Intel 15.6" UL156-A Review

Let's be real, this is a weird one. The listing calls it a 'gaming laptop' but it's running a 7-year-old, ultra-low-power Intel Core i5-7Y54. That's a dual-core chip designed for tablets and fanless laptops, not gaming. It's paired with 16GB of DDR3 RAM and a 1TB SSD, which is a decent amount of storage but the rest of the specs are a time capsule.

It comes with Windows 11 Pro and a 15.6-inch 1080p screen. At 2.5kg, it's not particularly light either. The marketing highlights are, frankly, misleading. This is not a machine for gaming or demanding work.

Performance is this laptop's biggest weakness. That CPU is in the 3rd percentile. It's slow. Really slow. Basic tasks will be okay, but anything more will have it wheezing. The integrated AMD graphics are nothing special, despite the odd '16GB VRAM' claim in the listing. It scored a 15/100 for gaming, so don't even think about it. The 86th percentile GPU ranking is likely a data error or based on a tiny, outdated comparison pool. In reality, this GPU is ancient.

At $330, it's cheap. But 'cheap' doesn't mean 'good value'. You're paying for very old, inefficient technology. For the same money or a little more, you could find a used or refurbished laptop with a much more modern processor that will be faster, last longer on battery, and actually be usable for more than just web browsing. This feels like clearing out old inventory.

Don't compare this to the MacBook Pro or Legion laptops listed. That's nonsense. A real comparison is against other budget machines. A modern laptop with an Intel Core i3-N series or AMD Ryzen 3 would run circles around this thing for a similar price. Even a Chromebook would offer a smoother experience for basic tasks. If you need Windows, look for something with at least a 10th Gen Intel Core or Ryzen 3000 series CPU. This one is generations behind.

Only buy this if your budget is absolutely locked at $330 and you need a Windows machine for the most basic tasks—checking email, writing documents, browsing a few tabs. Even then, shop around for refurbished models. Students, casual users, and especially gamers should avoid it completely. It's a relic.