The brand new Legion is an actual stable slab of gaming laptop computer goodness. It is sturdy, feels dense, and is essentially the most highly effective and performant of all the brand new notebooks we have been testing on this era. It could really feel like a basic huge gaming laptop computer, nevertheless it’s nonetheless acquired some methods up its sleeve which make it an important trendy gaming laptop computer.
It will be all too straightforward to tar the Legion Professional 7i with the identical anachronistic brush because the Gigabyte Aorus Grasp 16 and MSI Vector 16 HX AI—it’s, in spite of everything, very a lot a kind of huge old fashioned gaming laptops you count on to have plumbed into an influence supply for its complete life. However, although it does not have the identical thinned-down chassis as the newest Razer Blade 16 design, Lenovo has given its Legion line an entire redesign, which makes it look far slicker and with greater than a touch of the Alienware aptitude about it, too.
The angular RGB rings across the exhaust ports on the rear of the Legion Professional 7i Gen 10 are what give that really feel, and that is not a foul factor. There’s an actual model about this new chassis design that I am into. It feels knowingly stable, designed to be a powerful base in your cell elements, and provides them sufficient cooling energy to maintain them operating at peak efficiency.
It is also made it extra of a unit by culling the aspect exhaust vents and leaving simply that entire expanse behind the machine for blowing out all the recent air from the system. That makes it really feel extra grown-up, with the chassis being extra enclosed quite than all exhausts and vents. To me, it feels extra trendy and that RGB aptitude—just like the tail-lights of a BMW idea automobile or a Tron light-cycle—has a particular model which does not really feel crass in the way in which exterior lightbars typically can.
CPU: Intel Core Extremely 9 275HX
RAM: 32 GB DDR5-6400
GPU: Nvidia RTX 5080 (175 W)
Display: 16-inch OLED
Refresh: 240 Hz
Native decision: 2560 x 1600
Storage: 2x 1 TB SSD
Battery: 99.9 Whr
Dimensions: 21.9 ~ 26.6 x 364 x 275.9 mm | 0.86 – 1.04 x 14.33 x 10.86-inch
Weight: 2.72 kg | 6 lbs
Worth: $3,560 | £3,200
Lenovo has additionally taken the identical strategy as Razer by way of creating a big underslung “thermal hood” over the triple consumption followers, giving it plenty of area to tug in cooling air. And, once more just like the Razer design, the Legion is super-easy to open up, although right here with only a Phillips screwdriver and a bit of shiv to pry it open. There is a secondary thermal protecting to the dual SSDs and SODIMM slots, however that is labelled as much as make it easy to take away, too.
Okay, that is simply me taking plenty of phrases to say, ‘hey, it may not be a thin boi, however I actually just like the look and expertise of the brand new Legion.’
And I actually just like the efficiency of the brand new machine. That is outright essentially the most performant RTX 5080-toting gaming laptop computer I’ve examined to date, and whoever’s going to compete with Lenovo goes to have to actually pull some levers (and push the cooling array) to get their machines even on par with the Legion Professional 7i.
So sure, there’s an RTX 5080 cell GPU because the gaming coronary heart of this laptop computer, and as with many of the remainder of the pack we’re taking a look at a 175 W model of the Nvidia GPU. That is the highest RTX 5080 spec round, besides in our Metro Exodus Enhanced testing we by no means noticed the ability draw go a lot above the 150 W mark, with a median of 127 W.
It is a related story with all the opposite nominally 175 W GPUs I’ve checked out this yr, and arguably the Legion is one which pushes its {hardware} as onerous and so far as any others.
But it surely’s not simply in regards to the GPU inside this laptop computer, as a result of Lenovo has additionally seen match to drop an Arrow Lake-HX chip into its Gen 10 laptops, and right here which means an Intel Core Extremely 9 275HX. That is a 24-core hybrid chip, with eight full-fledged efficiency cores giving it the gaming grunt. And, whereas I’m very a lot into the AMD Ryzen AI chips for his or her environment friendly power-sipping efficiency, you can’t argue with the CPU grunt the newest Intel cell chips show.
You simply have to have a look at the relative Cinebench or Baldur’s Gate 3 efficiency numbers to see the delta between AMD and Intel on this one. Nonetheless, we have not seen AMD’s trump card but, the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D. That must be a gaming CPU powerhouse, although possible in far fewer notebooks than Intel can ship.
There may be additionally 32 GB DDR5-6400 in there, in two ranks of normal SODIMMs. Which is necessary as a result of Lenovo was actually responsible of some gross offences in opposition to gaming laptop computer reminiscence within the earlier era. It is one thing Alienware does, too, however nonetheless, solely slapping a single stick of 16 GB DDR5 reminiscence right into a gaming laptop computer is simply plain unsuitable.
Fortunately, Lenovo goes full dual-channel right here—with a single stick, even when it is quick reminiscence, you are getting half the bandwidth of utilizing two sticks, even including as much as the identical general capability.
It is also doubling up on storage, too, with a pair of 1 TB SK Hynix SSDs supplying you with choices as to the place to retailer your video games. It is not configured in any sort of RAID array—the PCIe 4 SSDs are lots quick sufficient for gaming wants—and so that you’re simply getting one speedy SSD in your OS and one other equivalent one for further knowledge. Easy, and efficient.
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And all of that beautiful cell silicon results in the Legion Professional 7i delivering usually the very best gaming efficiency out of any machine touting the identical core elements. Lenovo has tuned its system to the purpose the place it genuinely delivers on body charges. That is even true after we put it up in opposition to the RTX 5090 within the Razer Blade 16. Although that is not actually indicative of the kind of body charges you may get out of the highest RTX Blackwell GPU should you jammed it in a broad 18-inch chassis.
The Legion Professional 7i has the body charge edge in just about each recreation at 1080p, although issues are a contact nearer in terms of the 1600p exams. That mentioned, when you go into ‘real-world’ testing, utilizing DLSS and Body Era, the Lenovo lappy pulls out in entrance once more.
However, as you’ll little doubt count on from a gaming laptop computer evaluate, right here comes the anticipated, ‘nevertheless it ain’t half loud’ remark. And sure, operating the LegionSpace app and sticking the machine in Efficiency mode will make these followers quite noticeable. What I’ll say is that it is nowhere close to as ear-splitting because the racket that the Legion 9i I examined with an RTX 4090 will get at full velocity.
Not like the MSI Vector 16 HX AI and even the Gigabyte Aorus Grasp 16, knocking issues again to the Balanced mode is not notably satisfying from a gaming perspective, nonetheless. The place these machines tempered the fan noise however solely misplaced a contact of gaming efficiency, Lenovo’s setup appears to be quite extra aggressive in terms of limiting the GPU, whereas nonetheless letting the Intel processor go wild with its 5 GHz+ frequencies. Certain, you get decrease fan noise, however the fps tradeoff is way more distinguished.
That might be an enormous disgrace for the Legion Professional 7i if that have been the top of the story. Yay! Highest efficiency! Boo! A giant hit on the gaming mode that you’d really need to use! Fortunately, that LegionSpace app has a bit of trick up its digital sleeve I have been eager to see in laptops since I first acquired my mitts on a contemporary handheld gaming PC: Precise granular energy management.
The Customized setting is essentially the most configurable I’ve seen in any laptop computer, gaming or in any other case. It is one thing I have been crying out for with the Framework machines, and it is nice to see the extent of management Lenovo is letting its customers have.
You’ll be able to solely use it when the system is plugged into the wall, however once you do it reveals a sea of sliders permitting you to regulate the ability limits, each quick and long run, in addition to each the CPU -> GPU and GPU -> CPU Dynamic Enhance choices. It’s also possible to mess with the total 150 Watt configurable TGP of the graphics chip and set temperature limits on each the processor and the GPU.
It is tremendous granular, and allowed me to create a customized profile that knocked again the CPU calls for whereas bumping up the graphics card limits. That makes it a comparatively quiet, however nonetheless very highly effective, gaming mode. That is my new balanced mode, and that is the model I am sticking to.
I’ve not had this degree of freedom with the settings of a gaming laptop computer in a while—perhaps not ever—and I give large props to Lenovo for really not making an attempt to dumb these things down and belief its customers. Properly, belief them to an extent. Whereas there’s a enjoyable curve editor, that preliminary degree is the bottom on provide, not permitting you to go decrease and restrict the cooling to such an extent that it’d fry some silicon.
A pleasant visible contact is the Legion brand across the energy button lights up totally different colors to point which profile you’re utilizing and glows scorching pink—my private PC RGB desire—when in my new customized gaming mode.
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I do like that brand lighting quite a bit. Greater than I actually ought to, to be trustworthy. However surprisingly, it is the little issues with costly bits of equipment that may actually promote them. I really like the way in which it slowly flashes once you raise the lid and it wakes out of sleep, flashing sooner because it glows up into life earlier than going stable the moment the display screen comes on.
Talking of little issues, this is one I do not actually like: the trackpad. Now, it’s responsive and slippy in all the nice methods, nevertheless it feels nearly restrictively small. It’s completely useful, and its central placement beneath the spacebar means hitting a right-click is not as tricksy to get your muscle reminiscence round as with the frankly monumental Blade 16 pad, nevertheless it’s the one space the place the package deal does not really feel utterly premium.
Although every thing else does. I usually seek advice from Lenovo as the perfect within the enterprise in terms of laptop computer keyboards and the one on this Legion Professional 7i is usually good. Razer has upped its recreation, supplying you with extra journey on the keys, however Lenovo has been refining its design for years, and it is ace. There’s nice journey, there’s loads of area between the keys whereas nonetheless providing a full, and importantly accessible numpad.
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And the OLED display screen is wonderful. Even set at 66%, the display screen feels pleasingly vibrant in a well-lit springtime workplace, and the colors and distinction are impeccable. It is not too heat, there is a shiny coating which solely accentuates that pin-sharp distinction, and the 16-inch panel signifies that even at 1600p, there’s some actual wonderful pixel density proper right here.
The place there’s one main let-down—and it is solely within the face of enhancements from different producers—it is the battery life. Lenovo Legion machines have nearly all the time had appalling gaming battery life, and whereas the Legion Professional 7i is not the worst we have seen, sitting solely simply over the hour mark is disappointing for a GPU era that has been touting on-battery gaming.
Purchase if…
✅ You solely care about uncooked gaming efficiency: The Legion Professional 7i has this in spades, due to its massive chassis and high quality cooling, making it the laptop computer which constantly delivers the highest gaming efficiency nearly throughout the board.
✅ You need to tweak the ability and followers simply so: The customized profiling within the Legion Professional provides the top consumer an unprecedented degree of management over the ability the person gaming elements draw, permitting you to completely tailor your laptop computer expertise.
Do not buy if…
❌ You need to expertise the promised battery gaming of the RTX Blackwell era of laptops: The Legion Professional is a basic Lenovo gaming laptop computer, in that it actually doesn’t carry out for lengthy away from an influence supply.
Actually that is eminently doable with the RTX 5090 and Blade 16, however with the Legion Professional 7i, nonetheless, gaming on this factor’s battery actually is not. I partly blame the Intel CPU—as you possibly can see from the benchmarks, all the opposite Intel-based RTX 5080 machines come means behind the AMD-powered Razer—nevertheless it’s additionally all the way down to the tuning and effectivity of the Lenovo construct as an entire. This factor’s rocking a 99.9 Whr battery and should not be delivering such a poor degree of uptime whereas gaming. It is nowhere close to as dangerous once you’re not gaming, however that is not likely the purpose.
I am not likely going to carry that in opposition to the Legion an excessive amount of, although. It is a classical 16-inch gaming laptop computer, not one developed for gaming on the go, extra about gaming once you lastly attain your vacation spot and might plug in. And in that, it excels.
The beginning worth is steep, nonetheless. Particularly within the face of a Razer Blade 16 that prices a shade much less. What I’ll say is the Legion will confidently outperform the Razer machine with the identical RTX 5080, so if that is all you care about—and portability and on the go efficiency be damned—then the Legion Professional 7i has the sting.
It is also most likely value stating that final era’s greatest worth gaming laptop computer was arguably the Legion Professional 7i with an RTX 4080, which rapidly dropped in worth. And I would not be shocked to see this drop down beneath the $3,000 mark by the top of the yr.
I just like the clear, properly RGB-lit appears of the brand new Legion chassis, I am into the all-round efficiency of the system, and I completely love the extent of customisation the Lenovo Legion software program now affords its customers. I am nonetheless all the time going to be pining after the brand new Blade 16 as my go-to gaming laptop computer of alternative, however this can be a fairly shut second if all you need is straight line gaming efficiency.