Gaming on a laptop can be quite a fuss, as players usually sacrifice graphical and computing power when compared to playing the same titles on a desktop. However, with the increasing capabilities of the latest CPUs and GPUs for laptops, the sacrifice is becoming less of an issue.
Gaming laptops with 12th-Gen Intel Core processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs allow gamers to play their favourite games at high settings without any compromise. The 2022 edition of Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is one such gaming laptop which proves this increase of capabilities and increased freedom for gamers. It features both the 12th-gen Intel Core CPUs and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs to offer good specifications on paper.
Over the course of two weeks, I tested the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro to see if it can offer a gaming experience that is comparable to its high price point and beyond. So, did it match my expectations? Let’s see if Lenovo has made a competent product that can stand apart in the crowded market of gaming laptops.
Lenovo Legion 5i Pro Specs
Before I talk about all aspects of the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, here are the specifications of the review unit at my disposal:
- Model: Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16IAH7H
- Processor: Intel 12th-Gen Core i9-12900H (14 cores: 6 P-Cores and 8 E-Cores for a total of 20 threads)
- Graphic Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU (150W)
- Display: 16-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS display with 165Hz refresh rate, 16:10 aspect ratio, 100% sRGB color gamut coverage, and peak brightness of 500 nits
- Memory: 32 GB DDR5 RAM with 4800 MT/s speed.
- Storage: 1 TB PCIe Gen4 TLC M.2 SSD
- Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 4 (USB 4.0 40Gbps), 2x Type-C USB 3.2 Gen-2 (One with Power Delivery support of up to 135W), 2x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen-1, 1x Type-A USB 3.2 Gen-1 (Always on port), 1x HDMI, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3.5mm Headphone/mic combo port, and 1x power connector.
- Dimensions: 36 x 26.44 x 2 cm (W x D x H)
- Weight: 2.49 kg
- Webcam: 720p with Electronic Privacy Shutter
- Power Supply: 300W power adapter
- Battery: 80Wh Lithium-Polymer with support for Super Rapid Charge (0-30 percent in 10 minutes).
- Price: Rs. 2,21,990
Performance of the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro
With the 12th Gen Intel Core i9-12900H CPU and the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU, I expected the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro to perform well while gaming and boy did it perform!
As part of our gaming benchmarks testing, we play several current AAA titles in various genres at the max settings at FHD (1920 x 1080) resolution. This allows us to compare the review laptop with its competition both in terms of the specifications as well as the price.
Talking about the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, as the benchmarks suggest, the laptop has all the goods for gaming. And it’s not just at 1080p resolution, as I also found impressive performance with the resolution cranked up to 1600p. So, if you’re looking to enjoy your favorite AAA titles at a step below 4K, then the Legion 5i Pro has you covered. Here is the average FPS across 12 AAA titles at highest settings and FHD resolution.
Along with gaming, we also tested the Legion 5i Pro on multiple benchmarks to see how it fares among its contemporaries.
For the most part, I did not experience any frame drops and hiccups during normal use. Even in demanding games during extended sessions, there was never any instance of extreme stuttering which may have ruined my experience. In the end, it’s fair to say that the Legion 5i Pro won’t give you any trouble, when it comes to performance thanks to its impressive hardware.
Thermals and Battery of the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro
The performance of the Legion 5i Pro is aided by the Legion Coldfront 4.0 thermal system, which features a five-heat pipe layout alongside dual fans.
During average use, the system barely breaks a sweat while dissipating the heat. Legion 5i Pro feels cool as it can be and kicks into high gear while gaming or other intensive applications.
To test the thermal limits of the system, I tried out Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 at max settings, with the resolution set at 1440p. To my surprise, the CPU temperatures barely reached the thermal throttling range. At its peak the core temperature stayed around 90° C. On the other hand, the GPU temperatures jumped between 85° C and 90° C on various occasions.
The impressive thermal performance does come at a cost though as the fans tend to be a bit loud. However, it’s no worry for a guy like me, who is used to hearing jet engines when he turns on his Sony PS4. If you are bothered by slightly louder fans, we would suggest you get a pair of wired or wireless headphones or earphones to drown out the fan noise.
With regards to battery life, I tested the Legion 5i Pro by running a video playback on 50% brightness. This resulted in the battery lasting around five hours, which is middle of the pack for laptops with 1600p resolution displays. Unsurprisingly, the battery performance tanks during gaming and Legion 5i Pro barely makes it to the 2-hour mark. This is in line with most gaming laptops in the market.
Despite a below-average battery life, the Legion 5i Pro’s battery is saved by the “Super Rapid Charge” feature. This allows you to charge the laptop from 0 to 60% in around 25 minutes.
Design
Instead of jam-packing the laptop with RGB lighting, Lenovo takes a rather simple approach with the design of the Legion 5i Pro. My review unit came with a color option called “Stingray White”. Lenovo also offers the laptop in a “Storm Gray” color variant.
The only bit of branding is the massive Legion logo, which is found on the top side (on the back side of the display) of the Lenovo gaming laptop. Keeping in line with the low-profile design motto, the logo does not light up. The only bit of light emitting from the laptop other than the screen obviously, comes from the backlit keyboard.
Legion 5i Pro also has small bezels surrounding the 16:10 aspect ratio screen. Lenovo has also added a slight ridge to accommodate the webcam on the top of the display. The company has also added an electronic shutter that can be controlled using the privacy button on the laptop’s right side.
When it comes to the build quality of the laptop, Lenovo 5i Pro features a sturdy aluminum built with a premium design. The company has added a good feeling, sturdy display hinge along with plastic interiors to maintain the weight. In the end, it’s safe to say that Lenovo scores quite well at providing a solid gaming laptop that can easily blend in both professional and gaming settings.
Lenovo Legion 5i Pro Display and Audio
The display of the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is one of its strongest aspects. The 16-inch WQXGA IPS display has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. This panel works brilliantly in a variety of environments ranging from gaming, office work, internet browsing, or even content consumption while watching your favorite films or TV shows on OTT platforms.
High, 165 Hz refresh rate is definitely a bonus as any movement on the screen appears smooth like butter, especially while gaming. The screen offers vibrant colors with ample brightness. This makes the Legion 5i Pro a decent pick to use in sunny outdoors or with bright interior lighting.
On the audio side of things, there’s not much to write about. There is nothing to praise or criticize around the audio performance of the Legion 5i Pro. The speakers at the bottom offer ample loudness while barely providing any bass and treble. In the end, it’s fair to say that I often had my headphones connected to the Legion 5i Pro’s 3.5-mm audio jack.
Keyboard and Trackpad
The Legion 5i Pro comes with Lenovo’s Legion TrueStrike Keyboard. Mind you, this model has a full-sized keyboard with NUM keys. There’s ample travel between the keys, and the switches felt like a breeze during typing.
While both the color variants of the Legion 5i Pro are quite similar, they do differ slightly when it comes to the keyboard. While Stingray White model that I tested only has blue keyboard backlighting, the Storm Gray variant does have four-zone RGB backlighting. So, if you’re looking for any gaming aesthetic with Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, then I might suggest looking into the latter. However, if you like the Stingray White model then the blue backlight gets very bright with multiple brightness levels.
Moving on to the trackpad, it is placed a bit off-center to the left. It is sized quite well even though the buttons aren’t necessarily the most tactile that I’ve seen from a gaming laptop. Regardless, the trackpad offers a nice finish ensuring a problem-free experience while scrolling around mindlessly on the internet for hours.
Software and Miscellaneous
On the software side of the things, the Legion 5i Pro comes with the Lenovo Vantage. The application offers a ton of details regarding system temperature, usage rate, and more. It also includes various CPU and memory overclocking options along with multiple Thermal profiles that users can choose depending on their use case. Vantage also allows users to take care of the device warranty, support, and more.
The 720p HD camera won’t blow your mind. However, the microphone did sound decent during calls on apps like Zoom, Google Meet, and more.
Should you buy the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro or not?
If you’re looking for an all-out gaming machine, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, thanks to its impressive CPU, GPU, display, and thermal performance.
Though the laptop does not come with any major downsides. But the laptop is on the heavy side when compared to its contemporaries. The stealth white look with no RGB lighting might put you (and the gamer inside) off as well.
At the steep price of over Rs. 2,20,000, the Legion 5i Pro is on the higher end of the cost spectrum. With manufacturers like Asus and Acer offering similar hardware at a slightly lower price, buyers might want to look out elsewhere before finalizing their purchase of the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro.
Even with the performance, it is worth noting that 12th-gen Intel CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000 series GPU powered laptops are already outdated. Laptop makers like MSI, and HP have already launched gaming laptops packed with 13th-gen Intel CPUs and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000 series GPUs in India. Considering the price of a new gaming laptop, I am sure that you would rather want to get a device with the latest hardware. As more newer laptops launch in the market, the pricing for the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is likely to tumble.
With the overview of the performance, price, and outdated hardware, Legion 5i Pro is currently at a tough spot. If you are happy with the performance, have the budget and need something right now then Legion 5i Pro won’t disappoint you. For everyone else, we would suggest they wait for laptops with the latest hardware or Legion 5i Pro at a cheaper price.
The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is packed with hardware and thermal components that will provide peak performance for any use case. While it may not have the gamer RGB aesthetic, the premium design of the Legion 5i Pro helps it blend in any environment. But the package does come at a cost (and outdated hardware) while other gaming laptop makers like Asus and Acer offer both similar as well as latest-generation hardware at a slightly cheaper price point.
If you don’t mind outdated hardware, have the money, and need something now, go ahead. Otherwise wait for gaming laptops with 13th-Gen Intel (or AMD Ryzen 7000 series Zen 4) CPUs and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4000 series GPUs.
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