Lenovo Legion 5i Review: A Powerful Gaming Laptop Undermined by Pricing Complexity

Balancing potent performance and a stunning OLED display with a convoluted purchasing experience.

The Lenovo Legion 5i 15IRX10 emerges as a compelling option in the gaming laptop market, boasting impressive performance capabilities, a visually striking OLED display, and a design that balances sturdiness with a degree of portability. However, its value proposition is significantly complicated by Lenovo’s perplexing pricing strategies, making it challenging for consumers to ascertain the most cost-effective configuration. While the core hardware delivers a robust gaming experience, potential buyers must navigate a landscape of varied and sometimes confusing price points to secure the best deal.

Source: PCWorld

Context & Background

Lenovo’s Legion series is positioned as a strong contender in the premium gaming laptop segment. The Legion 5i 15IRX10, specifically, represents an effort to offer a potent gaming machine at a more accessible price point within the broader Legion lineup. This particular model aims to bridge the gap between entry-level gaming laptops and the higher-end configurations, providing powerful processors and capable graphics cards without necessarily reaching the stratospheric price tags of top-tier gaming rigs. The review focuses on a specific configuration that, at the time of review, was priced at $1,199 via Walmart, presenting a notable value proposition. This contrasts with Lenovo’s own direct sales channels, where pricing and configuration options can appear less straightforward.

The competitive landscape for gaming laptops is fierce, with manufacturers constantly iterating on hardware and features to attract a discerning consumer base. Key considerations for gamers often include raw performance (CPU and GPU), display quality (resolution, refresh rate, color accuracy), build quality, thermal management, and battery life. The Legion 5i 15IRX10 enters this arena with a focus on delivering a strong overall package, but its success is heavily influenced by how its pricing aligns with its perceived value compared to competitors.

Source: PCWorld

In-Depth Analysis

Performance: A Solid Foundation for Gaming and Beyond

At its heart, the Lenovo Legion 5i 15IRX10 is engineered for performance. The reviewed configuration features an Intel Core i7-14700HX processor paired with an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU. This combination provides ample power for modern gaming titles, delivering respectable 1080p performance and handling demanding games like Metro Exodus and Cyberpunk 2077 with playable frame rates. The CPU, in particular, showcases strong multi-core performance in benchmarks like Cinebench, outperforming many competitors, including those with newer, albeit less powerful, processors. This robust CPU performance helps to prevent bottlenecks, allowing the RTX 5060 to operate closer to its full potential, as evidenced by its strong showing in 3DMark’s Port Royal test, where it significantly outpaced other systems with similar or even lower-tier GPUs.

The system’s ability to maintain consistent performance during sustained gaming sessions is also a notable positive. Thermal management appears effective, with fans keeping temperatures in check without becoming excessively loud. This consistency is crucial for an enjoyable gaming experience, preventing performance degradation during longer play periods. While the native 1600p resolution of the OLED display is appealing, achieving high frame rates at this resolution in graphically intensive titles like Cyberpunk 2077 might necessitate the use of upscaling technologies like DLSS, especially if targeting 60fps or higher.

Beyond gaming, the powerful internals make the Legion 5i 15IRX10 well-suited for everyday computing tasks and even lighter creative workloads. The inclusion of fast PCIe Gen4 SSD storage further contributes to the system’s overall responsiveness.

Source: PCWorld

Display: The OLED Star of the Show

The standout feature of the Lenovo Legion 5i 15IRX10 is undoubtedly its 15.1-inch OLED display. This panel offers a resolution of 2560×1600, a 165Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and VESA Trueblack 600 certification, creating a visually stunning experience for both gaming and general entertainment. OLED technology provides perfect contrast ratios and ultra-fast pixel response times, crucial for eliminating motion blur and ensuring crisp visuals in fast-paced games. The display’s ability to reach a brightness of 523 nits is also commendable, contributing to its excellent HDR capabilities. Color accuracy is another strong suit, with measured average dE1976 of 0.51 and a maximum of 1.33, making it suitable for color-sensitive work.

The high refresh rate complements the powerful internals, ensuring smooth gameplay. While the native 1600p resolution is a draw, it’s important to consider that pushing this resolution in demanding titles will require significant graphical horsepower. For many users, leveraging DLSS or other upscaling technologies at 1080p or a lower resolution while benefiting from the display’s quality might be a more practical approach to achieving consistently high frame rates.

Source: PCWorld

Design and Build Quality: Functional and Understated

The design of the Legion 5i 15IRX10 is characterized by a clean, understated aesthetic. The predominantly black color scheme, accented by the Legion logo and subtle branding, avoids overly aggressive “gamer” styling. The construction features a polycarbonate upper deck and an ABS plastic bottom, with a sturdy aluminum lid on the display adding a touch of premium feel. The base exhibits minimal flex, contributing to a sense of durability. The display bezels are modest, and the overall build is described as sturdy and decent, without being particularly remarkable.

The laptop’s dimensions and weight (4.3 pounds) contribute to a degree of portability, making it manageable for transport. The thermal design includes a rear thermal shelf to accommodate heat sinks and exhaust vents, a common and effective approach in gaming laptops. The underside features large rubber feet that ensure stability and promote airflow to the bottom-mounted fans. While the design is functional and well-executed, it does not push creative boundaries, offering a more subdued appearance compared to some flashier gaming laptops.

Source: PCWorld

Keyboard and Trackpad: Mixed Usability

The keyboard experience on the Legion 5i 15IRX10 is a mixed bag. While the keys are noted for their surprising stability and a pleasant dish that aids in tactile feedback, their “rubbery” travel and tendency to push fingers back on reset can feel unusual. Despite this initial oddity, typing speeds remained respectable, suggesting that users might adapt to the feel. The inclusion of a full-size arrow key cluster is a significant plus for usability, and the presence of a full number pad is also appreciated, though its slim keys can feel cramped.

The RGB lighting, with its 24 zones, is described as somewhat excessive for a system that doesn’t offer per-key customization. While it allows for smoother lighting effects, the limited customization and blending of zones reduce its practical appeal. Brightness adjustment requires Lenovo’s Legion Space software, as there is no dedicated shortcut key. The trackpad is functional but unremarkable, being somewhat small for the laptop’s size and positioned too far left, which can be awkward for right-handed users. Its Mylar surface also lacks the smoothness found on some competing laptops.

Source: PCWorld

Audio, Webcam, and Biometrics: Areas for Improvement

The audio system, while aided by the Nahimic app, is not a standout feature. It provides sufficient volume for gaming and movies, but some spoken content can be surprisingly quiet on default settings. The bottom-firing speakers offer limited stereo separation, detracting from an immersive audio experience.

The 5MP webcam delivers sharp images, but can appear soft and grainy in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. While its exposure management is natural, the lack of infrared technology means no Windows facial recognition. The absence of a fingerprint scanner further limits biometric authentication options. The microphone array also struggles in noisy environments, with background noise reduction coming at the expense of voice clarity, rendering speech unintelligible in busy settings. Even in quiet environments, the microphone quality is described as distant with noticeable room echo.

Source: PCWorld

Connectivity: Adequate but Unremarkable

The port selection on the Legion 5i 15IRX10 is functional but does not maximize the available space. It includes two USB-C ports (one with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 2.1, the other with DisplayPort 1.4), three USB-A ports, an RJ45 Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. The ports are somewhat awkwardly spaced on the sides. Notably, none of the USB ports offer higher speeds like 20Gbps or 40Gbps; the USB-A ports max out at 5Gbps, and the USB-C ports at 10Gbps.

Wireless connectivity is handled by a MediaTek card supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, which proved fast and reliable in testing, though a slight delay in reconnecting after sleep was noted. The charging port is conveniently located on the rear, alongside the HDMI port.

Source: PCWorld

Pricing: The Major Hurdle

The most significant criticism leveled against the Legion 5i 15IRX10 revolves around Lenovo’s pricing structure. The review highlights a significant discrepancy between the “Estimated Value” often displayed by Lenovo’s configurator and the actual retail price. While the tested configuration, closely matched by a Walmart offering at $1,199 (with 16GB RAM), presents a strong value, Lenovo’s first-party custom configuration tool is described as “unnavigable” and often results in significantly higher prices. For instance, configurations with upgraded CPUs or GPUs can quickly push the price towards $1,500-$2,000, at which point the laptop’s overall quality may not justify the cost when compared to similarly priced competitors.

The review notes that even base configurations can have inflated “Estimated Values” that don’t align with the actual sale price. This makes it difficult for consumers to determine the true cost and value of different options. The comparison between Raptor Lake and Arrow Lake configurations, for example, shows a relatively small price difference in Lenovo’s configurator, suggesting potential for better performance and battery life with the newer architecture, but at a higher overall cost that may not be as competitive.

Source: PCWorld

Battery Life: A Significant Drawback

As is often the case with powerful gaming laptops, the Legion 5i 15IRX10 struggles with battery longevity. In local video playback tests, the system managed less than four hours of runtime, a result considered poor even within the gaming laptop category. For general use, such as streaming movies or web browsing, the battery life is similarly limited, often lasting just over three hours. This means users will almost certainly need to keep the charger nearby for any extended use away from a power outlet.

Source: PCWorld

Pros and Cons

• Pros:
  • Respectable 1080p performance for gaming.
  • Excellent 1600p OLED display with high refresh rate and great color accuracy.
  • Fans are surprisingly quiet, contributing to a better user experience.
  • Reasonably portable at 4.3 pounds and a fairly thin profile for a gaming laptop.
  • Sturdy build quality with an aluminum display lid.
  • Potent CPU performance, particularly in multi-core tasks.
• Cons:
  • Lenovo’s pricing structure is confusing and often leads to inflated costs.
  • Short battery life, limiting on-the-go usability.
  • Keyboard feel is somewhat rubbery and may not suit all users.
  • Trackpad is small and positioned awkwardly for right-handed users.
  • Audio quality is average, with limited stereo separation.
  • Webcam quality is decent but can be soft/grainy in low light.
  • Microphone performance is poor in noisy environments.
  • Limited USB port speeds (max 10Gbps for USB-C).

Key Takeaways

• The Lenovo Legion 5i 15IRX10 offers strong gaming performance thanks to its Intel Core i7-14700HX CPU and RTX 5060 GPU.
• Its standout feature is the exceptional 15.1-inch 1600p OLED display, providing vibrant colors, deep blacks, and smooth motion with a 165Hz refresh rate.
• The laptop features a solid, understated design with good build quality, though it may not appeal to those seeking a more visually aggressive aesthetic.
• While the keyboard offers stable keys, its feel and RGB lighting implementation have some drawbacks.
• Battery life is a significant limitation, typically falling under four hours for video playback.
• The primary concern is Lenovo’s confusing and often overpriced direct sales and configuration system, making external retailers like Walmart a potentially better source for value.
• The system provides a balanced performance profile for both gaming and general productivity tasks.

Future Outlook

As the gaming laptop market continues to evolve, Lenovo’s Legion series is expected to see further iteration. Future models will likely incorporate newer generations of Intel and AMD processors, as well as the latest Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards. Improvements in display technology, such as higher refresh rates or even more advanced OLED panels, are also anticipated. However, the pricing strategy will remain a critical factor for consumer adoption. If Lenovo can streamline its purchasing process and offer more transparent and competitive pricing across its custom configurations, the Legion line has the potential to solidify its position as a top-tier choice for gamers seeking a balance of performance, features, and value.

The trend towards more efficient components and advanced power management could also lead to improved battery life in future gaming laptops, addressing one of the key weaknesses observed in the current Legion 5i model. Furthermore, advancements in AI-driven performance enhancements and cooling technologies will continue to shape the capabilities and user experience of these machines.

Call to Action

For consumers interested in the Lenovo Legion 5i 15IRX10, the recommendation is clear: carefully compare prices across different retailers, particularly looking for configurations that closely match the specs reviewed here. While Lenovo’s direct sales channels offer customization, the current pricing complexity makes it advisable to explore options from major online retailers like Walmart, which may offer a more straightforward path to acquiring this capable gaming laptop at a competitive price. Be prepared to invest in a quality gaming experience with the understanding that battery life will likely require a reliance on the included power adapter.

Ultimately, if the stunning OLED display and solid gaming performance align with your needs, and you can navigate the pricing to find a favorable deal, the Lenovo Legion 5i 15IRX10 presents a compelling package that punches above its weight in key areas, provided you can overlook its battery limitations and the complexities of its pricing structure.