Lenovo Legion 5i 16″ Gaming Laptop Review
In the world of gaming laptops, the Lenovo Legion 5i has carved a niche for itself with its robust performance, stylish design, and gamer-friendly features. This gaming beast doesn’t just cater to hardcore gamers, but also appeals to professionals and casual users alike. Let’s delve deeper into what makes the Lenovo Legion 5i, equipped with a 14th Gen Intel i9-14900HX processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, and other impressive specifications, a standout choice in the gaming laptop market.
Specifications Overview
Display
The Lenovo Legion 5i features a 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600 pixels) PureSight display with a high refresh rate of 165Hz. This high resolution combined with the refresh rate provides an immersive visual experience, making it ideal for fast-paced gaming. The screen is bright, vibrant, and capable of rendering stunning visuals thanks to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060’s support for ray tracing and DLSS technology.
Performance
At the heart of the Legion 5i is the Intel 14th Gen Core i9-14900HX processor, which boasts a turbo boost capability of up to 5.8GHz, 24 cores, and 32 threads. This powerful CPU allows for seamless multitasking and exceptional performance in demanding applications and games. Coupled with up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, the laptop handles everything from heavy gaming to creative workloads with ease.
Graphics
The dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 with 8GB of GDDR6 memory ensures that the laptop can handle modern games at high settings, delivering smooth frame rates and stunning graphics. Whether you are playing the latest AAA titles or engaging in resource-intensive tasks like video editing, the graphics card excels at rendering lifelike visuals.
Storage
With a 1TB SSD, the Legion 5i provides ample storage for games, software, and media files. The SSD not only offers a spacious storage solution but also enhances the overall speed of the system, ensuring faster boot times and quick application loading.
Connectivity and Build Quality
The laptop is well-equipped with multiple connectivity options, including five USB 3.0 ports and WiFi 6E capabilities, ensuring you can connect all your peripherals without any hassle. The build quality is robust, designed to withstand the rigors of gaming while remaining lightweight at just 5.2 pounds. The laptop’s design is sleek, with a subtle gamer aesthetic that avoids being overly flashy.
Keyboard and Additional Features
The 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard adds a touch of personalization and enhances the gaming experience in low-light conditions. The inclusion of a 1080p webcam with an electronic privacy shutter is a thoughtful addition for gamers who also engage in streaming or video calls. Windows 11 Pro comes pre-installed, providing users with an updated interface and improved security features.
User Experiences
Users have praised the Lenovo Legion 5i for its performance and durability. One reviewer noted that after two years of usage, the laptop is still running flawlessly, even surviving a significant fall. Another user, who has built computers since 1999, expressed satisfaction with the laptop’s performance, highlighting the quick startup and minimal bloatware. They appreciated that they could easily upgrade the laptop’s storage.
Some users pointed out that while the battery life could be a downside, especially during gaming sessions, the performance when plugged in compensated for it. Many noted that the laptop managed to run demanding games like Call of Duty: Warzone at impressive frame rates without significant drops.
While a few users expressed concerns regarding the battery life, with some stating it lasts only about two hours unplugged, they still deemed the investment worthwhile given the laptop’s gaming prowess.
Final Thoughts
The Lenovo Legion 5i 16″ Gaming Laptop is an outstanding choice for anyone looking for a powerful and versatile gaming machine. Its combination of high-end specifications, robust performance, and gamer-centric features makes it a compelling option in today’s competitive market.
Rating: 4.5/5
Pros:
- Powerful Intel i9 processor and NVIDIA RTX 4060 graphics.
- Stunning WQXGA display with a 165Hz refresh rate.
- Excellent build quality and sleek design.
- Ample connectivity options.
- Upgradeable RAM and storage.
Cons:
- Battery life could be improved for unplugged gaming.
- Slightly heavier than some competitors.
In conclusion, the Lenovo Legion 5i stands out as a gaming laptop that delivers on all fronts—performance, graphics, and overall user experience. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer, a creative professional, or someone who simply enjoys high-performance computing, this laptop is well worth considering.
Tharindu L –
The computer arrived quickly, within a week. Unfortunately, the package was damaged and open, likely due to customs and shipping issues. However, the laptop is working great for my needs, which include design, data analysis, and occasional gaming.
Brian –
I’ve been building my own computers since 1999, so I know what I need and what it costs. I typically avoid the latest models, preferring to stick with hardware that’s about a year old, which has worked well for me. However, on a friend’s recommendation, I decided to try a gaming laptop this time, and I’m thoroughly impressed. While it may not be the Legion 7, it’s new and has everything I require. It boots up quickly, has minimal bloatware, and after adding a 1TB drive, setting up my local account, and updating everything, I was ready to jump into MW. It’s a fantastic machine. I plan to upgrade to the 80-watt battery for an extra power boost. Overall, I’m very satisfied with my purchase and highly recommend it.
Quick update: This laptop continues to impress. I’ve enabled the HDR setting without any problems. While 4K runs at 60 fps, the picture quality is exceptional and doesn’t overly stress the processor or graphics card. I suggest upgrading the RAM; it comes with 16GB of DDR4, which is sufficient for most tasks, but upgrading to 32GB provides significantly better performance.
I recommend getting a stand for improved airflow. I love AMD, but they do run hotter compared to Intel. Fortunately, this laptop has a great cooling system as long as the bottom vents are clear. Heat can be a real issue.
Windows 11 has proven to be a solid operating system. I found an inexpensive metal stand that works perfectly. As someone who works in Engineering IT and has experience with every OS since Windows 95, I’ve seen the good and the bad.
Just my two cents; I hope this helps others!
Cel –
I’ve been using this gaming laptop for two years, and it has been flawless. It handles all games up to Ryzen 7 without any problems. Even after a rough fall, it continues to perform perfectly.
Syrus Sheely –
If you’re looking for a modern laptop without spending a fortune, I believe this is a solid choice as of June 2022.
Daen –
I had my eye on this particular computer for some time and initially planned to purchase it directly from Lenovo, as the price was the same as on Amazon. However, the Lenovo version was the base model with lower specs, including a less powerful graphics card and screen. It’s been nearly two months since I bought it, but I recall that there were 5 or 6 upgraded features that would have set me back almost $2000 if I’d gone through Lenovo. The battery life is disappointing, lasting only about two hours without being plugged in, and it performs noticeably worse in gaming when not connected to power. Despite these drawbacks, the machine excels in gaming performance. I haven’t encountered a game that doesn’t run above 60fps, and it handles Warzone on maximum settings at around 115-125 frames. I’m not being compensated for this, so you can trust my review if you’ve read this far. Overall, it’s a solid investment if battery life isn’t a major concern for you.
Daen –
I’ve been using my Lenovo Legion 5 with an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H and a 3050ti GPU for two years now. It originally came with 16GB of RAM, which I upgraded to 32GB. This laptop has been dropped, overworked, taken apart, and reassembled—it’s even had two screen replacements. The trackpad has been non-functional for a few weeks, so I’ve switched to a wireless mouse. There’s a noticeable gap between the screen and the frame because I removed the internal metal supports, thinking the new screen would come with them. Some internal components are bent, but since it runs fine, I’ve left them as is. Occasionally, it shuts down or freezes when dropped, but restarting resolves the issue. The lid is slightly bent, and the plastic casing has numerous scratches and pitting from using a knife to open it. I’ve replaced both screens myself; during the first attempt, I forgot to disconnect the battery, which resulted in some sparks when reconnecting the old, broken screen. Despite all this, it still handles my games, especially physics simulations like Flyout, Simple Rockets 2, and From the Depths, as well as BeamNG (on lower graphics) and War Thunder, without any issues. I plan to keep it for at least another year or two before considering an upgrade, even though I can afford a new one. I’m a loyal Lenovo customer.
TL;DR: This abused laptop has stood the test of time for two years.
Rogelio Gomez –
I purchased it for 3800 SAR, which is a reasonable price for the specifications. When I first turned it on, I encountered a few issues, but after updating the system, it runs perfectly! Right now, I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings with DLSS2 on performance mode, getting frame rates between 40 to 66. If you switch to ultra performance mode, the game becomes very smooth, but the quality takes a hit. That’s all for now…
Fabián Calderón –
Initially, I encountered a few problems due to some unusual BIOS updates from Lenovo that caused the laptop to run inconsistently for a couple of years. However, those issues have since been resolved, and it has become a reliable device for me. The screen quality and refresh rate are impressive, and the RGB keyboard adds a nice touch. I haven’t experienced any hardware issues in two years—knock on wood. The 3050 Ti is a bit sluggish, but with modest settings and some optimization, achieving 60fps on AAA games is quite manageable.
Sam DeAngelo –
This computer is excellent! I purchased it for gaming, and everything runs smoothly as long as it’s charging or has at least 25% battery. I’ve played games like Resident Evil 4, Tomb Raider, Fortnite, Little Nightmares II, GTA SA, Minecraft, Geometry Dash, OSU Mania, Friday Night Funkin mods, heavy Roblox games, and Psi Ops—all at maximum settings without any lag.
I know some of these games aren’t extremely demanding, but they suit my needs perfectly, and I’m confident it can handle anything I throw at it. My previous computer struggled just to open Google, so this is a huge upgrade!
The design is sleek and appealing; it has a gaming aesthetic without being overly flashy like other options. Plus, the computer performs exactly as advertised—no complaints here. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to play lighter games on max settings or heavier ones on medium/low settings. For my purposes, it’s fantastic!
Jason –
This laptop comes equipped with everything you need for wireless VR gaming, though it’s worth noting that the Quest 2 currently doesn’t support Windows 11. I’m optimistic that support will arrive soon as Windows 11 becomes more prevalent.
The computer is impressively fast, booting up in under 10 seconds, and the setup process was straightforward. I’ve encountered no operational issues. To enhance cooling, I added rubber stick-on pads to raise the back of the laptop by a quarter inch, which seems to have reduced the fan’s frequency and intensity—this was the only downside I came across in reviews prior to my purchase, and it appears to have resolved the issue.
I highly recommend this computer if you’re looking for an affordable gaming option without breaking the bank. It offers excellent value with all the necessary features.
suuz –
I had heard great things about the Legion, and I was pleasantly surprised by the price. It took a bit longer to arrive due to the holiday season, but it came without any issues.
This is the 2021 model, featuring a MUX switch, G-Sync, FreeSync, and 16GB of RAM, though I swapped in my own 32GB.
The cooling system is excellent; it rarely exceeds 85 degrees while gaming, especially since I have it elevated.
The battery life is quite short, but I know a larger battery can be purchased since there’s space for it.
I removed the Ventage software and installed Lenovo Legion Toolkit, which I prefer.
Regarding the warranty, it initially shows only 2 or 3 months left, but you can contact Lenovo to have it updated.
The main issue I see is that it seems the warranty isn’t valid here in Mexico.
رائد –
Invest your money wisely. This laptop outperforms most current-generation Intel CPUs, despite being a 2021 model. The RTX 3050 Ti handles tasks exceptionally well, and there are numerous connectivity options. I purchased it for both productivity and gaming, and it has proven to be worth the investment. After using it for a couple of days, I’m extremely satisfied with its performance. The build quality is impressive, and it’s a great-looking device, topped off with a fantastic Lenovo keyboard that everyone loves.
A couple of notes: