There was a time when Intel was the most recognized and demanded laptop processor maker. Right from powering an ultrathin notebook to a gaming beast, Intel dominated everything. However, AMD has made massive strides in the last few years, and we’re a quick change in market perception. Lenovo has joined the bandwagon, and AMD’s Ryzen 4000H series chips power the Legion 5 laptop.
The Legion 5 is an entry-level gaming laptop. While Intel configurations are available in a few markets, Lenovo has vetoed AMD for the Indian market. The prime question is, can the new Ryzen chips take on a legendary giant like Intel? Besides, the processor is just one organ of the complete machine. What about the GPU? The cooling? The display? Let’s find out!
It’s got a 15.6-inch IPS display with a 120Hz refresh rate
Powered by AMD Ryzen 5 4600H CPU and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650Ti GPU
The keyboard is backlit, but you miss out on RGB
The body is Phantom Black and feels extremely sturdy
Work hard, play hard
That sounds like a cliche, right? The Legion 5 actually excels at being a very balanced laptop. The construction of the chassis is robust, and despite being plastic, it induces confidence. The design is modern, and the grills look quite futuristic. Just based on looks, the Legion 5 is confidence-inspiring, and there’s no body flex.
Our unit is the most commonly found variant and sports a Ryzen 5 4600H processor, 8GB RAM, 1 TB 5400 hard drive, and 256 GB PCIe storage. The base frequency is 3.0Ghz, across six Zen 2 CPU cores and 12 threads. It has an Nvidia GTX 1650Ti GPU with 4GB of VRAM, but there’s no real-time tracing. While the GPU specs may seem disappointing on paper, the real-world experience is surprisingly better.
Games like Apex Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, and The Division 2 play like a breeze. You can easily expect it to churn out at least 60fps, while older games like Counter Strike: Global Offensive cross the 100 mark without any struggle. Intensive games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare hovered between 50 and 60. These numbers are quite encouraging because the experience is above average and consistent.
The 15.6-inch display has a matte finish that does a decent job of reducing reflection. The screen is bright enough, the colors are punchy, and it feels immersive. The bezels are thin, and the screen can lay back flat to 180 degrees.
Coming to work, the laptop can literally handle anything you throw at it. In an intense session, I had 16 Firefox tabs, three Word documents, two large Excel sheets, Zoom, and Spotify in tandem, without making me feel the laptop is entry-level. Video editing, rendering, and mathematical compilations are also effortless, albeit with a few more seconds.
A very utilitarian laptop
Gaming laptops generally have terrible battery life because the focus is on maximum performance. Lenovo has taken full advantage of the CPU and GPU, and the laptop can provide three to four hours of usage on a single charge. While this is in range with the competition, the laptop is well optimized to deliver more than four hours if the usage is light.
Despite the above-average battery life, don’t think about traveling a lot with this laptop along. It weighs like any other gaming laptop — a whopping 2.3kg. And the massive size of the chassis isn’t ideal for backpacking. However, this isn’t a shortcoming of the laptop since gaming rigs are designed to be more powerful, not portable.
One of the most things that I loved the most about the Legion 5 is its keyboard. With 1.5mm travel, it may take you a couple of hours to get used to if you’re coming from a paper-thin laptop like the MacBook Air. But once you get the hang of it, there’s no stopping. The keys feel very soft yet tactile, and the numeric pad is convenient.
Lastly, the keyboard layout is also optimum and encourages you to keep going without a break. Our unit has a white backlight, but an optional RGB one is available. The touchpad is fast, accurate, and big enough.
Vents and ports, everywhere
The laptop has many ventilation outlets, and you can hear the fan kick-in when intensive processing is required. The sides, as well as the bottom, are filled with grills, vents, and ports.
The heat doesn’t seep out of the keyboard and precisely gets pushed out via the openings.
This is an important factor because many laptops cannot control the flow and the heat ends up on your keyboard, passively making the experience underwhelming.
It’s also loaded with ports — AC power, Ethernet, four USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI 2.0, USB-C with DisplayPort, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The USB-C port doesn’t support charging, and it misses out on an SD card reader. Being a budget-friendly offering, this one skips a biometric tool like a fingerprint scanner.
The Legion 5 has a 2W Harman speaker that’s way louder than you’d expect it to be. The speaker’s placement is on-point, and the sound output feels like it has surrounded you.
Finally, it’s got a 720p webcam that comes with a physical shutter to protect your privacy. I’d have preferred a 1080p camera since it literally costs nothing, and the world has moved on long ago. I’m not a fan of the webcam as it often makes you look very grainy even in well-lit conditions.
Is this your GadgetMatch?
With a starting price of INR 73,490, I’d like to add that calling the Legion 5 a “gaming laptop” is wrong. It’s a well-equipped laptop that’s gaming-centric. Lenovo has designed the laptop for casual gamers, and it does them justice perfectly. If you’re in the market for a hardcore gaming laptop, this surely isn’t made for you.
I’d say Lenovo has done a fabulous job creating a balanced machine that can get everything done. Work during the day and play hard during the night. Have a few hobby ideas? Go ahead and finish them on the weekend! If you get what I mean, this laptop is for you. It tries to be good at almost everything, and it does it without disappointing.
Many now-basic features like Windows Hello, USB-C charging, Full HD webcam, and RGB keyboard are missing. But if you think about it, are these omissions a deal-breaker?
There’s no doubt that India is a major market for technology. While the country has its own brand preferences outside of the world’s usual, everyone still wants to get a piece of the market. To the dismay of global companies, the country is realizing the potential of its own market. Effective immediately, India has started restricting imports for new laptops, tablets, and PCs.
Recently, India made some headlines in the smartphone industry. A few companies, including Apple, have poured funds into building factories in India. Locally produced devices will allow these companies to attract the Indian market better. With the new regulations out today, it looks like these brands are going to enjoy a head start over others who aren’t in the country yet.
The Indian government introduced a new restriction (via Reuters) against the importation of “laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, and ultra-small form factor computers and servers” made from other countries. Customers, however, will get an exemption. Airline passengers can still bring in these devices in their luggage. Additionally, a single imported device is allowable when bought through e-commerce platforms. Companies can import their products only by applying for a special license.
In a nutshell, bulk orders without a license are out. The government is instead encouraging users to buy locally produced products as part of its “Make in India” program. At the very least, it’s not a total ban on foreign brands. For example, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are exempt from the regulations since they already have production facilities built in the country.
SEE ALSO: Samsung overtakes Xiaomi as top phone brand in India
Attacking a huge smartphone market is difficult. With preferences constantly evolving, it can get tricky to figure out the best lineup to capture most of a market. Samsung, however, has just done it. In the last quarter of 2022, Samsung has taken the crown from Xiaomi as the bestselling smartphone brand in India.
India is an important market for most smartphone brands. It’s one of the largest markets in the world. However, despite its size, the biggest players are often those who offer more affordable devices for consumers. Budget is the name of the game if a brand wants to make it big in the country.
Things are changing, though. According to new market data (via Reuters), Samsung has nabbed the throne from the former leader, Xiaomi. In the last quarter of 2022, the Korean brand grabbed 20 percent of the market, while the latter only got 18 percent.
In a trend dubbed as premiumization, Indian consumers are reportedly enjoying more disposable income, resulting in more willingness to buy pricier products. Additionally, the report hints that consumers have started equating lower prices with inferior quality.
With the market trending towards more premium products, Samsung took the lead with a lineup that consists more of midrange to premium devices. It will also be interesting to see if Apple, an even more premium brand, can also make a dent in the Indian market.
SEE ALSO: Buyer’s Guide: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
For one of the largest smartphone markets in the world, India is one of the rarer countries where Apple does not outright dominate. Undoubtedly, the company is trying to change that. Ongoing job listings in India are suggesting that Apple is ready to open its first brick-and-mortar store in the country.
First reported by Financial Times, Apple has posted job openings in India for several retail roles including for the iconic Genius Bar. Another clue even indicates that some spots have already been filled ahead of time. A few employees in the country have reportedly posted about their new jobs on LinkedIn.
Unfortunately, none of the job listings show how many stores are planned and where they will be. Narrowing things down by a bit, a few of the confirmed employees are from Mumbai and New Delhi. The report also does not indicate when the stores will open. However, since a few have already been hired, a grand opening might be coming soon.
Apple has a lot to gain by strengthening its foothold in India. The country is an important stronghold for smartphone companies. However, the company might find things harder as time goes by. The country recently dictated that brands must switch to USB-C if they want to sell their devices in India. All over the world, Apple remains the last stalwart against adopting the more universal standard.
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