Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 review: The best there is?

This is the best gaming laptop that you can get right now! It’s got the most powerful Intel CPU for Gaming with an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU. I am talking about Lenovo’s Legion Pro 7i for 2024 and it’s basically the best gaming laptop if you want top-of-the-line performance WITHOUT paying a premium. But what's the catch here? Is it worth paying 5+ lakh rupees for a mere laptop? Find out what the pros and cons of such an expensive machine are and more in this full review of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (2024). 

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 2024 Review: Specifications

• Dimensions, Weight: 363.50 x 262.10 x 21.95-25.90 mm (W x D x H), 2.62 kg
• Display: 16″ WQXGA IPS panel, 240Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 500 nits brightness
• Keyboard: Full-size chiclet backlit keyboard, Per-Key RGB backlighting, Lens Light
• Security: TPM 2.0, No Windows Hello login
• Processor: Intel "Raptor Lake" Core i9-14900HX (Intel 7 process)
  • 24C/32T, 5.8 GHz max turbo frequency, 55W base power
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (16GB GDDR6 VRAM, 175W TGP)
• RAM: 2x 16GB DDR5-5600 memory
• Storage: 1TB SSD (M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0)
• Audio: Down-firing stereo speaker system
• Battery: 99.99 Watt-hours with 330W charging, 140W PD support
• Webcam: FHD (1080p) camera with E-shutter
• I/O Ports: 1x Thunderbolt 4 (Type-C), 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (PD 140W, DisplayPort 1.4), 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x LAN (RJ45), 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack
• Price in Nepal: NPR 522,500 (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD)
• Check the full specifications of Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 2024 here
• Buy Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 2024 here

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 2024 Review:

Pricey Dicey

The Legion Pro 7 is not an affordable machine by any means but it is priced well below what other 4090 laptops generally go for. In the context of Nepal, such high-tier laptops are once in a once-in-a-blue-moon phenomenon, so the price is a bit hard to swallow. But looking at the global picture, the Legion Pro 7 is much more digestible for its super powerful hardware.   The 4080 variant starts around 2.9 lakhs rupees (INR), or some 2700 dollars in the US while the 4090 model I have with me is even more expensive. But you can get these laptops at massive discounts during sales with my 4090 version going for as low as 2400 dollars (~NPR 324,000). Jumping back down from Cloud 9 though, you can make this Legion yours right now right here for just a measly five lakhs twenty-two thousand and five hundred rupees!

Design and Build

• 363.50 x 262.10 x 21.95-25.90 mm (W x D x H)
• 2.62 kg, Aluminum lid, and bottom, Plastic keyboard deck

I have always just liked the Legion lineup looked over a lot of other gimmicky and bulky gaming laptops. They have this modern and minimal aura that makes me confident in carrying one without feeling out of place; be it my home, office, or even business meetings. And I feel exactly the same way with this Pro 7. It’s a chunky laptop at over 2.5 kilos but it’s not as big as some other 18” giants. It’s got all the RGB I could want but the Legion looks just as good and even cleaner without them. It’s got the most powerful components packed inside but remains cool as a cucumber when I am not gaming. 

That’s why I found this Legion Pro 7 to be a great candidate for my work and gaming hybrid; one that I could lug across my home and office without breaking my back (completely).

Keyboard and Trackpad

• Full-size backlit chiclet keyboard (Per key RGB, Lighting Lens Bar)
• Mylar (Plastic) trackpad

For the chassis, Lenovo has gone with an aluminum body. So I wondered why the keyboard deck was made out of plastic. I think it’s probably to keep the heat away from your fingers while gaming since my old Legion with an all-metal build got quite uncomfortable during longer gaming sessions. This time the deck hovered only around 35-40 degrees which was warm but not uncomfortably hot. Like always, the keys themselves feel nice with good travel and bright RGB. And you get a shiny disco bar at the front too. You can customize all of these with Lenovo’s Vantage app or use the Fn (+ Space) shortcut for quick access. Moving on, the trackpad isn’t glass-topped but Lenovo’s Mylar surface feels smooth and accurate to gestures. I also like the plenty of ports on this laptop, and everything from the hinges to the bezels is very good with no room for complaints.

Display

• 16″ matte WQXGA (1600p) IPS display
• 240Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut
• 500 nits brightness, G-SYNC, Advanced Optimus support

On that front, you are looking at a 16” 2K screen with a ridiculous 240Hz refresh rate. The IPS panel here is well-suited for gaming, with fast response times and vibrant colors.  I didn’t notice any smearing or ghosting while playing games, and the color accuracy out of the box is excellent too. But why an IPS and not a mini LED or OLED screen you might ask?  I’d say it’s probably to keep the costs down as Lenovo is aiming to provide the best set of balanced features for gamers without jacking up the price. Their more expensive Legion 9 and competitors like the Asus Zephyrus G16 do offer better displays but they also cost an arm and a leg extra. That’s why I am quite happy with the screen on my Legion here. Besides a good gaming experience, it gets plenty bright for both indoor and outdoor use, has good contrast for HDR videos, and I can enjoy all of my movies in crisp 1440p resolution. 

• Check the complete details and pricing of the Lenovo Legion Laptop Series here

Audio

• 2x 2W down-firing stereo speakers
• Harman Tuned Audio

The speakers are surprisingly good as well. They get loud for a pair of down-firing drivers, and there’s no distortion or tear at high volumes. If I had to nitpick, I think a little more bass could have made it sound fuller but you’ll likely be using headphones or external speakers during gaming anyways.

Webcam

• FHD (1080p) camera with E-shutter
• Built-in dual array microphone

Well, the webcam is nothing special here. It's fine for your occasional meeting in a sufficiently lit room but there's noticeable noise, struggle against light, and a washed out look overall.

Performance

• Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU (55W base TDP)
• NVIDIA RTX 4090 graphics (175W TGP)
• 32GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD (both upgradeable)

So with all that out of the way, it’s finally time to talk about gaming….and let me just tell you…this guy is a BEAST.  It will simply plow through any demanding workload or AAA title you throw at it. So, to show you just how good it is, here are some CPU and GPU benchmarks comparing it against a typical midrange gaming laptop and Apple’s own M series chipset. But what do benchmarks even mean right? Let’s jump into actual games to see how well the Core i9 14900HX and RTX 4090 do….

Gaming Results

In my test suite of 10 games, I played each game in 1440p and 4k resolution with maxed-out settings, and here are the results. Starting with the lightest game on my list, Counter-Strike 2 was running very well with around 130-200 fps on maxed-out graphics (at 2k and 4k resolutions). I didn’t notice any stutter or frame drops and the 1% low values were pretty good as well.  Next up was GTA V, which looked really pretty in 4k with everything on Max settings. Similarly, I played Borderlands, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Starfield, all of which were silky smooth above 60fps at 4k.  Some games like Cyberpunk 2077 are still VERY DEMANDING, and the Legion only managed about 40-45 frames on Ultra 4K without any kind of upscaling. You can easily push that number to 100+ FPS using DLSS and FRAME GEN, but on the flip side, super taxing features like ‘Ray Tracing’ and ‘Path Tracing’ will again bring it closer to that 60 FPS mark which is much more playable in my opinion. I played a few other games too, Forza Horizon for the racing fans, my ol' favorite Control, and Red Dead Redemption 2 for its movie-esque visuals.

Save your money

The gaming performance in all the titles was excellent, but you expect 80-90% of the same even with their lower-end RTX 4080 GPU. So, I think it’s a financially smarter move for most gamers to go with that variant instead; especially during sales where it can be had for several hundred dollars cheaper. I mean, the 4080 variant is 1 lakh rupees cheaper in Nepal so it's definitely more bang for your buck deal. Scoping out a little bit, there's substantial gain jumping from something like the RTX 4060 mobile but going from the 4080 to the 4090 isn't all that dreamy!

• Legion Pro 7i 2024 (Core i9 14900HX, RTX 4080, 32GB, 1TB, 16" WQXGA 240Hz)

Creative Workflows, 3D Stuff, an AI

Besides just gaming, you can, of course, use your laptop for productivity and creative needs as well. This Legion Pro 7 can easily render and export even the most complex of Premiere projects or After Effect compositions. Paired with the color-accurate display, it can be the best professional workstation slash gaming hybrid for the right audience. The RTX 4090 is a champion when it comes to 3D Rendering and AI workflow as well. So, professionals in those fields can make the most out of their Legion too.

Battery, Cooling, Fan Noise

• 99.99Wh battery, 330W AC adapter
• Vapor Chamber cooling, Liquid Metal on processors, dual fans
• Silent, Balanced, Performance, Custom Profiles

Now, let’s quickly touch on some other important aspects like battery life, cooling solutions, and fan noise. Since both the CPU and GPU are very power-hungry and heat-generating components, I was not surprised to see the subpar battery life (<3 hours of normal use) and high temperatures. Lenovo has done a good job of keeping the temperatures in check with their vapor chamber, and liquid metal, but it can get pretty warm sometimes. You don’t need to be worried though, as the Legion Pro 7 can easily sustain its performance without throttling thanks to a beefy cooling system. The battery life can also be stretched by a little bit by dialing down the brightness, lowering the refresh rate, and killing the NVIDIA GPU. Using it like this also results in little to no fan noise, perfect for when you are looking to simply watch a movie or do some documentation. The port situation is pretty good too with 4 Type-As, two Type-Cs, HDMI, Ethernet, and audio jack. The Left Type-C is a Thunderbolt 4 while the one on the back is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 with 140W PD and DP 1.4 support. The SSD here is super fast at over 7000 MB/s read and 2000 MB/s + write speeds. Paired with the 32 GB of DDR5 5600 RAM, there's no stone left unturned when it comes to memory. Both RAM slots (2x SO-DIMM) are occupied with 16GB sticks while you get an additional M.2 slot for extra storage.

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 2024 Review: Conclusion

The Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 is a machine I loved testing and if you can snag up a bargain like that listing for 2,400 dollars, it's worth it in every way there is. But not everyone needs such a powerful machine that requires beefy cooling and a lot of power. You might be better off at the ultrabook convention or maybe the PC camp. It's not for everyone, and the Legion Pro 7i makes that pretty clear both in terms of features and the price!

• Watch our video showcase of Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 2024

Lenovo Legion Pro 7i 2024 Review: Pros and Cons