we’ve bought the top-tier variant…. until we powered it up. In focusing on the internal specs, we made a critical oversight when ordering: the display. Our unit came with a basic TN panel, instantly revealing its stark limitations – poor viewing angles and lackluster colors that significantly drag down the experience.
It’s a mistake you don’t need to make, as better IPS screen options are available for this model, though typically at a higher price. Does the V15 Gen 5’s unexpected speed and functionality make it worth carefully hunting down (and potentially paying more for) the right screen configuration?
Join us as we dissect its strengths and this crucial weakness, sharing what we learned so you can make an informed choice and avoid the pitfalls of settling for a subpar screen on an otherwise capable budget machine.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-v15-gen-5/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
Lenovo V15 Gen 5 - Specs
- HDD/SSD
- up to 1000GB SSD
- RAM
- up to 32GB
- OS
- No OS, Windows 11 Home
- Battery
- 47Wh
- Dimensions
- 359.2 x 235.8 x 18.3 mm (14.14" x 9.28" x 0.72")
- Weight
- 1.61 kg (3.5 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 2x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
- 1x USB Type-C
- 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps), Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
- HDMI
- 1.4b
- Card reader
- Ethernet LAN
- 10, 100, 1000 Mbit/s
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth
- 5.2
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- optional
- Web camera
- HD with privacy shutter, fixed focus
- Backlit keyboard
- Microphone
- Dual Microphone Array
- Speakers
- 2x 1.5W Stereo Speakers
- Security Lock slot
- Kensington Nano Lock
All Lenovo V15 Gen 5 configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/lenovo-v-series-laptops/lenovo-v15-g5-irl/downloads
What’s in the box?
Opening up the Lenovo V15 Gen 5 box reveals a pretty standard, no-frills setup.
Inside, you’ll find the laptop itself and the necessary 65W power adapter, getting you the basics needed to start.
Interestingly, Lenovo mentions an exclusive casual laptop bag for the EMEA region, but be warned – it seems to be a bit of a lottery, as our EMEA-sourced unit arrived without one.
Design and construction
Approaching the Lenovo V15 Gen 5, you’re met with a design that’s straightforward and unpretentious. It doesn’t try to hide its budget-friendly nature, favouring function over flair, but it presents a clean, professional look nonetheless. Lenovo offers it in two simple finishes: “Business Black” and “Luna Grey.” We ordered the black variant, which actually appears more like a dark charcoal grey under certain lighting, distinct from the lighter, more silvery “Luna Grey.” Despite its plastic construction, the black model features a unique, slightly textured finish that feels pleasant to the touch. However, this texture does have a tendency to attract fingerprints – not excessively, but they’re visible at certain angles – and even seems to catch fine hairs and dust particles. Perhaps the smoother “Luna Grey” option might fare better in this regard.
Being an all-plastic build, there’s a degree of chassis flex typical for this price category, especially if you apply deliberate pressure. However, for everyday tasks and normal handling, it feels adequately sturdy and doesn’t creak or groan alarmingly. It’s also relatively lightweight for a 15-inch machine, starting at just 1.61 kg (3.55 lbs), making it quite portable. One area where the budget-conscious design is very apparent is the hinge mechanism. It’s exceptionally stiff – so much so that you definitely cannot open the lid with one hand, and you might even need to consciously guide the screen during opening to prevent it from snapping shut. While this stiffness can feel a bit cumbersome initially, it likely points towards Lenovo prioritizing long-term hinge durability.
Despite the stiff hinges, the screen can thankfully open a full 180 degrees, allowing it to lay completely flat:
There’s also a subtle mechanism where the rear of the base lifts slightly off the desk as the screen opens beyond approximately 120 degrees, theoretically improving airflow, though this angle is past typical viewing positions.
Looking at the display itself, the bezels are surprisingly trim for a budget laptop, particularly on the sides. The top bezel is thicker to accommodate the HD 720p webcam (with fixed focus), but Lenovo has commendably included a physical privacy shutter here – a welcome feature for peace of mind.
The keyboard deck offers a comfortable typing experience and includes a full NumPad, which is always practical for data entry. The keys have reasonable travel and feedback for comfortable typing sessions. As is common across nearly all laptops these days, the Up and Down arrow keys are half-height, which takes some getting used to but is largely unavoidable. One area where costs were clearly cut is the lack of keyboard backlighting, so working in dimly lit environments might be challenging.
Now, for biometric login, here’s where Lenovo surprised us a bit: some V15 Gen 5 models actually come with a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button! Honestly, we didn’t pay close enough attention to the exact specs when ordering our unit, and only realised afterwards that ours *doesn’t* have this feature. So, if a fingerprint sensor is something you need, make absolutely sure you double-check the specific configuration details before hitting that buy button! Below the keyboard sits the trackpad. Measuring 62 x 104 mm (2.44 x 4.09 inches), it’s not particularly large, and its buttonless Mylar surface, while supporting Precision TouchPad gestures, provides a functional but ultimately unremarkable experience. It’s neither frustratingly bad nor impressively good; it simply gets the job done without drawing much attention to itself.
Ports and Connectivity
The Lenovo V15 Gen 5 offers a practical and somewhat traditional selection of ports suitable for general business and everyday productivity. On the left side, power is supplied via a dedicated round-tip connector. Adjacent to this, you’ll find a standard USB-A port operating at 5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1) speeds. For video output, there’s an HDMI port, specified as version 1.4b, which generally supports resolutions up to 4K at 30Hz or 1080p at higher refresh rates, making it adequate for most standard monitors but not ideal for high-refresh-rate 4K displays. A single USB-C port is also present, operating at the same 5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1) speed; this port supports DisplayPort 1.2 Alt Mode for additional video output and can accept charging via USB Power Delivery, although it’s specifically noted to work with 20V inputs. A standard 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack rounds out the left-side connectivity.
The right side caters well to office environments, notably including a built-in Ethernet (RJ-45) port for stable wired network connections – a feature becoming less common on many laptops. Alongside the network port is a second USB-A port, also running at 5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1). For physical security, a Kensington Nano Security Slot (2.5 x 6 mm) is provided. While the inclusion of Ethernet is a definite plus for reliability, the overall port selection lacks higher-speed USB options (10Gbps or faster) or the advanced capabilities of Thunderbolt, and the video outputs (HDMI 1.4b, DP 1.2 via USB-C) are based on older standards compared to the latest specifications.
Wireless connectivity is handled by Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), using a 2×2 antenna configuration, which provides strong performance on current-generation wireless networks. In our case, the exact model is Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX203.
Bluetooth 5.2 is also included for reliably connecting wireless peripherals like mice, keyboards, and headphones.
Display and Sound Quality, Display Profiles
| Lenovo V15 Gen 5 | LEN156FHD (LEN9051) |
| Diagonal | 15.6 inches (39.6 cm) |
| Panel Type | TN |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Max Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Pixel Density | 142 PPI |
| ‘Retina’ Distance | Greater than or equal to 60 cm |
The biggest surprise here is the TN screen which we weren’t expecting. You should opt in for an IPS variant if you’re planning on using the laptop with the integrated screen. Of course, the IPS models are a higher priced so it depends on your budget.
Viewing Angles
Viewing angles are NOT good. Integrating a TN screen in 2025 is unacceptable.
We take photos from different angles to evaluate the quality.
Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.
Color Coverage
The whole “sail-shaped” map below (Fig. 1) consists of all the colors we can see, while the black crooked line shows all the colors from real-world scenes and nature around us.
Then, we’ve drawn some of the most important and interesting color spaces, compared to the colors the panel of Lenovo V15 Gen 5 can show:
Standard/For Web: sRGB – widely used color space for most consumer devices, ideal for Web design and development
For Print: AdobeRGB – used in professional photo editing, graphic design, and print
For Photographers/Video Editors: DCI-P3 – used in high-end film production, post-production, and digital cinema
Premium HDR: Rec.2020 – the widest consumer ITU color standard, covering a massive 75.8% of the visible spectrum, a benchmark for premium HDR content
Lenovo V15 Gen 5: the yellow dashed triangle (– – – – – –) represents the range of colors this monitor can show.
In our tests, we calculated the total color coverage of the display at 50% of the sRGB color gamut and 39% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
(Fig.1) Lenovo V15 Gen 5 covers 50% of the sRGB gamut
Brightness and Contrast
The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 292 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 281 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 8%.
The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6570K.
The contrast ratio is 250:1.
Uniformity: Luminance, Contrast, and Color Deviation
The figure below shows the results from our uniformity test across different sections of the screen. It’s measured at 181 nits (Windows slider = 84%) — a brightness level we consider typical for standard working conditions.
DeltaE values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users. For those working with colors, screens with DeltaE values no higher than 2.0 are recommended.
Color Accuracy
Let’s check the difference between real colors and those you’ll see on the Lenovo V15 Gen 5. We measure that distance in DeltaE – the higher the number, the more different they look.
Values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users, while values below 2.0 are suitable for color-sensitive work. A value below 1.0 means the difference is indistinguishable to the naked eye.
For the next graph, we’ve selected 24 common colors, including dark/light skin, blue sky, green grass, etc.
Before our calibration of the Lenovo V15 Gen 5, the Average color accuracy was 10.0 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Office profile, it lowered to 3.8 dE (Fig. 3).
(Fig. 2) Lenovo V15 Gen 5 in its factory condition
(Fig. 3) Lenovo V15 Gen 5 with our display profile
Comparison in the sRGB color space.
Here’s an illustration of what the Design and Office profile aims to deliver:
Left: No Profile | Drag the slider to see the difference | Right: Design & Gaming Profile
Visibility in dark scenes
Have you ever watched a movie with dark scenes where you could barely see anything? This often happens because many display panels struggle to differentiate the darkest nuances, making them appear the same.
The next figure illustrates how well the display reproduces these dark nuances. The left side of the image shows the display with stock settings, and the right side shows it with our Gaming and movies profile activated.
On the horizontal axis are the grayscale levels, and on the vertical axis – the corresponding display brightness.
You can also check how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display and the surrounding light conditions.
Response time (Gaming capabilities)
We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa.
We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 10.7 ms. Short pixel response time is a prerequisite for a smooth picture in dynamic scenes.
Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)
Some use PWM to regulate their brightness, which means that instead of reducing the light intensity, they pulse or flicker. Our brain merges the image, so it appears darker, but this strains both it and our vision, especially when the frequency of the pulses is low. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.
In the graph below, you see the intensity of light at different brightness levels—on the vertical axis is the brightness of the emitted light, and on the horizontal axis—time.
The light from the backlight of the Lenovo V15 Gen 5 display is not pulse-width modulated, providing visual comfort in the discussed aspect.
Health Impact: Blue light emissions
Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates harmful PWM when the laptop uses it to control brightness but also reduces harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate.
If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.
Health Impact: Screen Reflectance
Glossy-coated displays can cause eye fatigue in high ambient light conditions due to reflections. We measure the level of screen reflection with the display turned off, at a 60° angle.
The reflectance of the Lenovo V15 Gen 5’s screen is 50.3 GU. Good result.
High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU
Get our profiles
Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Lenovo V15 Gen 5 configurations with LEN156FHD (LEN9051), 1920 x 1080, TN panel.
*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].
Read more about the profiles HERE.
In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.
Design and Office
The Design and Office profile makes display colors as close to real as possible.Ideal not only for professionals but also for everyday users, it meets sRGB standards (D65 white point, sRGB gamma) with minimal DeltaE for precise color reproduction on your panel.
Gaming and Movies
Have you ever watched a movie where, during dark scenes, you can barely see anything? Many displays fail to distinguish dark tones properly. Our Gaming and Movies profile enhances low-light performance, like HDR tech, using a gamma curve tailored to human perception — ideal for gamers seeking faster reactions and clearer visuals.
Health-Guard
Our Health-Guard profile protects your eyes by eliminating PWM flickering, reducing strain and fatigue, and minimizing harmful Blue light exposure that can disrupt sleep and health. It uses software dimming and a gamma curve tailored to human perception for comfort and safety during screen use.
Get All The Profiles With 33% Discount!
Sound
The sound of the Lenovo V15 Gen 5 is of relatively good quality. In the subjective listening of a sound file, the low, middle and high frequencies have slight deviations in purity.
Work Performance: CPU, Storage, AI
All performance and temperature tests are conducted with “Performance mode” activated in Lenovo Vantage:
CPU and Work Performance
Initially, Lenovo V15 Gen 5 has been announced with a long list of Intel U-Series Core 3 / 5 / 7 (Series 1) and H-Series Core 5 / 7 (Series 2) processors. However, shortly after, they dropped Core 5 120U and Core 7 150U so now the only U-variant is Core 3 100U, and then you have Core 5 210H or Core 7 240H if you need more performance. We ordered our model with the Core 7 240H CPU with 6 performance and 4 efficiency cores.
Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)
Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.
Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.
Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)
Storage performance
We chose the Lenovo V15 Gen 5 variant with 512GB of storage, and it came with WD PC SN5000S (SDEPMSJ-512G-1101) SSD. Surprisingly good choice!
6.3 GB/sec sequential read, and 4.4 GB/sec sequential write are numbers you more often see in high-end laptops.
AI Performance
Even the most powerful choice, Core 7 240H, doesn’t have an NPU, and since there are no dedicated graphics options for Lenovo V15 Gen 5, you should not expect good AI performance.
Check out our full AI Performance Rankings.
GPU and Gaming Performance
As we mentioned, there are no dedicated GPU options so you’ll rely on the iGPUs in the selected processors. They’re all sufficient for basic graphics task and nothing more.
You can find the performance rating of all the GPUs on the market in our Top Laptop Graphics Ranking.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Gaming tests
Still, we tested our Intel UHD Graphics (Alder Lake, 64EU) iGPU with some games.
In real-world gaming tests, Counter Strike 2 ran smoothly at an average of 72 FPS on 1080p low settings, making it a great fit for competitive shooters. However, more graphically demanding titles like Black Myth: Wukong and Shadow of the Tomb Raider showed the system’s limitations, averaging 24 FPS and 30 FPS respectively, even on the lowest settings.
These results highlight that while older or esports titles are playable, modern AAA games will require significant compromises in visual quality for a smooth experience, if playable at all.
| Counter Strike 2 | 1080p, Low (Check settings) |
| Average FPS | 72 FPS |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 1080p, Low (Check settings) |
| Average FPS | 24 FPS |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 1080p, Lowest (Check settings) |
| Average FPS | 30 FPS |
Temperatures and Comfort, Noise, Stability
At idle, the CPU Package of Lenovo V15 Gen 5 works at 40ºC, and the notebook is silent.
Office Work, Web Development, Design
Short periods of 100% CPU load
This test demonstrates the CPU’s behavior during brief bursts of high load.
| 0:00 – 0:10 sec | Avg. P-Core Clock | Avg. CPU Temp. | Avg. CPU Power |
| Lenovo V15 Gen 5 | 3028 MHz | 80 °C | 43 W |
Focusing on brief, high-demand tasks, the CPU exhibits a strong initial performance burst. Peak clock speed reaches 3281 MHz within the first few seconds, supported by a peak power draw of 48 W. Over the initial 10-second period, the average clock speed remains high at 3028 MHz, with an average power consumption of 43 W. Temperatures during this short load reach a peak of 84 °C and average 80 °C over 10 seconds. Both peak and average temperatures fall within the acceptable range based on the defined temperature rules. This indicates the system handles short-duration high loads effectively within thermal limits.
Video editing, Scientific computing, Software compilation, 3D rendering
Long periods of 100% CPU load
| 0:00 – 30:00 min | Avg. P-Core Clock | Avg. CPU Temp. | Avg. CPU Power |
| Lenovo V15 Gen 5 | 1937 MHz | 65 °C | 23 W |
Under sustained CPU load over 30 minutes, the system demonstrates a different behavior compared to short bursts. The average clock speed settles to 1937 MHz, a significant reduction from the initial peak, with a minimum observed sustained clock of 1824 MHz between 30 seconds and 5 minutes. Average power draw decreases to 23 W over the half-hour period. Crucially, the average CPU temperature remains very controlled at 65 °C, well within the “good” thermal range (<80 °C). This shows stable, albeit reduced, performance maintained comfortably below critical thermal thresholds during prolonged demanding tasks.
Battery Life
Lenovo V15 Gen 5 has a rather small 47Wh battery. We’ve tested it with the “Power Saver” mode activated in Lenovo Vantage.
The battery life is not impressive but it’s not bad either, for a budget laptop, considering the capacity.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Verdict
The Lenovo V15 Gen 5 presents itself as a straightforward, budget-conscious laptop aimed squarely at users needing a functional tool for everyday productivity and basic business tasks. It offers a clean, professional aesthetic, albeit one built entirely from plastic that exhibits some flex and, on the black model, a tendency to attract fingerprints. It successfully keeps the weight down for a 15-inch machine, enhancing its portability.
For its intended purpose, the V15 Gen 5 delivers adequate performance, especially with the surprisingly fast NVMe SSD found in our unit, which significantly boosts responsiveness in day-to-day operations. The keyboard provides a comfortable typing experience and includes a welcome NumPad, while the inclusion of a physical webcam shutter and a built-in Ethernet port are practical additions often omitted in this price range. Thermal management is also handled well, keeping temperatures low under sustained load, albeit by throttling performance. Furthermore, the display backlight is commendably PWM-free, which is beneficial for users sensitive to screen flickering.
However, the most significant point of consideration is the display panel. Our review unit came equipped with a Full HD TN panel, which, frankly, significantly detracts from the overall user experience in 2025. Its viewing angles are extremely limited, color reproduction is poor (covering only half of the sRGB gamut), and contrast is very low. While Lenovo does offer configurations with superior IPS panels, they come at a higher cost. If you plan to use the laptop’s built-in screen frequently for anything beyond basic text work, opting for an IPS variant is strongly recommended, budget permitting. Otherwise, this laptop is best suited for users who primarily rely on an external monitor.
Other compromises include the lack of keyboard backlighting, making work in dim environments difficult, and an exceptionally stiff hinge that requires two hands to open. While an optional fingerprint reader exists, it wasn’t present on our unit, highlighting the critical need for buyers to carefully check the exact specifications of the configuration they intend to purchase. Port selection is functional but relies on older standards like HDMI 1.4b and 5Gbps USB, lacking higher speeds or Thunderbolt capabilities. Battery life, owing to the small 47Wh capacity, is merely adequate.
Ultimately, the Lenovo V15 Gen 5 is a functional, affordable machine that gets the basics right for undemanding users or businesses needing simple workstations. Its fast SSD, practical keyboard with NumPad, webcam shutter, and Ethernet port are definite advantages at this price point. However, the potential inclusion of a poor TN display panel is a major caveat that cannot be overstated. If you find a configuration with an IPS screen within your budget, or if display quality is not a primary concern (perhaps due to external monitor use), the V15 Gen 5 could be a viable option. Otherwise, carefully weigh the compromises, particularly the screen, against the cost savings.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-v15-gen-5/
Pros
- Affordable price point
- Surprisingly fast NVMe SSD performance for its class
- Comfortable keyboard featuring a full NumPad
- Includes a physical webcam privacy shutter
- Built-in Ethernet (RJ-45) port for stable wired connections
- Display backlight is PWM-free, preventing flicker
- Relatively lightweight and portable for a 15-inch laptop
- Stable and cool thermal performance under sustained load
- Optional fingerprint reader available (check specific configuration)
Cons
- TN display panel (on reviewed model) suffers from very poor viewing angles and weak colors
- Extremely low display contrast ratio
- No keyboard backlighting
- All-plastic build feels budget-oriented and exhibits flex
- Limited graphics performance suitable only for basic tasks
- Dated port selection (HDMI 1.4b, 5Gbps USB)
- Finish (on black model) easily attracts fingerprints and dust
- Mediocre battery life due to small battery capacity
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