So far, I have tested laptops equipped with Nvidia’s RTX 4050 and RTX 3050, featuring a unique 6GB VRAM configuration. I have even explored one of the most budget-friendly RTX 4060 laptops available. However, we hadn’t yet witnessed the impressive combination of the RTX 4060 GPU paired with Intel’s 14th generation processors—until now. So is this combination worth considering? Here’s my review.
With the laptop you get a 230W charger, and a 3-pin power cable. A notable convenience is the smaller plug size, unlike the larger, cumbersome plugs that many Dell G15 owners struggle with, as Dell includes them standard with their laptops.
Turning to specifications, the Lenovo Legion 5 is equipped with an Intel Core i7-14650HX processor featuring 8 performance cores and 12 efficiency cores, alongside an Nvidia RTX 4060 with 8GB GDDR6 VRAM and a 140W TGP. Although the GPU wattage isn’t exceptionally high, it is complemented by 16GB of DDR5 RAM in one slot (with another free for upgrades) which operates in dual-channel mode even with a single stick.
Storage comes in the form of a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, and the display is a 16-inch WQXGA panel with a 165Hz refresh rate. Available directly from Lenovo’s website, the Legion 5 is currently priced at approximately Rs 1.38 lakh. For that price, the specs are quite impressive
However, it’s important to note that it directly competes with the HP Omen 16 (Rs 1.29) and the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (Rs 1.49 lakh) in terms of price. The Legion 5i stands out by offering a QHD display at a price point where the Omen only offers an FHD panel.In contrast, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16, while more expensive, boasts a brighter screen and a more powerful Intel Core i7-14700HX processor with additional cores.
First up, let’s delve into the design and build quality of the Lenovo Legion 5. Sporting a 16-inch display, this laptop opts for a more understated, stealthy aesthetic rather than the typical flashy gaming look. It features subtle Legion branding on the lid and additional Lenovo branding on the deck area, with a small Legion logo also present below the screen.
Weighing in at around 2.3 kg, the Lenovo Legion 5 is impressively lightweight for its size, especially when compared to competitors like the HP Omen 16 (2.35 kg) and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (2.8 kg), both of which are heavier despite featuring similar screen sizes.
The charging brick’s compact size is a bonus, easily fitting into a backpack, enhancing the laptop’s portability. This makes the Lenovo Legion 5 a more travel-friendly option among its peers. Aesthetically, Lenovo has added a unique touch by shaping the laptop’s power button to resemble the Legion logo, which changes colour when switching modes.
The keyboard layout includes a full-size number pad and a slightly separated arrow key section, which is particularly beneficial for racing game enthusiasts. Typing on this keyboard is very comfortable and reminiscent of Lenovo’s ThinkPad series, renowned for their productivity prowess. Adding to the sophisticated feature set is a dedicated Co-pilot key, enabled by the Intel 14th Gen CPU, which offers a host of AI-driven functionalities.
Now, let’s clear up any confusion: the 14th gen doesn’t include an NPU, it features a Deep Learning Boost for the CPU instead. Here’s the simple difference: Deep Learning Boost acts like a turbocharge for your CPU, enhancing its ability to quickly handle AI tasks such as image recognition or speech understanding. On the other hand, an NPU acts as a dedicated mini-brain specifically for AI tasks, further speeding up and optimising the CPU’s efficiency.
The touchpad on this model is decently sized—not as large as those on some HP gaming laptops, but bigger than what you’d find on Dell’s G-series.
The hinge operates smoothly, although it takes a moment to stabilise after adjusting its position or if I accidentally bump the table. It’s not loose, it just needs a bit of time to settle. Moreover, the hinge can fully extend to 180 degrees, which might be useful depending on your needs.
In terms of build quality, I have no major complaints. There’s a slight flex in the top lid and the keyboard deck area, but both feel sturdy enough to handle regular use without any issues. Closing the lid produces a satisfying, firm snap, and it’s easy to lift with just one hand.
As for connectivity, the port selection is comprehensive. On the right side, there are two USB Type-A super speed ports, a micro SD card slot, a physical camera shutter, and an Ethernet port. The left side houses two USB Type-C ports—one supporting 10-gigabit bandwidth and the other PD charging—a 3.5mm audio jack, and another Super Speed Type-A port. The back features an HDMI 2.1 port, capable of driving a 4K 120Hz display, and a proprietary charging port.
I appreciate the thoughtful design of the USB Type-C ports, spaced well enough to ensure that connected accessories don’t interfere with each other.
Accessing the interior of the laptop is quite straightforward, it’s secured with just 10 screws that can be easily removed with a prying tool or even by hand.
Inside, you’ll find one free RAM slot and one free SSD slot, along with a replaceable Wi-Fi card and a bolted-down battery. These components are all replaceable, which is a great feature for maintenance and upgrades. Additionally, there are large heat pipes and a dual fan cooling setup, enhancing the laptop’s thermal management. In terms of upgradability, this laptop scores well, and the process of upgrading is also relatively simple.
The display on this laptop delivers a peak brightness of 345 nits and offers 100% sRGB and 75% DCI-P3 colour coverage, making it suitable for professional-grade designing and colour correction, underscored by its low Delta E value of 2.63. It features a matte finish that aids in reducing glare for better indoor use and provides excellent viewing angles as well.
The visuals are quite vivid, showcasing punchy colours, though I do wish the brightness were slightly higher. Interestingly, Lenovo’s website offers the option to configure this laptop with a 500-nits display for an additional Rs 1250, which I recommend considering for an even better viewing experience.
Regarding the audio, the laptop is equipped with dual 2W HD stereo speakers. While they offer clear sound, they aren’t very loud, which seems to be a common oversight among gaming laptops—loud, high-quality speakers are often sacrificed, and this model is no exception.
Starting with Cinebench R23, the performance numbers are reminiscent of last year’s 13700HX, both in multicore and single-core tests. While the 14650HX scored 20560 and 1872 in multicore and single core scores. On the other hand, the 13700HX scored 20925 and 1832 in multicore and single core tests respectively. This similarity is due to the identical core count and thread configuration in both chips, with the only difference being a slightly higher clock speed on the 14650HX.
In 3D Mark’s TimeSpy and FireStrike benchmarks, this laptop edges out the 13700HX model. For SSD speeds, we’re looking at impressive readings of 7162 and 6795 MB/s, positioning this at the upper end of PCIe Gen 4 SSDs in real-world performance. Now, let’s talk about gaming performance.
Let’s review the gaming performance, with all tests conducted at 1600p resolution to maintain consistency. Starting with Dirt 5, I ran the game at high settings and achieved nearly 97 FPS on average. There was no lag or stuttering, and the gameplay was exceptionally smooth.
In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, set to high graphics, the performance with and without DLSS was 137 FPS and 105 FPS, respectively, both without any glitches. Moving on to Cyberpunk 2077, I tested the game with and without DLSS to accurately gauge the frame rates under these different settings and the game ran at 65 FPS and 37 FPS respectively. For Gears 5, which does not support DLSS, the game still performed well, clocking in at 106 FPS. Finally, in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the game maintained a steady 108 FPS, further showcasing the laptop’s robust gaming capabilities at this resolution.
Lastly, in the real-world gaming comparison between the 13700HX powered HP Omen 16 featuring RTX 4060 and the 14650HX powered Lenovo Legion 5i with RTX 4060, the latter comes out on top easily. Both GPUs have the same TGP of 140W.
The laptop offers sustained performance, but the maximum temperature does reach around 95 degrees Celsius for the CPU. But the maximum surface temperature remains only warm to touch but sometimes does touch around 42 to 43 degrees. Also, the thermal tests were done during heatwave in Delhi-NCR in a non-AC room, so the following results are acceptable.
I can confidently rank this laptop among the top contenders in terms of design, build quality, keyboard, trackpad, and portability. However, in its current configuration, it will potentially falls short in raw performance and specs when compared to the 14700HX powered Acer Predator Helios Neo 16.
Yet, with a minor investment of an additional Rs 4700 to upgrade to the 14700HX CPU, you can match the CPU and GPU setup of the Helios Neo, and even save a few thousand rupees in the process. Furthermore, 14700HX does feature more cores than the 13700HX, so the overall multicore performance is better in the former. Also, my advice would be to add the Rs 1250 screen upgrade to your setup. You can configure the laptop directly on Lenovo’s website and I highly suggest that you make these changes before you finalise your changes.
In essence, the Lenovo Legion 5 is a diamond in the rough, a small upgrade turns it into a top-tier gaming contender.
