Lenovo Legion Slim 7i review
The Lenovo Lenovo Legion Slim 7i ranks as the #513 laptops globally, achieving a LibraScore of 71. Across all metrics, this product stands out most for its #113-ranked features among 574 laptops. Consider the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen 4, which offer higher scores while staying in the same price range.
Is it Worth it?
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i is an exceptional laptop for creators. With its I9 13900H processor and RTX 4070 graphics, it delivers impressive performance in applications like Photoshop, After Effects, and Blender. The bright and color-accurate display, combined with a comfortable keyboard and aluminum build quality, make it a joy to use. While the battery life is great, it's not exceptional. However, the laptop's upgrade path, including two M.2 slots and an extra RAM slot, makes it a solid long-term investment. Overall, the Slim 7i is worth considering for its excellent performance, build quality, and value.
Build
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i boasts an exceptional build quality, with a slim and lightweight aluminum chassis that's both durable and aesthetically pleasing. The laptop's edges are carefully crafted, but the lip on one edge is somewhat noticeable. Despite this minor quibble, the overall design is impeccable, with a premium feel that sets it apart from other laptops in its class. The Legion Slim 7i's build quality justifies its status as Lenovo's premier laptop in the Legion lineup, making it a standout choice for creators and professionals alike. Give Lenovo ThinkPad T15g Gen 2 a try—it’s designed to provide an unparalleled build.
Display
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i boasts an impressive display that's perfect for creators. With almost 500 nits of screen brightness, it's incredibly vibrant and color-accurate. The 16-inch laptop features a stunning panel that's both bright and colorful, making it ideal for editing, gaming, or simply enjoying your favorite content. The display is also surprisingly quiet in terms of fan noise, even when pushed to its limits. In addition to its excellent brightness, the Slim 7i's screen also boasts great viewing angles, ensuring that colors remain consistent even from off-center positions. Overall, the Lenovo Legion Slim 7i's display is a major highlight of this laptop, making it a top choice for anyone who values a great visual experience. Get your hands on Lenovo ThinkPad T15g Gen 2 if you're looking for better display.
Performance
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i is a powerhouse laptop that excels in performance. With an Intel Core i9-13900H processor and NVIDIA RTX 4070 graphics, it delivers impressive results in various applications. In Geekbench, it scores well above average, placing it among the top performers. Photoshop and After Effects also benefit from its 16GB of soldered RAM, with scores in the high 1100s to 1200s after upgrading to a total of 32GB. Blender Classroom and other creative apps also show strong performance, making the Slim 7i an excellent choice for creators. However, Premiere Pro playback and export times are somewhat disappointing, but overall, this laptop is well-suited for demanding tasks like video editing and 3D modeling. Consider discovering the power of Lenovo Yoga Creator 7, featuring the latest advancements in performance.
Battery and Charging
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i boasts impressive battery life, with around 10 hours of streaming video playback and productivity, achieved by setting the screen brightness to 20, 60Hz refresh rate, Windows battery saver mode, and hybrid GPU mode. While this sacrifices performance for a great battery life experience, plugging in the laptop returns it to full power. The laptop's upgrade path is another highlight, with two m.2 slots and an extra RAM slot, allowing users to boost their RAM and storage capacity, making it a great option for creators on-the-go.
Connectivity
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i boasts an impressive array of connectivity options, including two USB Type-C ports, a headphone jack, power adapter, three USB Type-A ports, and an HDMI port. The inclusion of an SD card reader is also a welcome addition for creators who need to transfer files quickly. Overall, the laptop's connectivity setup is comprehensive and convenient. For a superior connectivity, Lenovo LOQ 15 could be the right choice.
Features
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i boasts a robust feature set, including an Intel Core i9-13900H processor, NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU, and up to 32GB RAM. It also features a color-accurate and bright display (up to 499 nits), SD card reader, and aluminum build quality. A better alternative might be Lenovo ThinkPad T15g Gen 2, featuring a next-level features.
Support and Maintenance
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7i offers excellent support and maintenance features. It has a robust upgrade path with an extra RAM slot and two M.2 slots for storage expansion. The laptop also comes with Windows Battery Saver mode, allowing for extended battery life. Quiet Mode further enhances power efficiency. Overall, the Slim 7i prioritizes user convenience and flexibility in its design.
Pros
1. This laptop has everything I could want in a laptop
2. The I9 13900H RTX 4070 provides great performance and battery life
3. Quiet mode with iGPU mode for great battery life
4. Color accurate and very bright display (almost 500 nits of screen brightness)
5. SD card reader, two USB type-c ports, a headphone jack, power adapter, three USB type A's, and an HDMI port
6. Fantastic aluminum chassis, assembled very well
7. Slim design that is not necessarily super light but still slim
8. Upgrade path available with 16 GB RAM (additional 16 GB stick can be added to the open slot)
Cons
1. The 16 GB RAM bottlenecked system in Premiere Pro playback
2. Not impressive export times in Premiere Pro (2 minute and 29 second for 4K clip)
3. Export times for 6K were not satisfactory (368 drop frames)
4. Not ideal for heavy video editors requiring fast export times
5. No top-tier performance in Premiere Pro playback with just 16 GB RAM
6. Some components such as Photoshop and after effects require more RAM to reach their full potential
7. The laptop is not ideal for 6K video editing due to slow export times
8. The build quality, while excellent, has some plastic on the laptop's design
FAQ
Compare with other laptops
See how this item stacks up against any other model
Choose two different items to see a detailed comparison of their specifications, performance, and features