The Lenovo Legion line of gaming hardware and accessories has continually expanded over the years to the point where Lenovo even created the new LOQ brand specifically for its budget gaming devices.
That's been great for giving customers choices, and Lenovo has become a very reliable recommendation for those seeking a straightforward, dependable gaming laptop. The Lenovo Legion 5 line dominates the mid-range category, and the Legion 5i (Gen 9) I've been testing sits in the middle of that family. It's a familiar experience with a practical and hefty design, excellent gaming performance, and reasonable pricing.
It'd be an easy recommendation, except it awkwardly sits between the longer-lasting Legion Slim 5i and the more powerful Legion Pro 5i like the neglected middle child — and if you do some shopping, you'll notice that Lenovo and retailers alike are far more likely to recommend the Slim and Pro variants to you than this one — even if I'd sooner suggest this laptop before its Pro big sibling.
Legion 5i review: Pricing and specifications
Pricing highlights
- The Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) technically starts at $1,524.99 for its entry-level specs, but almost no one should actually be paying that.
- Lenovo Legion laptops are almost always on sale, such as a solid configuration being available for $1,120.99 at the time of writing.
- The Legion 5i is equipped very similarly to the Legion Pro 5i in almost every respect, including configuration options.
- Value rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
• Price: ~$1,609.99-$1,949.99 at Lenovo
• Display: 16-inch IPS LCD, 16:10 aspect ratio, QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, 350nits max brightness, anti-glare coating, non-touch, Dolby Vision HDR support, NVIDIA G-SYNC support
• CPU: Intel Core i9-14900HX (24 cores, 32 threads, up to 5.8GHz)
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8GB DDR6)
• NPU: None (Lenovo LA1 chip for Lenovo AI Engine+ support)
• RAM: 32GB DDR5 @ 5,600MHz (2x 16GB, SODIMM)
• Storage: 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD
• Battery: 80Whr, Rapid Charge Pro support w/ 230W adapter
• Dimensions: 359.7 x 262.3 x 19.7-25.2mm (14.16 x 10.33 x 0.78-0.99in)
• Weight: 2.36kg (5.2lbs)
Pricing and availability for the Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) are odd, to say the least. Most retailers you'd first go to for all your laptop buying needs aren't likely to offer this laptop at all (Best Buy selling both the Slim and Pro variants is a great example of this), and even Lenovo sells few pre-configured models and somewhat limits your choices in its custom configurator.
The only shop I could find my exact review configuration was Costco, of all places. That's alright, though, because the Intel Core i9 inside my unit seems a little overkill when paired with the rest of the internals. The most affordable Legion 5i (Gen 9) straight from the source is $1,120.99 at Lenovo (at least at the time of writing), which gets you a Core i7-14650HX, RTX 4060, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD in a well-specced, balanced mid-range gaming laptop.
The Lenovo Legion 5i custom configurator starts from $1,239.99 at Lenovo at the time of writing, giving you more options but costing you a little more across the board. Either way, the Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) consistently costs less than the Legion Pro 5i, with the only differences being a gently more compact design, barely different port selection, and slightly worse overall performance.
In the box, you'll find the Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9), a proprietary 230W DC charger and adapter, a 3-month subscription for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and a replaceable rear vent plate with a blue accent color (versus the default flat grey).
Legion 5i review: Design and build quality
Design highlights
- Despite boasting incredibly similar internals and a familiar design language, the Legion 5i is a little thinner and lighter than the Legion Pro 5i.
- It's the same design language we've come to expect from Lenovo Legion, with a rear-protruding "shelf" for ports and ventilation, an aluminum lid, and a tough plastic body.
- It's a sturdy, practical design that forsakes attempts at "beauty" in favor of focusing on simply being a good gaming laptop.
- Design rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you've seen one Lenovo Legion laptop in the last few years, you've essentially seen them all. Sure, there have been refinements and improvements made over the years, but Legion devices have remained remarkably consistent over time. The Legion 5i is like the Legion Pro 5i and Legion Slim 5i — it makes no attempt at being the thinnest or lightest gaming laptop. This is just a really practical design that feels incredibly durable and reliable.
The Legion 5i is actually thinner (~25.2 vs. ~26.8mm) and lighter (2.36 vs. 2.5kg) than the Legion Pro 5i and puts all of its vents on the rear and bottom. This means your ports are more spread out, but overall, it's a very similar configuration.
You get one USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 port with 140W Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4, a second USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 port with DisplayPort 1.4, three USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports (one is always on), and HDMI 2.1 port that supports up to 4K at 120Hz or 8K at 60Hz, an RJ45 Ethernet port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. For comparison, the Legion Pro 5i loses the microSD card reader but gains a fourth USB Type-A port. Finally, there's the familiar 230W DC charging port, which supports up to 300W for more powerful configurations.
Legion 5i review: Display quality
Display highlights
- The Legion 5i is equipped with the same 16-inch, QHD+, 165Hz IPS LCD panel we've seen in many gaming laptops.
- Like most other parts of the laptop, this display is consistent and practical but doesn't really stand out.
- It's a solid display with great performance and enough brightness and contrast to look good in most situations.
- Display rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Lenovo Legion 5i feels familiar once again when you look at its display. It's the same panel across the entire Legion 5 lineup, actually (with the exception of an optional 240Hz configuration), meaning you're looking at 16 inches of QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600), 165Hz IPS LCD goodness. This display isn't likely to wow you at any point, but it's solid across the board and offers reliable, smooth performance when gaming.
99% of the sRGB and 78% of the DCI-P3 color gamuts means you shouldn't rely on this display for any creative work, but this display is consistent. It gets decently bright, its contrast ratios are good for an IPS LCD panel, and its white balance, while warm, is level across all brightness levels. Dolby Vision HDR support is also technically here, but this isn't a screen I'd rely on to consume high-quality HDR content.
When gaming, this display is smooth and responsive, with NVIDIA G-SYNC support putting a halt to potential screen tearing.
Legion 5i review: Performance and thermals
Performance highlights
- With nearly identical internals to the Legion Pro 5i, the Legion 5i is a strong and consistent performer.
- Despite the Legion Pro 5i ostensibly boasting better thermals and pouring more juice into its parts, the Legion 5i rarely lags far behind.
- This laptop does a great job staying cool through intensive sessions, but those fans are loud.
- Performance rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Performance is where you'll most wonder if you really need to spring for the more expensive Lenovo Legion Pro 5i, as the Legion 5i (Gen 9) boasts many of the same configuration options and is able to perform admirably with that hardware. Its only real flaw is that these fans are extremely loud, enough that the speakers aren't quite enough to drown them out. You'll want a headset for gaming.
With the same CPU, GPU, RAM, SSD, and display options, it's hard at first glance to see the difference between the Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) and its more expensive Pro sibling. Really, it comes down to the Pro 5i having more thermal headroom due to its beefier chassis and being able to put a little more wattage into its components. On paper, this means the Legion Pro 5i is the more powerful laptop, and this is reflected in benchmarks.
That doesn't make the Legion 5i slow, though. This laptop kept up with more expensive machines well, and in real-world performance and gaming, you're not liable to see much of a difference between the Legion 5i and the thicker, heavier Legion Pro 5i, including in gaming.
- Forza Horizon 5 — 78 FPS average on the Extreme preset, with QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, v-sync enabled, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution, DLAA, & Reflex Low Latency disabled | 102 FPS average with NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution enabled and set to "Auto," NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation & Reflex Low Latency enabled
- Gears 5 — 77 FPS average on the Ultra preset, with QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) resolution, uncapped framerate, v-sync enabled, Ultra textures installed
- Cyberpunk 2077 — 67 FPS average on the Ray Tracing: Low preset, with QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, v-sync enabled, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution enabled and set to "Auto," NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency enabled, NVIDIA DLSS Ray Reconstruction & Frame Generation disabled | 55 FPS average on the Ultra preset with AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution enabled and set to "Quality"
- Counter-Strike 2 — 140-158 FPS average on the High preset, with QHD+ (2,560 x 1,600) resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, v-sync enabled, NVIDIA DLSS Reflex Low Latency enabled, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution disabled)
Achieving stable 60 frames-per-second in most PC games at high settings is very reasonable with the Legion Pro 5i, and if you lower the resolution to 1080p (which will still look great on a 16-inch display), you can take better advantage of that 165Hz refresh rate. I also stress tested the Legion 5i's thermal management with 25 consecutive loops of 3DMark's Time Spy benchmark, and a 99.6% framerate stability proves this laptop's capable cooling system.
Legion 5i review: Battery experience
Battery highlights
- Lenovo Legion laptops are never known for having great battery life, and the Legion 5i is no exception.
- Despite having near-identical internals, though, the Legion 5i does seem to last a little longer on average than the Legion Pro 5i.
- Gaming performance is understandably crippled on battery power, but performance otherwise remains good.
- Battery rating: ⭐⭐⭐
The Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) carries the same 80Whr battery cell as the Legion Pro 5i and Slim 5i, and its endurance sits in between the two. Lower wattage likely contributes to the Legion 5i outlasting its Pro sibling, but it can't compete with the efficiency of the AMD-powered Slim 5i, which is one of the longest-lasting Legion laptops.
In Procyon's One Hour Battery Consumption tests, the Legion 5i drained 22% while simulating a standard Microsoft Office workload and 24% when looping an HD video at 50% volume. Around 3-4 hours of regular usage isn't unreasonable with the Legion 5i, but this is still far from a battery champion and not a laptop I'd recommend for mobile work.
Legion 5i review: Keyboard and everything else
Other highlights
- Lenovo is no stranger to great keyboards, and the Legion 5i's layout, switch action, and features all continue that trend.
- The Legion 5i is simply average in almost all other areas, though, with a meh camera, speakers, touchpad, microphone, and more.
- There's still no Windows Hello support, either, although I don't really expect that in a gaming laptop at this price point.
- Other hardware rating: ⭐⭐⭐½
Once again, the Legion 5i is a familiar tale here. Wholly focused on its role as a gaming laptop, the Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) simply isn't exciting or interesting in a lot of ways. The front-facing camera, microphones, and touchpad are all secondary on a gaming laptop, so they clearly didn't get much investment. The dual stereo speakers are also reminiscent of the "average" Windows laptop of a few years ago in that they're fine for YouTube videos or video calls, but you won't want to do much else with them.
One feature a gaming laptop can't neglect is the keyboard, though, and Lenovo rarely misses here. The Legion 5i shares a keyboard with its siblings, this time with four-zone RGB lighting and a condensed tenkey number pad. It's a very solid keyboard with a comfortable and responsive action, excellent layout, full-sized arrow keys, and intelligent shortcuts and functions. I really can't complain here.
As usual, there's no Windows Hello biometric authentication, but I'm not really docking the Legion 5i points for that. This is a mid-range gaming laptop, I don't expect it. I do expect excellent wireless performance, though, and the Legion 5i fares just fine on this front with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 support. If you want a more stable connection, you can always use the Ethernet port.
Legion 5i review: Competition
It shouldn't surprise you if you've read this review up until this point, but the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (Gen 9) that we've reviewed is arguably this laptop's biggest competitor. It's not because the Legion Pro 5i is necessarily better; it's more powerful, but it's also bigger, heavier, and more expensive. It's largely because the Legion Pro 5i is more available, and unless you can find a Legion 5i configuration in stock and on sale for less than the equivalent Legion Pro 5i, then the Legion Pro 5i may end up the easier choice.
- Recommended gaming mouse: Razer DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed for $99.99 at Best Buy
- Recommended gaming headset: Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023) for $199.99 at Best Buy
You can also consider the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i (Gen 9). We haven't reviewed this laptop, but it's very similar in size and weight to the Legion 5i but with a tweaked design and an AMD CPU that focuses more on efficiency than raw power. This is the Legion 5 to choose if you want a pure gaming laptop that can also fare okay away from the charger for a few hours.
As far as this price range is concerned, though, Lenovo's Legion line is going to be one of the more attractive options, and for good reason.
Legion 5i review: Score card
Legion 5i review: Final thoughts
You should buy this if ...
✅You want a focused, no-fuss gaming laptop on a budget
The Lenovo Legion 5i is designed for one thing and one thing only: to game. Sure, it's a full-blown Windows laptop and can do all the normal PC things, too, but it's clearly built for those who aren't too concerned about that (and want to save some money on a new rig).
✅You can find it on sale for less than the Legion Pro 5i
The Legion 5i should cost less than the Legion Pro 5i, but its spotty availability and odd pricing don't guarantee it. If you can find the Legion 5i in the configuration you want for a good bit less than the equivalent Legion Pro 5i, the Legion 5i will end up being the better laptop for most people.
You should not buy this if ...
❌You want a gaming laptop you can also take on the go
Lenovo Legion laptops aren't known for being particularly portable or efficient, and the Legion 5i is no exception. This is a beefy laptop with a short-lived battery. Those who want a more mobile machine that can still game are better off looking at something like the ASUS ROG Zephyrus line (you'll be paying more, though).
The Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) is a bit of an odd laptop. To be frank, it would be the most obvious recommendation of Lenovo's mid-range gaming laptop lineup between the Legion Slim 5i (which isn't really slim at all) and the Legion Pro 5i (which barely feels "pro"), if it weren't for it being oddly... Hard to find.
Lenovo's habit of overpricing its devices at retail (only to frequently discount them soon after launch) returns here, but the Legion 5i also suffers from seemingly lower visibility and availability than the more expensive Legion Pro 5i. That laptop is just as good, and you're basically gaining more weight and size in exchange for slightly better performance and cooling, but it's also usually a couple of hundred dollars more expensive.
If you can find the Lenovo Legion 5i at a discounted price that settles it below where you can find the equivalent Legion 5i Pro, I honestly suggest saving that money and getting this laptop instead. It's a gaming laptop through and through and won't win any awards outside of playing your favorite PC games, but the Lenovo Legion 5i (Gen 9) is a good gaming laptop at an attractive price, or around $1,120.99 at Lenovo for the configuration I'd recommend.
The mid-range option in Lenovo's mid-range gaming laptop family, the Legion 5i (Gen 9) goes toe-to-toe with the more expensive Legion Pro 5i more often than not, while also usually costing a fair deal less. The only problem? Lenovo and retailers are far more likely to show you the Legion Pro 5i instead.
