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The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro 16 is one of those product names that throws you a bit of a curve as the CPU in this notebook is actually a Core i7 rather than a Core i5. Putting that minor quibble to one side, we are looking at a gaming notebook packed with Intel 12th Gen and Nvidia 30 series that sells for less than £1800 in the UK. Is it a bargain or is it cheap tat? (Spoiler alert, I was impressed).
Timestamps
00:00 Start
00:33 Storage speed !
02:08 Comparison laptops
03:00 CPU power draw
03:45 Screen / Battery / WiFi / Weight / PSU
04:20 Ports, Webcam and Connectors
06:08 Lenovo’s Vantage software
07:22 A number of interesting features
09:28 Three performance modes analysed
12:36 Performance charts
14:05 Gaming Results
16:00 Battery Test
16:13 Leo’s Closing Thoughts
Features
- Up to Intel 12th Generation Core i7-12700H processor.
- Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti graphics.
- New 16” (16:10) WQXGA, 165-240Hz VRR, 500nit display, with X-Rite Pantone factory calibration.
- Legion TrueStrike keyboard with number pad and one-piece trackpad.
- Large 80 Watt-hour battery, Lenovo Q-Control, and Super Rapid Charge technology.
- ColdFront 4.0: Improved 150W TGP, improved ventilation, heat pipes, and quieter operation with thinner fans.
- Premium speakers with Nahimic 3D Audio.
Specification
- CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H 6P+8E cores
- Screen: 16-inch 2,560×1,600 WQXGA, 500 nits, 165Hz IPS
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GDDR6
- Memory: 16GB DDR5-4800
- Storage: 1TB+1TB M.2 Samsung PM9A1 Gen 4 in RAID 0 array
- Audio: 2x2W speakers
- Ethernet: Realtek Gigabit
- Wi-Fi: 6E Intel AX211NGW 802.11ax 2×2, Bluetooth 5.1
- I/O ports:
- Right side: 3.5 mm audio jack, USB 3.2 Gen.1 Type-A
- Left side: Thunderbolt 4 Type-C (DisplayPort 1.4), USB 3.2 Gen.2 Type-C
- Rear: Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.2 Gen.2 Type-C, HDMI 2.1, 2x USB 3.2 Gen.1 Type-A, power.
- Webcam: 720p fixed focus with E-camera shutter to disable
- Battery: 4-cell 78Wh, 5052mAh
- Dimensions: 359.9mm W x 264mm D x 26.6mm H
- Weight: 2.49kg plus 1.05kg for power supply and mains cable
With the bottom cover removed you can clearly see the internal components, including the new Legion ColdFront 4.0 cooling system which works in conjunction with the Lenovo Vantage software. As we show in our video, Lenovo Q Control 4.0 allows the user to press Fn + Q to toggle between Performance mode (high CPU voltage, high fan speeds), Quiet mode (lower CPU voltage, lower fan speed, better battery) and Balanced mode (day to day automatic management).
Testing and Performance – CPU
Cinebench R23 Multi Core
In our Cinebench R23 Multi Core we are comparing the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro 16 with the MSI GE76 Raider and Razer Blade 15 that we recently reviewed. On paper those laptops have superior CPUs to the Lenovo however our test results tell a different tale. Depending on the power mode you select the Lenovo can either perform OK, very nicely or absolutely amazingly.
Cinebench R23 Single Core
In the Single Core test of Cinebench R23 there isn't much to choose between the 12th Gen laptops as power and cooling are fairly immaterial when you only power one core. Lenovo does a good job here.
Blender 3.1 Classroom
In Blender we see a similar story to Cinebench with Lenovo powering to the top of the chart.
3DMark Time Spy – CPU Score
Once again Lenovo does impressively well. In fact, as Lenovo bags the top two spots in this test we had best say that Lenovo whups the competition good and proper,.
BAPCo CrossMark
In BAPCo CrossMark the Lenovo does impressively well. We expect the blazing fast RAID 0 storage will have helped to some extent but we are confident any new Legion laptop will deliver similar levels of performance.
Testing and Performance – Gaming
Far Cry New Dawn
The unusual screen resolution of 2,560×1,600 clashes with Far Cry New Dawn and means we had to test at 1,920×1,200 rather than at 1,920×1,080. In addition the Lenovo has RTX 3060 graphics which are overshadowed by the competition yet despite that the frame rates are good and the gaming experience is very acceptable.
Far Cry 6
It's the same story about testing resolution in Far Cry 6 and once again the Lenovo Legion struggles slightly however the frame rates are fine and we had no problem playing this demanding game.
Watch Dogs: Legion
Watch Dogs: Legion was happy to run at the conventional 1,920×1,080 resolution however the frame rates were borderline for smooth game play and it might be a good move to drop the IQ setting from Ultra High to something less demanding.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
We found that Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy rocked along happily at 1080p on the Lenovo Legion and chalked up another success for this mid-priced laptop.
Battery Testing
The battery is not especially large yet it offers more than five hours continuous use in PC Mark 10. That is very encouraging and means you should be able to leave the weighty power adapter at home and travel light.
Lenovo has done a good job with the Legion 5i Pro 16 Gen 7. It offers a sensible balance of hardware that combines a good CPU with mid-range gaming graphics and a large screen that sports a resolution that is close to QHD.
In addition you get decent battery life, good Wi-Fi and a smattering of RGB lighting in the keyboard. The price is very reasonable and perhaps most importantly this laptop does not suffer from any fatal flaws. We are unimpressed by the 720p webcam but have to give Lenovo some credit for including a webcam in the first place.
We also criticised the 16:10 aspect ratio of the screen as it hurts gamers but also have to acknowledge that creatives will appreciate the higher resolution of the screen.
The crowning glory for this Lenovo Legion is the Vantage software and the Q Control function that allows you to switch power and cooling modes in an instant. This system works well as it is supported by the new Legion ColdFront 4.0 cooling system which allows the Core i7-12700H CPU to run at an impressive speed.
While we were impressed by the Performance mode we found it was too noisy to be practical and recommend most users should stick with Auto mode which balances performance, cooling and noise levels very satisfactorily.
You can buy the Legion 5i Pro 16 directly from Lenovo for £1,655.99 (on sale from £1,799.99) HERE.
Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.
Pros:
- Very fair price.
- Impressive performance, assisted by the ColdFront 4.0 cooling system.
- Good selection of ports, including Thunderbolt 4.
- Fast battery charging.
- Vantage software is a one-stop control centre.
Cons:
- Oddball screen resolution can affect gaming performance.
- 720p Webcam is unimpressive.
- Performance mode is too noisy for regular use.
KitGuru says: The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro 16 Gen 7 delivers great performance at a modest price.
