Lenovo is rolling out the red carpet for enthusiasts with a new family of Legion 7 gaming laptops. There are four new models, all of which feature 16-inch displays: the Legion 7i/Legion 7 and Legion 7i Slim/Legion 7 Slim.
Starting with the Legion 7i and Legion 7, they feature an aluminum and magnesium unibody that is decked out with RGB elements all around. You'll find RGB along the front, sides, rear vents, on the display lid, and per-key lighting. In addition, a new and improved Legion TrueStrike keyboard is now available with WASD Force Sensor technology (for proportional feedback for key travel).
The main differences between the Legion 7i and 7 are their processor and graphics card selections. The Legion 7i uses 12th generation Intel Alder Lake-based processors (Core i7-12800HX or Core i9-12900HX) paired with a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti or RTX 3080 Ti discrete graphics cards. On the other hand, opting for the Legion 7 gets you an AMD Ryzen 7 6900H or Ryzen 9 6900HX Zen 3+ processor with your choice of a Radeon RX 6700M or RX 6850M XT discrete GPU.
Whether you select Intel or AMD power for your Legion rig, you can install up to 32GB of DDR5-4800 memory. However, Intel systems offer the option of supporting 32GB of overclocked DDR5-5600 memory from the factory. Base systems come with a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD, while upgrades are available to 1TB or 2TB capacities.
Regarding the display, there are two panels offered. The base WQXGA panel provides a 165 Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time and AMD FreeSync/Nvidia G-Sync support. However, an optional panel bumps the maximum refresh rate to 240Hz. Both panels come with claimed VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, Dolby Vision support, and 100 percent coverage of the sRGB color gamut.
Designed to compete with the best gaming laptops, the Legion 7i and Legion 7 come with a plethora of USB-C and USB-A ports, a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, 2.5GBE and an audio combo jack. However, only Intel systems support Thunderbolt 4, whereas AMD systems top out at USB 4. Another differentiator is that Intel systems offer Killer AX1650 and AX1690i Wi-Fi 6E radios as optional equipment, which is not available on AMD systems.
Other features for the 5.5-pound laptops include an FHD 1080p with an E-Shutter, Harmon Super Linear Speaker System (dual 2-watt speakers) and a capacious 99.99 kWh battery (a charge from empty to full takes around 80 minutes with 135-watt Super Rapid Charge technology over USB-C).
While the Legion 7i and Legion 7 measure as thin as 0.76 inches, their "Slim" counterparts whittle that to just 0.67 inches. Given their slimmer profiles, the Legion Slim 7i uses less power-hungry Core i5-12500H, Core i7-12700H and Core i9-12900HK processors hooked up with the GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, RTX 3060, or RTX 3070 (with Max-Q Technology enabled). The Legion Slim 7 opts for AMD Ryzen 5 6600H, Ryzen 7 6800H or Ryzen 9 6900HX power backed by Radeon RX 6600S or RX 6800S discrete GPUs. Up to 24GB of DDR5 is supported across all systems, and up to a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD is installed from the factory.
Things get a bit more interesting when it comes to the displays. The Legion 7i Slim and 7 Slim can be equipped with the same 16-inch panel options as the aforementioned Legion 7i and Legion 7. However, the Legion 7i Slim has two additional options for customers. The first is a more budget-oriented option: a 16-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) panel with a 165 Hz refresh rate. Sitting at the top of the totem pole is a new 16-inch WQXGA Mini-LED panel with a 165 Hz refresh rate and VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification.
You'll find a nice mixture of USB-A and USB-C ports on the system (only the Legion 7i Slim gets Thunderbolt 4), along with a 4-in-1 SD reader and an HDMI 2.1 port. Both systems are available with Wi-Fi 6E radios, although only the Legion 7i Slim gets access to Killer Wi-Fi 6E modules.
Even with though these have thin frames, Lenovo still managed to cram a 99.99 kWh battery into its "Slim" gaming laptops.
According to Lenovo, the Legion 7i will be available this month, starting at $2,449, while the Legion 7 will debut next month starting at $2,059. In addition, the Legion Slim 7i will have a base price of $1,589 when it launches this month, while the Legion Slim 7's June 2022 launch will see a price tag of $1,519.
