Pros
- Very comfortable keyboard
- Excellent OLED display
- Compact and portable
- Well built
- Fast current gen CPU
- Powerful GPU (full wattage)
- Pricing is very competitive
Cons
- Ports are far forward and may get in your way
- Speakers aren't great
- No fingerprint reader or facial recognition
- No Advanced Optimus
Powered by Intel’s latest Arrow Lake HX processor, the Legion 5i outpaces most competitors in its class. In Geekbench and Cinebench tests, it consistently posts the best single and multi-core results, even outperforming laptops that draw significantly more power. Despite its compact 15-inch chassis, thermal management is strong — the CPU does get hot under full load but quickly stabilizes at an acceptable temperature. Quiet fans also help keep noise levels surprisingly low during productivity tasks.
The Legion 5i’s full-wattage RTX 5060/5070 options deliver excellent GPU performance, tying or edging out rivals like ASUS’s Strix G16 in 3DMark benchmarks. In real-world gaming, titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Final Fantasy XIV showcase the laptop’s strength, achieving smooth frame rates with ray tracing and DLSS enabled.
That said, the 8GB of VRAM on the RTX 5060 configuration can feel limiting at ultra settings in demanding games such as Monster Hunter Wilds. Still, dialing down settings to high ensures fluid performance and makes better use of the laptop’s high-refresh OLED display.
Fan noise during gaming is modest, and surface temperatures stay comfortable — a rarity among thin, midrange gaming machines.
Display: Rare OLED Brilliance
The 15.1-inch 2560×1600 OLED panel is one of the Legion 5i’s biggest selling points. Offering 100% sRGB and P3 coverage, over 500 nits of brightness, and pixel density around 200 PPI, it delivers vivid colors and crisp text. For coding, media work, or long office sessions, this screen is a joy to use.
The glossy finish enhances contrast but does introduce reflections. PWM flickering at low brightness levels is also worth noting, though it shouldn’t affect most users. G-Sync is missing, and so is Advanced Optimus, which means rebooting the computer if you switch between GPU modes.
Build and Portability
The Legion 5i strikes a sweet spot at 15 inches — more portable than most 16-inch gaming laptops, yet offering stronger cooling than 14-inch models. Build quality is excellent for the price: the chassis feels premium, screen flex is minimal, and its understated black design is stylish, though prone to fingerprints.
At 5.3lbs, it isn’t ultralight but remains easy enough to carry. Despite its added weight, we are still glad to see the inclusion of Lenovo’s new 245W charger because it eliminates battery drain issues even under heavy load.
Keyboard and Trackpad
Lenovo’s Legion keyboards have long been praised, and the 5i continues that tradition. Large arrow keys, comfortable travel, and responsive feedback make it one of the best in this price class. Multi-zone RGB backlighting offers solid customization, though not per-key.
The trackpad, however, is a weak spot. While smooth to the touch, its mechanical click feels inconsistent, with poor palm rejection and accidental right-clicks. As with most gaming laptops, a dedicated mouse is recommended.
Ports and Connectivity
Connectivity is generous, though placement can be awkward. Highlights include:
- 2x USB-C (one with Thunderbolt 4 via iGPU, one with DP 2.1 via dGPU)
- 3x USB-A (5Gbps)
- HDMI 2.1 directly connected to the GPU
- 1 Gb Ethernet
- Headphone/mic combo jack
The flexibility of USB-C routing (iGPU vs dGPU) is a welcome touch, but some ports sit too far forward, potentially interfering with mouse use.
Battery Life
With the dGPU disabled, the Legion 5i achieves around 8 hours of light use — competitive for an Intel HX gaming laptop, though still behind AMD-powered rivals like the Aero X16. On battery, performance holds up better than most, making it one of the stronger unplugged options in its class.
Other Notes
- Speakers: Weak, with tinny highs and no bass. External audio is recommended.
- Upgradeability: RAM and SSD upgrades are possible, though access to the primary slots is tricky. A secondary SSD slot is easily accessible.
- Linux support: Nearly flawless on Fedora, except for Bluetooth.
- Bloatware: Ships with McAfee pre-installed, which is intrusive and unnecessary.
Conclusion: The Midrange Gaming Laptop to Beat
The Lenovo Legion 5i sets a new benchmark for midrange gaming laptops. Between its premium OLED display, powerful Intel HX CPU, full-wattage GPU, and thoughtful build, it outclasses most of its $1,200 competitors.
The only real alternative worth considering at this price is Gigabyte’s Aero X16, which is lighter and offers better battery life with an AMD CPU — but at the cost of lower performance and a weaker display.
For most buyers looking for the best mix of performance, build, and display quality around $1,200, the Legion 5i is the laptop to get.
Pros
- Exceptional value for money
- Strong battery life for a laptop with a dedicated GPU
- Matt screen makes it excellent for using in bright environments
- Trackpad is great
- Plenty of performance for most users
- Its quite light for a laptop like this
- Upgradeable memory
- Very little fan noise and remains cool to the touch
Cons
- Display's colors aren't entirely accurate
- Port placement is right down the front. Left handers will struggle with this
- Other laptops this size are more powerful
- Speakers lack volume
- Keyboard feels mushy
