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[2020/21] Lenovo Gaming laptops line-up – detailed round-up, specs, benchmarks, and prices
Lenovo as a brand has really stepped up and found something that they can differentiate their devices with. Many other popular brands in the gaming laptop space, like ASUS, Acer, and so on, have always made their machines stand out as gaming-oriented, implementing aggressive designs and RGB lighting that is all over the place.
Lenovo, on the other hand, has devised a brilliant strategy to make their devices one of a kind and really be a pioneer with their new design philosophy that we like to call “Incognito gaming”.
Not only that, but their devices also offer great performance and plenty of features that can suit both your gaming and business needs. And since it is the end of the year, we like to summarise every brand’s gaming laptop lineup and give you a quick rundown, starting from the best that they offer and going down the list, until you find a device that is just right for you, considering both the specs and the price.
Lenovo Legion 7 (15)
This laptop, being Lenovo’s flagship model, comes with the best available hardware, which includes the Core i9-10980HK and the RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q.
Not only does it have this level of hardware, but Lenovo has also found a way to keep its internals in very respectable temperatures, having implemented a vapor chamber that does a fantastic job. That is why it took the Gold in our Top 7 Gaming Laptops with the best cooling systems ranking.
Other than that, the notebook is mainly made out of aluminum, with some plastic bits here and there. The design is subdued and classy.
Lenovo Legion 7 (15): Full Specs / In-depth Review
Lenovo Legion 7 / 7i (15" Intel, 2020) series
- GPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q (90W) #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q (80W)NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER Max-Q #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (Laptop) #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Laptop) #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (Laptop) #12 in Top GPUs
- Dimensions
- 359.3 x 259 x 19.9 mm (14.15" x 10.20" x 0.78")
- Weight
- 2.25 kg (5 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $1539.00
Lenovo Legion 7 / 7i (15" Intel, 2020) in-depth review
Once again, Lenovo is trying to make our life easier. By scrapping the previous naming system, they have introduced a more simple, and easier to remember one - like the Legion 5 and Legion 7. Today, we have the more premium of the two - the Legion 7 (15). Apart from the name, there is little more that has changed in comparison to the Legion Y740. Largely, the design remains the same, but there are some neat little tunes here and there, but let's save that for later.What is more important here is the hardware. Lenovo is offering you a choice of pretty much the entire Comet Lake-H series of[...]
Pros
- Aluminum design and good build quality
- Large arrow keys, RGB backlight, and clicky feedback.
- Thunderbolt certification and two M.2 slots with RAID 0 support
- The display doesn't flicker at any brightness level (BOE NV156FHM-NY6)
- 570 nits of maximum brightness, comfortable viewing angles and good contrast ratio (BOE NV156FHM-NY6)
- The 144Hz unit has quick response times and covers roughly 130% of sRGB (BOE NV156FHM-NY6)
- Handles the beefy hardware pretty well
Cons
- Lacks an SD card reader
- Gets quite warm on the outside
Lenovo Legion Slim 7/7i 15
Since this laptop is offered with both Intel and AMD CPUs, we’ll talk about both of them, starting off with the Intel-based model. The device comes equipped with up to an Intel Core i9-10980HK, which can serve a variety of different purposes, besides gaming. The best available GPU with it is the RTX 2060 Max-Q.
The notebook is offered with a variety of displays with the top option being a UHD IPS panel, which offers punchy and crips images. Compared to the laptop above it loses the RTX 2080 SUPER Max-Q and the vapor chamber cooling.
Lenovo Legion Slim 7 (15): Full Specs
Lenovo Legion Slim 7i / S7 (15" Intel, 2020) series
- Dimensions
- 356 x 250 x 15.9 ~ 17.9 mm (14.02" x 9.84" x 0.63")
- Weight
- 1.86 kg (4.1 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $0.00
Continuing with the AMD model, it too offers quite the CPU choices, with the best configuration coming with the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H, which is a beast both for gaming and productivity and currently holds the #3 spot in our Top Laptop CPU Ranking.
Other than that it is pretty much the same device, with a weight of 1.86kg and a profile of 17.9mm, making for a pretty portable machine.
Lenovo Legion Slim 7i (15): Full Specs
Lenovo Legion Slim 7 / S7 (15″ AMD, 2020) series
- Dimensions
- 356 x 250 x 15.9 ~ 17.9 mm (14.02" x 9.84" x 0.63")
- Weight
- 1.86 kg (4.1 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $0.00
Lenovo Legion 5/5i (17)
Once again, there are two versions of this device: one that utilizes the AMD platform, and the other, which uses the Intel platform. This time we’ll talk about the AMD first.
As we have said before, Lenovo has implemented a very non-intrusive design, and while the laptop mainly uses plastic for its build, it is a high-quality one and makes the machine feel quite solid and sturdy.
Going over to the specs, the CPU choices are two, with the best being the Ryzen 7 4800H. As for the graphics, the RTX 2060 will do a fantastic job of providing you with a great gaming experience.
Its 17.3-inch display has great color accuracy and covers 92% of the sRGB color gamut, making for a versatile machine that is both good at gaming and can be used for professional and creative work, such as video editing, design, and more.
Lenovo Legion 5 (17): Full Specs
Lenovo Legion 5 (17″ AMD, 2020) series
- Dimensions
- 398.6 x 290 x 24.3 ~ 26.2 mm (15.69" x 11.42" x 0.96")
- Weight
- 2.98 kg (6.6 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $1149.00
Continuing on, the Intel model offers several options for CPUs. The top option has the Intel Core i7-10875H, which is the better option if you would only use the device for gaming. Other than that the GPU offerings are the same.
Moreover, its battery life is up there too, for a gaming device, at least, managing to last nearly 9 and a half hours of Web browsing and 8 and a half hours of video playback.
Compared to the aforementioned Legion Slim 7, you lose the available Core i9 and Ryzen 9 processors, the Max-Q version of the RTX 2060, and the available 4K display
Lenovo Legion 5i (17): Full Specs / In-depth Review
Lenovo Legion 5 / 5i (17″ Intel, 2020) series
- Dimensions
- 398.6 x 290 x 24.3 ~ 26.2 mm (15.69" x 11.42" x 0.96")
- Weight
- 2.98 kg (6.6 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $800.00
Lenovo Legion 5 / 5i (17″ Intel, 2020) in-depth review
Ladies and gentlemen, today we have a prime contender for the crown in the budget 17-inch gaming segment. It is the Lenovo Legion 5i 17, where "i" stands for Intel. Indeed, it comes in two iterations - the one we have here, and an AMD-equipped one. And if your main purpose is gaming, the Intel one is probably the better option for now.You see, the Legion notebooks are getting better and better each year. They provide a very non-intrusive look, with adequate displays and quite the amount of performance. Now, in 2020, Lenovo is offering Wi-Fi 6 support, and a choice from some rather efficie[...]
Pros
- Supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory plus M.2 and 2.5-inch SATA storage
- Very good performance and thermals
- Lack of PWM (BOE NV173FHM-N47)
- Covers 92% of sRGB and our Gaming and Web design profile improves the color accuracy (BOE NV173FHM-N47)
- Has a very fine keyboard with huge Arrow keys
- Good battery life
- A total of 5 USB Ports, an SD card reader, and Wi-Fi 6 support
Cons
- Lacks a Thunderbolt connection
- All-plastic design, although the quality is pretty high
Lenovo Legion 5/5i (15)
The Legion 5 series is one of Lenovo’s best selling devices because it is able to bring great specifications to a relatively low price, and it also offers a ton of variety when it comes to its configurations, being offered with both AMD and Intel CPUs.
On the Intel front, you can get the notebook with up to the Intel Core i7-10750H, which offers great performance and can be used both for gaming and video editing, if you ever decide to give it a shot. The best GPU, which is available with the laptop is the RTX 2060.
Lenovo Legion 5 (15): Full Specs
Lenovo Legion 5 / 5i / 5P (15″ Intel, 2020) series
- GPU
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti (Laptop, 95W) #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (Laptop, 95W) #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (Laptop, 80W) #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (Laptop) #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti (Laptop) #12 in Top GPUsNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (Laptop) #12 in Top GPUs
- Dimensions
- 363 x 259.1 x 23.5 ~ 26.1 mm (14.29" x 10.20" x 0.93")
- Weight
- 2.30 kg (5.1 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $919.00
Now, let’s talk about the AMD offerings, which shouldn’t be overlooked, since they offer better performance at a better price, and it is great to see that Lenovo is adapting to the current situation in the market, and is offering its devices with internals from Team Red.
The notebook is available with some of AMD’s finest options in the faces of the Ryzen 7 4800H and the Ryzen 5 4600H, which make the machine a versatile one, being able to handle a variety of different tasks and workloads. The GPU choices on the other hand are the same.
The device is offered with three different displays, with the entry 60Hz one and the best 144Hz being the only options that are worth considering. We are skipping the 120Hz one since its colors are quite washed and its pixel response times are quite high.
Lenovo Legion 5i: Full Specs / In-depth Review
Lenovo Legion 5 / 5P (15″ AMD, 2020) series
- Dimensions
- 363 x 259.6 x 23.5 ~ 26.1 mm (14.29" x 10.22" x 0.93")
- Weight
- 2.30 kg (5.1 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $629.99
Lenovo Legion 5 / 5P (15″ AMD, 2020) in-depth review
Lenovo's Legion series is one of the best sellers on the market. And this is no coincidence. They are constantly delivering quality at a relatively low price, making it one of the best gaming notebooks in terms of value. While in previous years, pretty much all of the devices were powered by Intel processors, it is good to see that Lenovo is staying adequately up to date with the current situation of the market.Not only does AMD provide better performance than its long-dominating counterpart, but it does so at a lot more competitive price. Apart from that, you get pretty much the same des[...]
Pros
- It has two RAM SODIMM slots and two M.2 drives, besides the 2.5" SATA drive bay
- Great input devices with an optional RGB backlight
- Lacks PWM for brightness adjustment (AUO B156HAN13.1)
- Comfortable viewing angles and good contrast ratio (AUO B156HAN13.1)
- Great performance from AMD's finest CPUs out there
- A total of five USB 3.1 (Gen. 1) ports (some PCs have less)
Cons
- Lacks an SD card reader
- Slow response times, despite the 120Hz refresh rate (AUO B156HAN13.1)
- Covers only 51% of sRGB (AUO B156HAN13.1)
Lenovo Ideapad 3 (15) Gaming
This budget gaming notebook took the world by storm, being one of the best in its class. Offering great performance, with Intel’s 10th Gen Coffee Lake-H, that maxes out with the Core i7-10750H and an adequate GPU in the face of the GTX 1650 Ti at most, which will allow you to play upcoming AAA titles for a couple of years.
The device is good looking, and while its build quality is nothing to write home about, it is sturdy enough, considering the price that you’re paying. The laptop uses the same keyboard as the Legion 5, which has decent key travel, clicky feedback, and huge arrow keys, making it one of the best gaming keyboards, especially when budget gaming notebooks are concerned.
The display on the device is maxed out at a 120Hz Full HD IPS panel, which we haven’t tested. What we can talk about though is the entry-level 60Hz Ful HD display, which offers comfortable viewing angles, a good contrast ratio, and a non-flickering backlight.
However, it only covers 53% of the sRGB color gamut, which corresponds to the budget nature of the device. Its color accuracy isn’t good at all, so you shouldn’t use the laptop for color-sensitive work.
Lenovo Ideapad 3 (15) Gaming: Full Specs / In-depth Review
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (15'') Gaming series
- Dimensions
- 359 x 249.6 x 24.9 mm (14.13" x 9.83" x 0.98")
- Weight
- 2.20 kg (4.9 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $690.00
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 (15'') Gaming in-depth review
Naturally, budget gaming laptops attract a lot of interest. And after the success of introducing the Ideapad Gaming series last year, Lenovo is trying to hit harder than ever in 2020. Quite possibly, the Ideapad Gaming 3i (15) is the hottest property in the budget gaming device market, we will see how well did Lenovo balance between the low price and the quality of execution.And we are really looking forward to seeing a better physical execution, as the Ideapad Gaming L340 (15) felt cheap and not very rigid. Enough about that, though, because this laptop now comes with the 10th Gen Coffee[...]
Pros
- Great price/performance ratio
- Sleek design and easy to open lid
- Good keyboard with decent travel, clicky feedback, and an optional RGB backlight
- Two M.2 slots
- The display doesn't flicker at any brightness level (LM156LF-2F01)
- Has a good contrast ratio and comfortable viewing angles (LM156LF-2F01)
- 120Hz fast display options
Cons
- Lacks an SD card reader and Thunderbolt support
- Covers only 53% of sRGB (LM156LF-2F01)
Lenovo Ideapad Gaming L340 (15)
The predecessor to the beloved Ideapad 3 Gaming, the Ideapad Gaming L340, started what would become one of the best budget gaming notebook series. It has a stylish look, and while it is made out of plastic, the design is subtle and doesn’t scream out loud “GAMING LAPTOP”.
The keyboard has good key travel, decent tactile feedback, and large keycaps, which makes for a better typing experience. The backlight is a nice touch, and it’s great that brands use a different color than red.
The display is a choice between two 15.6-inch Full HD panels, one is a TN and the other is IPS. We would recommend the IPS, which has better viewing angles, contrast ratio, and color coverage.
As for the internal components of the device, you get various 9th Gen Intel CPUs to choose from, with the top option being the Intel Core i7-9750HF. Continuing on with the GPUs, there you can get the GTX 1650 at most.
Lenovo Ideapad Gaming L340 (15): Full Specs / In-depth Review
Lenovo IdeaPad L340 (15") Gaming series
- Dimensions
- 363 x 254.6 x 23.9 mm (14.29" x 10.02" x 0.94")
- Weight
- 2.19 kg (4.8 lbs)
- Price
- Starting at $672.00
Lenovo IdeaPad L340 (15") Gaming in-depth review
As we mentioned in our previous review - the one of the Lenovo Ideapad L340 (15"), there was a good amount of different laptop series that share a common ancestor - the Ideapad 330. This one is not an exclusion - the Ideapad L340 Gaming (15") is very close to a unit we had for review some time ago - the Ideapad 330-15ICH.However, let's set the similarities aside for a second, and focus on what makes them different. Starting with the obvious - the outer shell. This laptop now looks super sleek and has thin bezels to cope with the trends of this year. By the way, it is very pleasing to see [...]
Pros
- Sleek design for a gaming laptop
- Sufficient cooling
- Backlit keyboard with large keycaps
- Adequate price
- Lacks PWM and has quick response times (FHD TN BOE NT156FHM-N61 (BOE0812))
Cons
- Budget build quality
- TN panel should be avoided
- Overshadowed by its competitors
- Its contrast ratio and viewing angles are dreadful (FHD TN BOE NT156FHM-N61 (BOE0812))