Lenovo Legion gaming laptop update ushers in first adaptive refresh-rate screen

Lenovo has announced a refresh for its 15-inch Legion 5 and 5i, and 16-inch Legion 5 Pro and 51 Pro gaming laptops for 2022.

In addition to a totally new logo and new design – which is up to 15 per cent slimmer than earlier models – the headline take-away feature is the first adaptive refresh-rate display to be found in a gaming laptop, available for the 5 Pro models.

The 16-inch Legion 5 Pro has a WQHD+ resolution panel that can cycle at 240Hz, but automatically adjust that refresh rate based on the content and scenario – just like many mobile phones already do – and it’s the first time a gaming laptop has featured such a panel, compatible with Nvidia G-Sync.

The Legion 5 series also packs in more performance credentials than its forebears, too, with the latest AMD and Intel processor options, paired with Nvidia GeForce 3070 Ti RTX graphics. There’s also a new thermal technology that’s designed to reduce overall fan noise and, where possible, fan speed.

Design-wise, these Legion laptops have the modern classic Lenovo look. The aluminium magnesium blend means business from a sturdiness point of view, while the grey finish maintains subtlety – although the Pro is available in a more look-at-me ‘Glacier White’ finish.

Lenovo’s TrueStrike keyboard has also been redesigned, featuring four-zone RGB lighting illumination (and software control via Spectrum), a full Numpad, along with an intake vent beneath each key to help keep your wrists and the machine cool under pressure.

The Lenovo Legion 5i will be available from February, with prices starting at $1,199.99. The Legion 5 Pro laptop will also be available from February, with prices starting at $1,569.99.