Lenovo's Legion 5 and Legion 5 Pro get latest AMD and NVIDIA hardware, new colors at CES 2021

Lenovo Legion 5 17
Lenovo Legion 5 17 (Image credit: Lenovo)

What you need to know

  • Two new Legion 5 (15-inch and 17-inch) and a Legion 5 Pro gaming laptop have been announced by Lenovo at CES 2021.
  • These gaming laptops are powered by AMD Ryzen mobile processors and NVIDIA RTX laptop graphics cards.
  • Legion 5 Pro brings new display, new design, and the latest hardware for competitive gamers.
  • Both Legion 5 sizes are expected March 2021 and will start at about $770. The Legion 5 Pro is expected March 2021 and will start at about $1,000.

The mid-range Legion 5 lineup of gaming laptops, in both 15-inch and 17-inch sizes, is getting a refresh for 2021. The same minimalist design is present here as we saw in the last-gen Legion 5i 15, with ports along the sides and back and 180-degree hinges. The 15-inch model is available in a new Stingray White color or classic Phantom Blue, while the 17-inch model comes only in Phantom Blue. Ports include four USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and Ethernet on both sizes, though the larger incorporates an SD card reader for easier file management.

The smaller Legion 5 has a number of 15.6-inch display options available, all set at a 1920x1080 (FHD) resolution. Get up to a 165Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, Dolby Vision, 100% sRGB color, and 300 nits brightness for smooth, colorful gaming, and power it all with up to the latest AMD Ryzen 7 mobile CPUs and latest NVIDIA RTX laptop GPUs. For some extra style, the TrueStrike keyboard comes with your choice of white, blue, or four-zone RGB backlight.

As for the larger model, there are also a bunch of 17.3-inch displays available. The top option has a 1920x1080 (FHD) resolution with 144Hz refresh rate, 300 nits brightness, and Dolby Vision. It too is powered by up to the latest AMD Ryzen 7 mobile CPUs and latest NVIDIA RTX laptop GPUs for excellent performance.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
CategoryLenovo Legion 5 (15ACH)Lenovo Legion 5 (17ACH)Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (16ACH)
OSWindows 10 HomeWindows 10 ProWindows 10 HomeWindows 10 ProWindows 10 HomeWindows 10 Pro
ProcessorUp to AMD Ryzen 7Up to AMD Ryzen 7Up to AMD Ryzen 7
RAMUp to 32GB DDR4-3200MHzUp to 16GB DDR4-3200MHzUp to 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce RTXNVIDIA GeForce RTXNVIDIA GeForce RTX
StorageUp to 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSDUp to 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSDUp to 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Display15.6-inches1920x1080 (FHD)IPS, 165Hz, 3ms, 100% sRGB, 300 nits, Dolby Vision1920x1080 (FHD)IPS, 120Hz, 250 nits1920x1080 (FHD)IPS, 60Hz, 100% sRGB, 300 nits17.3 inches1920x1080 (FHD)IPS, 144Hz, 300 nits, Dolby Vision1920x1080 (FHD)IPS, 60Hz, 300 nits16 inches2560x1600 (QHD)16:10 aspect ratio165Hz, 3ms, 500 nits100% sRGBDolby VisionVESA DisplayHDR 400NVIDIA G-Sync
PortsFour USB-A 3.2USB-C 3.2HDMI 2.1Ethernet3.5mm audioTwo USB-C 3.2Four USB-A 3.2HDMI 2.1EthernetSD card reader3.5mm audioTwo USB-C 3.2Four USB-A 3.2HDMI 2.1Ethernet3.5mm audio
AudioDual 2W speakersHarman Kardon audioDual 2W speakersHarman speakersDual 2W speakersHarman speakers
ConnectivityWi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.1Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.1Wi-Fi 6Bluetooth 5.1
CameraFront-facing 720pE-ShutterFront-facing 720pE-ShutterFront-facing 720pE-Shutter
KeyboardWhite backlightBlue backlightFour-zone RGBWhite backlightWhite backlightBlue backlightFour-zone RGB
Battery60WhUp to 8 hoursUp to 8 hours
Dimensions14.3 x 10.22 x 0.93-1.03 inches(363.06mm x 259.61mm x 23.57-26.1mm)15.7 x 11.41 x 0.95-1.03 inches(398.6mm x 290mm x 24.3-26.2mm)14.01 x 10.4 x 0.86-1.1 inches(356mm x 264.2mm x 21.7-26.85mm)
Weight5.3 pounds (2.4kg)6.57 pounds (2.98kg)5.4 pounds (2.45kg)
ColorPhantom BlueStingray WhitePhantom BlueStorm GreyStingray White

Lenovo also revealed the new Legion 5 Pro, a laptop best cut out for those who are invested in competitive PC gaming. Its 16-inch display has a taller display with 16:10 aspect ratio and crisp 2560x1600 resolution, plus it boasts a smooth 165Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. If that's not enough, it also manages 100% sRGB color reproduction and 500 nits brightness. Dolby Vision, VESA DisplayHDR 400, and NVIDIA G-Sync are also present.

The latest AMD Ryzen mobile CPUs and NVIDIA RTX laptop GPUs work behind the scenes to deliver awesome gaming power. The Legion 5 Pro has a larger intake vent and more exhaust vents for better cooling, and touchpad is larger than the standard Legion laptops for better control when not using an external mouse. Grab it in Storm Grey or Stingray White colors.

All laptops benefit from improved Legion Coldfront 3.0 cooling with up to 18% better airflow, as well as a larger copper heat sink to better dissipate heat. Lenovo's Q-Control, a quick way to change power profiles, gets a new Intelligent Mode for automatic performance tweaking while you game, and a new Legion AI Engine helps your system's components manage power and overclock performance.

The Legion 5 15 and Legion 5 17 are both expected to be released March 2021. The smaller model will start at about $770. As for the Legion 5 Pro, it's expected March 2021 and will start at about $1,000.

Cale Hunt
Contributor

Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.