If there’s anything that hasn’t suffered over the course of the pandemic, it’s gaming. People, stuck at home, with nothing but work and Netflix for company always have the ever-reliable virtual world to fall back on when the shows have been watched, and the snacks have been eaten. Legion, the gaming sub-brand of Lenovo, knows this, and is more than willing to oblige, with the Intel-powered Legion 5i. Is this another winning device or should you pass this model up? Read on and find out.
Design: 4.5/5
The design of the current Legion laptops can be somewhat polarizing, we admit, but the no-nonsense lines, simple black shell, and no-frills branding work in its favor. It’s not a gaming laptop that is keen to show off its gaming pedigree but instead keeps it low-key. A simple matte black on the shell with subtle Legion branding off to one side keeps things understated and classy. This appeals strongly to my own aesthetic, being an older gamer. If, like myself, you want the power of a gaming laptop without the stigma of carrying a device that looks a little too young for your age, then the Legion 5i knocks it right out of the park. It looks dignified but packs a punch where it counts: under the hood.
Hardware: 4/5
Here’s where things get interesting. Once you take a peek at the specs, any illusion of it being a boring business laptop dissolves into high-FPS, smooth refresh rate goodness. The ticking heart of this model is the 11th generation Intel Core™ i5-11400H processor humming away at a steady 2.7GHz unboosted. Play and stream the latest AAA titles at peak performance on the Legion 5i with up to 5.1GHz clock speeds, 8 cores, 16 MB of Intel®Smart Cache, Intel®Thermal Velocity Boost, Intel®Dynamic Tuning, and Intel®Wi-Fi 6. The 11th Gen Intel Core processor is paired with a very healthy 16GB serving of RAM, and 512 GB of Gen 4 SSD storage. What really makes it a gaming laptop though, is the inclusion of discrete graphics, in this case, a Geforce RTX 3060m with 6GB of GDDR6 VRAM for that ray–tracing goodness you want.
The 15.6-inch screen also boasts a 1080p panel and 165Hz refresh rate for buttery-smooth gameplay. It’s plenty bright, so it’s not likely you’re going to have to max out the brightness in normal use.
The keyboard is evenly RGB backlit for convenience and gaming chops.
Ports are plentiful. You have a USB port on the right edge for easy access, the left edge is home to a USB-C port and the 3.5mm jack, and the rest of the ports are neatly arranged on the back “chin” of the laptop, near the vents. There, you’ll find two more USB ports, another powered USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port that supports 100 Watt PD Charging, the HDMI port, and a power connector. There’s also a LAN port, for rock-steady connectivity if you’re close enough to a cable, or if you won’t want the convenience of the built-in Wi-Fi.
User Experience: 4.5/5
Just as the stylish, understated externals belie the savage hardware it carries, we’ll look at the Legion 5i in a Jekyll and Hyde fashion.
A good laptop, gaming or otherwise, needs a good keyboard, and the TrueStrike keyboard on the Legion 5i is excellent. Along with the even RGB backlighting, the feel is positive, and the keys sink pleasantly into the chassis with each press. The keyboard’s soft-landing switches give it great tactile response for typing long work emails, filling out spreadsheets, and quick WASD inputs, and even some furious BM over text chat.
The screen is wide, bright, and crisp. Editing long paragraphs of text, searching websites for references in side-by-side windows, and long workdays are pleasant as there’s no perceptible flicker, lowering eye strain. It also has a high 165Hz refresh rate, so when bullets are flying and your gaming session gets hectic, you won’t miss any of the action. Even with bright, fast-paced titles like Overwatch or Valorant, nothing gets lost in a blur of colors and jagged frames. The RTX 3060 can really do the business and doesn’t struggle even on demanding titles such as Resident Evil Village, or with lots of particles and effects such as in WWZ.
For online meetings, the Legion 5i does have a webcam (with a physical switch, for privacy), and while it’s more than adequate for an online class or office brainstorming session, streaming your gaming session might be a little too much for the little built-in unit, even with better lighting.
The speakers will likewise serve you well enough for a quick chat with colleagues or get you through an online class, but then the business casual attire comes off, and the RGB switches on, you’re going to want to switch to headphones, as the built-in, bottom-firing speakers lack the clarity and volume you’re going to want to have when gaming. The fan does tend to get loud when thermals spike, which won’t really happen that often in a cold room, but in an un-airconditioned location, you’ll have to put up with significant fan noise. It’s not the worst offender by far, but you’ll definitely know it’s running.
A massive bonus that bears mentioning is Legion Ultimate Support (LUS). Basically, this device is the first in the country that will offer the LUS warranty that gives users access to the same Premium Care warranty coverage including local onsite repair, international carry-in warranty with more on top. The technicians are themselves gamers, so they know the common problems and gripes gamers have, they’re equipped to ask application-specific questions AND can answer questions related to in-game settings and game-related concerns. Think of it as specialist gamer support for three years. That’s excellent service right there.
Battery life is great for working. You can squeeze out a day’s worth of power out of it with no real problem, using the right settings. This means you can conceivably leave the power brick at home, and just pop the laptop in your work bag without having outlet anxiety. For gaming though, you’re really going to want the power brick with you, as on full tilt, you’re going to struggle to get more than an hour of gaming out of the battery. The 230 or 300-Watt brick does have a bit of heft to it, so if you plan to do some traveling with this device, leave a little extra room in your bag.
Value: 4.5/5
The overall package is a compelling one. This mid-range Legion 5i delivers the goods: great looks, solid performance for both work and gaming, and legendary Lenovo reliability to boot. For a gaming laptop with a price starting PHP79,995, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find reasonable competition.
What’s Hot:
- Great build
- Intel + Nvidia is a solid combination Great mid-tier performance
- AMAZING 3-Year Legion Ultimate Support warranty
What’s Not:
- Speakers aren’t the clearest or loudest
- Fan noise is noticeable when it really starts going
Bottomline:
Those in the market for a really solid gaming laptop that won’t break the bank need not look any further than this fine example from Lenovo.
For more information, visit legion.lenovo.com
