Lenovo’s got a brand new set of Legion laptops coming this summer, and while they’re looking to be plenty powerful if you opt for the best CPUs and best graphics cards, it’s the inclusion of brand new RTX 3050 options on the new Lenovo Legion 5i’s low-end configurations that’s really piqued our interest.
| Lenovo Legion 5i 15 Inch | Lenovo Legion 5i 17 inch | Lenovo Legion 5i Pro | Lenovo Legion 7i | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to Intel Core i7-11800H | Up to Intel Core i7-11800H | Up to Intel Core i7-11800H | Up to Intel Core i9-11980HK |
| GPU | Up to RTX 3070 | Up to RTX 3070 | Up to RTX 3070 | Up to RTX 3080 |
| Memory | Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 | Up to 16GB DDR4-3200 | Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 | Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 |
| Storage | Up to 2TB SSD | Up to 2x 1TB SSD | Up to 2x 1TB SSD | Up to 2TB SSD + Up to 32GB Intel Optane |
| Display | 15.6 inch, IPS Up to 2560 x 1440, Up to 165Hz, G-Sync Optional | 17.3 inch, 1920 x 1080, IPS, Up to 144Hz | 16 inch, 2560 x 1600, IPS, 165Hz, HDR, G-Sync | 16 inch, 2560 x 1600, IPS, 165Hz, HDR, G-Sync |
| Starting Price | $969 | $969 | $1,329.99 | $1,769 |
| NA Release Date | July 2021 | July 2021 | July 2021 | July 2021 |
The base Lenovo Legion 5i starts at $969, which is pretty impressive for an Ampere laptop. That price point comes thanks to the new RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti, which will be available in both the Lenovo Legion 5i (15 and 17 inch models) and 5i Pro (which is internally identical to the 5i except for its 16 inch size, storage options and screen). Of course, you can still push these laptops up to an RTX 3070, but with RTX 30-series cards already being so hard to find, it’s encouraging to see these laptops starting at a more accessible price point.
Accompanying those RTX cards is your choice between the Intel Core i7-11400H and the slightly more powerful i7-11800H, plus a bevy of different RAM, storage and display options based on your configuration’s size. The 15 inch 5i tops out at 32GB of RAM and a single 2TB SSD, while 17 inch models have to settle for a maximum of 16GB of RAM and 2 different 1TB SSDs. The 5i Pro splits the difference with a maximum of 32GB of RAM and 2 different 1TB SSDs.
Display options are also a bit more luxurious on the smaller models. The 17 inch Legion 5i only goes up to 1080p @ 144Hz, while the 15 inch 5i can go up to 1440p @ 165Hz with G-Sync. The 5i Pro, which is 16 inches large, pushes the fidelity further with a 16:10 aspect ratio, hitting a resolution of 2560 x 1600. The 5i Pro also has a 165Hz refresh rate, HDR and G-Sync. All of these monitors are IPS.
The 15 inch 5i and 5i Pro also have two different color options each. The 5i comes in both black and white, while the 5i Pro comes in gray and white. The 17 inch 5i only comes in black. Visually, all three laptops look similar, although the 5i Pro has a light-up logo on its lid.
If you want to go even more powerful, there’s also the 16 inch Lenovo Legion 7i, which drops the RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti GPU options in favor of an RTX 3080 config. The 7i also has an option for an Intel Core i9-11980HK chip, making it the only i9 laptop in this lineup. RAM can go up to 32GB and SSD storage up to 2TB, but there’s also an option to add on Intel Optane storage up to 32GB. As for display, you’ll get the same 16:10 display as on the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro.
The Legion 7i only comes in gray, and has RGB zones around its sides.
All of Lenovo’s new Legion laptops will launch in July, 2021. The 15 inch and 17 inch Legion 5i will both start at $969, while the Legion 5i Pro will start at $1,329. The Lenovo Legion 7i will begin at $1,769.