Deciding between performance and style is the unavoidable, brain-racking step during the otherwise exciting time of buying a laptop. The tighter the budget, the more difficult the struggle, as the luxury of finding a machine that performs well and has some style at a decent price isn't too common.The Lenovo Y40 is the smallest and most affordable option in Lenovo's high-performance Y series of gaming laptops. This rig aims to sit pretty in the sweet spot for those seeking a fairly capable and well-made machine at a good entry price.Starting at just $699 (about £426, AU$790), the Y40 boasts several brag-worthy features inherited from the 15.6-inch Lenovo Y50 and 17-inch Y70, also in the Y series. With sharp design, fantastic battery life and JBL audio that absolutely kills it, it's clear that the Y40 is a chip off the block, at least in some regards.DesignThe Y40 echoes the style of the Y50 throughout with its slick, yet modest clamshell design. The matte plastic lid (with crosshatch texture) and underside are a noticeable downgrade from the Y50's metal accents, but it's nothing to knock the Y40 for. The crosshatch design looks deluxe and also did a good job deflecting my fingerprints, too.Flush with its lid is an embossed Lenovo logo. On our review unit, the logo's adhesive began to peel, causing it to stick out a bit.