Thoughts on the Lenovo Legion quality

[MatteRB26]

So I'm looking at getting a decent laptop for work which will consist on some pretty intensive programming workloads requiring a decent CPU, all the rams etc. I was initially looking at the ThinkPad P16s with decent specs:
- Ryzen 7 PRO 7840U
- 64gb ram
- No GPU (not really an issue)

The main let-down here is that the screen is only 1920x1200 60hz which okay but not great, and I now detest using 60hz displays.

For a lower cost I can get a Lenovo Legion. My main concern with the Legion is they're a very different audience and I've heard a couple stories of the "consumer-grade quality". The legion specs would be:
- Ryzen 7 8845HS (about the same)
- 32gb ram
- RTX 4060

The main thing drawing me to the legion is the fact that the display is 2560x1600 165/240hz & brighter. The Legion also has a much bigger battery.

What are people's opinions/experiences with opting for the Legion over the ThinkPad? I can add 4 years of Lenovo premium support to the Legion and the cost is about the same as the ThinkPad (which had 3 years included) as well.

 

[Snapshot]

There's a huge thread dedicated to the Legion 5 Pro (plus any others that crept in) and there aren't many reports of problems. I have one that's just coming up to three years old. I keep thinking about replacing it but can't really justify it as it's still working perfectly.

 

[MatteRB26]

I'm looking at the Legion 5 Slim Gen 9, which I think is the 2023 model. From googling it sounds like it's a little flimsy, but I've had worse... One of my old HP laptops caved in every time you pressed a key...

I'm feeling like I may as well grab the Legion to be honest.

 

[Scrutinize]

I'm looking at the Legion 5 Slim Gen 9, which I think is the 2023 model. From googling it sounds like it's a little flimsy, but I've had worse... One of my old HP laptops caved in every time you pressed a key...

I'm feeling like I may as well grab the Legion to be honest.

I would go with the Legion 5 Slim out of those 2 and in the right spec they are great (screen, weight, battery life) but seems to be lots of variations on spec at mo depending on exact model and release date.

Assuming productivity focused however, I wouldn't necessarily go for either but depends on budget.

Screen is a deal breaker for me these days too.

Once you have had the latest crop of 2.8k/3k OLED (inc touchscreens) then anything else disappoints.

 

[Rroff]

Lenovo are OK, made to a cost - more towards the upper end of lifespan for a mass market device but long term durability isn't something which weighs heavily in the design.

 

[OspreyO]

If you don't need a GPU why get one with a 4090?

 

[MatteRB26]

If you don't need a GPU why get one with a 4090?

It's a 4060, and the Legion also has the (slightly) better CPU and far better display for a lower cost, hence why I'm curious about the shortcomings, such as potential build quality.

It's mostly going to be sat in the home office, occasionally used around the house and very occasionally used on the go. There's also the potential to retire it later as a work laptop and become a personal one.

Lenovo are OK, made to a cost - more towards the upper end of lifespan for a mass market device but long term durability isn't something which weighs heavily in the design.

One co-worker swears by his Lenovo X1 Carbon's build quality - but I'm also not down for spending that much on an initial business purchase. His wife's Legion broke "easily" but she also commutes a lot, which I won't be doing nearly as much.

I would go with the Legion 5 Slim out of those 2 and in the right spec they are great (screen, weight, battery life) but seems to be lots of variations on spec at mo depending on exact model and release date.

Assuming productivity focused however, I wouldn't necessarily go for either but depends on budget.

Screen is a deal breaker for me these days too.

Once you have had the latest crop of 2.8k/3k OLED (inc touchscreens) then anything else disappoints.

The main thing that the ThinkBook has over the Legion is the extra ram as I'll fill up 32GB relatively easily but still have enough to spare. The 64gb would provide more longevity, but in 2 or 3 years time I'll likely get a replacement anyway and retire this one. The screens on the ThinkBook around the £1,600 mark are not great, especially as I'm used to my monitor that's 3440x1440 165hz. I can't stand my wife's 1080p 60hz.

 

[Jim99]

I have a Legion and use some kind of slim Lenovo (either is / similar to an X1 Carbon) for work.

The build quality on the Legion is fine, very happy with it - the main issue I have is that it's a) extremely bulky and b) can't be charged via USB-C.

Compared to my work laptop that I can slam shut, tuck under my arm, and plug in anywhere, it's quite inconvenient. I don't much enjoy taking it up and down stairs.

For me I haven't seen any build quality concerns, it's all about the intended use.

 

[OspreyO]

3 yrs ago I went with the Pro mainly for the 165hz screen myself with a 3060 it's also a lot brighter with 500 nits. It's mostly for productivity and some gaming. Love the ports, screen and keyboard. Also the upgradability.

But the GPU compromises cooling and portability massive power brick and it sucks in a lot of dust. Even if it's used just around the house consider the portability. No usb charging..

I'm not sure I might have been better with a smaller laptop and a desktop.

 

[dave28]

So I'm looking at getting a decent laptop for work which will consist on some pretty intensive programming workloads

Workstation laptops are better for that, they have cooling systems that are better for sustained work since they are designed with work in mind. So the P16 is better for you and just dont worry about the screen.

 

[EdGey]

I've got a Legion which has come with me on my many work travels for some time now. I've found it to be pretty exceptional.

So much so that I'll be looking almost exclusively at Lenovo to replace it in the next year or so.

 

[MatteRB26]

Workstation laptops are better for that, they have cooling systems that are better for sustained work since they are designed with work in mind. So the P16 is better for you and just dont worry about the screen.

Couldn't similar be said for the Legion though? Surely the Legion requires even better cooling considering it's dealing with a GPU as well?

 

[MatteRB26]

I've got a Legion which has come with me on my many work travels for some time now. I've found it to be pretty exceptional.

So much so that I'll be looking almost exclusively at Lenovo to replace it in the next year or so.

I'm pretty set on Lenovo, haven't heard a bad story (that they didn't resolve quickly and well). Just a little stuck on the P16 and Legion as the Legion is cheaper and seemingly far better specs. Wondering where the shortcomings are, I know they can be quite... Flexible but stuff like the keyboard flexing didn't bother as much as maybe a bump taking out the motherboard which happened on my wife's old Samsung years ago!

 

[Scrutinize]

Couldn't similar be said for the Legion though? Surely the Legion requires even better cooling considering it's dealing with a GPU as well?

I'm pretty set on Lenovo, haven't heard a bad story (that they didn't resolve quickly and well). Just a little stuck on the P16 and Legion as the Legion is cheaper and seemingly far better specs. Wondering where the shortcomings are, I know they can be quite... Flexible but stuff like the keyboard flexing didn't bother as much as maybe a bump taking out the motherboard which happened on my wife's old Samsung years ago!

Quite often gaming laptops will never have a totally silent mode whereas workstations and business laptops do etc. Maybe this isn't important to you but for me zero or nominal fan noise during regular operation is paramount. When under heavy productivity load the Legions I have tried have been significantly louder (beyond office environment friendly) than say a Dell Precision WS.

There's loads of YouTube reviews and channels which give the advice you're after.

Unless budget no object then there will always be notable make or break compromises.

Either one or more:
#Screen resolution / touchscreen
#Screen brightness
(above two semi moot if using external screen)
#Loudness / Pitch of fans at idle, light load and productivity load.
#IO inc TB4
#Weight
#Reliability
#Charging capability / requirements (eg usb-c inc charging via portable power bank)
#Nvidia Studio/A500etc capability (you don't need a high W graphics card for Studio ie lots of manufacturers opting for a 50-70w rtx4050 to rtx4070 this year which is outperformed in gaming by high power 4060s but perfect for productivity use & managing battery life/heat/noise.

I think the Legion you're considering requires a proprietary high 200+W charger which does rule out using standard USB C chargers and PD power banks.

This year's 2024 crop of all capability focused thin and light like the Asus Zenbook (Ultra 9 w32gb @1399£) Zephyrus G14 and G16, Samsung Galaxy Book 4 rtx4050-4070 Intel Ultra 7/9 enabled, HP Omen Transcend, HP Spectre x360 etc etc are a game changer against the more traditional productivity workstations and gaming laptops.

If you really do need 64gb Ram, then best to consider a true workstation with rtx so you get 'Studio' capability & boosts though.

 

[heman]

Bought a used Legion 7 with a 5800H sometime last year. IMHO built very well, and the screen is also 2560 x1600 and quite bright, 500nits IIFC.
However, before this I had a Legion 5 non-pro which was all plastic, felt a lot cheaper but was still a solid build.
Touch wood the Legion 7 is still working really well, although mainly only used on certain outings and not the main PC.

 

[Paul11]

Very happy with my Legion. Can feel a little on the plastic side but doesnt bother me in any way, it still feels solid.

 

[Minstadave]

I had a Legion 5 Pro with 5800H/3060 and it was very solidly built, easy to upgrade.

 

[krisboats]

I weighed up between a legion 5 and an acer helios 300 and the 300 won by miles for build quality. The legion 5 packs in a lot of hardware, but the chassis is definitely lower priced. screen bends, keyboard bends, cheap feeling material. I couldn't bring myself to spend so much on it when it felt that plasticky.

 

[MatteRB26]

After much umming and ahhing (indecisiveness is one of my worst traits) I settled for the AMD P16s. £1110 ex VAT for a Ryzen 7840U, 64gb ram and 2TB SSD was a hard price to pass on. Should last a few years of .NET and Node abuse