Lenovo Ideapad Versions - Clarification?

So I'm looking at a bunch of the Lenovo Ideapads, and they seem to be well priced and good quality. But I have no idea which version to get! Is there a breakdown anywhere of the differences between the lines? Thanks!

FYI, I was looking initially at the V470 and the Y460p

 

V is for everyday use, and do not incorporate strong GPUs. The Y line are comprised of so called gaming laptops and include good GPUs. Go for the Y470 or Y470 if you want the latest model.

 

What about Z? Just looking for best bang for buck

 

There's a Z series? Oh yeah, there is. They are so called multimedia laptops I believe. Less capable GPUs than the Y series. The only real variation here is the GPU.

 

Just go for the y470 or 570, honestly they're the cheapest already compared to the laptops with similar specs.

If you're looking for a ultra mega super performance laptop with a better performance to price ratio then go for the sager/clevo/malibal/eurocom/prostar (they all use clevo chassis, but branded under since they're custom laptops). These have a better performance to price ratio than alienwares.

However, if you're looking for a decent priced performance to price ratio laptop then go with the y470/ y570.

 

The Y470 is not a bad option if you're looking for portability and performance in the same package.

However, don't buy the Y570, because there are much better 15.6" laptops out there in the same market niche and price range.
1) The screen sucks, pretty much. With 1366x768 resolution in 15.6", items onscreen are huge and you can't multitask very easily due to how little fits on the screen at once. This is the same resolution used in the 14" Y470, and even for a 14", this resolution is a tad low (but it's hard to find 14" laptops with higher than this)
2) The GT 555M GPU is gimped with only 96 shaders. This isn't bad in itself, since it's a bit more powerful than cards like the GT 540M, but the increase in performance doesn't outweigh the severe screen deficit. Plus, it's easy to find more powerful GPUs in similar 15.6" laptops that have 1920x1080 displays*
3) Also, if you're buying Lenovo because of it's reputation for build quality, keep in mind that IdeaPads don't fall into that category. They're no better built than other consumer-class notebooks.

*Look at the following models:
- Sager NP5165 @XoticPC.com or @MythlogicCorp.com (Pollux) - slightly more powerful version of the GT 555M
- HP DV6t configured with the 1920x1080 display upgrade and the AMD Radeon 6770M - much more powerful

Also, keep in mind that if you do need the bit of extra portability of a 14" versus some of the non-IdeaPad 15-inchers, you're sacrificing a lot to get that.