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Lenovo updates Legion gaming laptops with 11th-gen Intel H-series chips
You can also expect NVIDIA's brand new RTX 3050 graphics.
Lenovo is ready to bolster its AMD-powered gaming laptops with models that include the latest Intel has to offer — and NVIDIA, for that matter. The PC maker has unveiled new 7i (above), 5i (below) and 5i Pro portables that all revolve around Intel's 11th-generation Core H-series, scaling up to a Core i7 in the 5i models and a Core i9 HK chip in the 7i. While these won't make you ditch a recent Ryzen-based machine, you shouldn't be hurting for speed.
The 5i systems, meanwhile, are some of the first laptops we've seen beyond Samsung's Galaxy Book Odyssey to use NVIDIA' new GeForce RTX 3050 and 3050 Ti graphics. You'll have to make do with 4GB of video RAM on those models, but that should still be enough to play modern games at a good clip. You can upgrade to the RTX 3070 or (on the 7i) 3080 if you want top-tier performance.
The Intel refresh also brings up-to-date connectivity that includes a Thunderbolt 4 port as well as WiFi 6. The 16-inch 5i Pro and 7i laptops pack 2,560 x 1,600 displays with 165Hz refresh rates, while the 15- and 17-inch 5i machines start with 1080p 60Hz panels and offer higher refresh rates (165Hz on the 15-inch, 144Hz on the 17-inch) as well as a 1440p resolution for the smaller computer.
The combination of two new hardware lines won't be cheap. The Legion 5i Pro and Legion 7i ship in June at respective starting prices of $1,330 and $1,770. You'll have to wait until July for the 5i, which will start at $970.
You'll have the option of a fast gaming-oriented monitor, too. Lenovo has unveiled a 24.5-inch Legion Y25g-30 monitor (not pictured) that sticks with a 1080p resolution, but packs a super-fast 360Hz refresh rate to improve response times for competitive games. The pivoting and swiveling display supports NVIDIA's anti-tearing G-Sync and low latency Reflex tech, offers HDR (albeit modest at 400 nits of typical brigthness) and even includes a headphone hook. You'll be paying a premium, though, as the Y25g-30 will sell for $700 when it lands in October.
