The Lenovo LOQ15 boasts superior construction quality compared to the typical gaming laptop within this price segment, albeit its performance remains somewhat mediocre.
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The Lenovo LOQ 15, powered by AMD Ryzen 5 hardware, is undeniably a budget-friendly gaming laptop. Priced at $799 or lower, this 15-inch device can run the latest games on low settings. However, despite Lenovo offering a satisfactory package, the limitations of its basic GPU and CPU are evident.
This laptop is functional and commendably so. Lenovo has provided solid construction and a multitude of ports. Nevertheless, the CPU and GPU are merely the bare minimum required for a gaming laptop as we approach the end of 2024, while the battery life is notably lacking.
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Specifications of Lenovo LOQ 15
The Lenovo LOQ 15ARP9 is a 15.6-inch gaming machine equipped with an AMD processor. Lenovo presents various models of this device. The Lenovo LOQ we evaluated is the $799 variant featuring a four-core AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS processor, 12 GB of RAM, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card with 6 GB of VRAM, and a 512 GB SSD.
Model Number: 15ARP9
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS
RAM: 12 GB DDR5
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Display: 15.6-inch 1920×1080 IPS display with a refresh rate of 144Hz
Storage: 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
Web Camera: 720p camera
Ports: 1x USB Type-C (USB 3.2), 3x USB Type-A (USB 3.2), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combined audio jack, 1x Ethernet, 1x DC power input
Network Features: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
Biometric Technology: None
Battery Rating: 60 Watt-hours
Dimensions: 0.94 x 14.17 x 10.19 inches
Weight: 5.39 pounds
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $799 as tested
You can’t dispute the value of a 15-inch gaming laptop priced at $799 that can handle the latest titles, even if it does so on the lowest settings. It’s especially hard to contest the quality of this machine, given the significant effort Lenovo has invested in its construction.
Lenovo LOQ 15: Aesthetics and Build Quality
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo LOQ 15 is a 15.6-inch gaming laptop that predominantly features gray and black tones. It lacks the “gamer aesthetic” commonly seen in many gaming devices. The primary indicators of its gaming purpose are the “LOQ” emblem on the lid and its somewhat bulky design in comparison to the average slim and lightweight laptop.
The chassis of the Lenovo LOQ 15 incorporates a significant amount of plastic, which is expected in a cost-effective gaming laptop. Weighing in at 5.39 pounds, it also skews a bit heavy for a laptop of this size.
Lenovo has excelled in ensuring quality with this device, regardless of the plastic and weight considerations. It’s sturdy and meticulously assembled without any peculiar flexing. The hinge operates smoothly, allowing the laptop to be opened easily with one hand, which is a remarkable feat within this price category.
A considerable amount of bloatware comes preinstalled, including numerous pop-up notifications from McAfee right out of the box. However, it is possible to uninstall these applications.
Lenovo LOQ 15: Keyboard and Trackpad
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo LOQ 15 features a full-sized keyboard that includes a numeric keypad located on the right side. This keyboard is equipped with a white backlight.
This laptop’s keyboard is ample and feels comfortable for typing. It is not overly soft; however, there is somewhat of a “soft” sensation when you press each key down completely. The feedback is not as sharp as you would find on a premium ThinkPad or a mechanical keyboard, for instance. Nevertheless, considering this is an $800 gaming laptop, we are not anticipating the utmost quality from the keys. They are quite decent and I had no issues playing PC games with this keyboard.
The trackpad is suitably sized — larger than average, yet it doesn’t seem excessive. While it’s made of plastic like the rest of the device, it feels smooth and responsive, with a click-down feature that functions well. This trackpad is impressive given the price bracket.
Lenovo LOQ 15: Display and audio output
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo LOQ 15 is equipped with a 15.6-inch IPS screen that offers a resolution of 1920×1080 and a refresh rate of 144 Hz. The primary concern with the screen is its limited brightness. At 300 nits, it offers low brightness levels, and I had to raise it considerably to fully enjoy gaming on it.
Nonetheless, it is acceptable. A resolution of 1920×1080 is sensible for gaming with this laptop’s specifications. Additionally, 144 Hz is a decent refresh rate as well. (For clarification, this does not include a touch screen).
The audio output leaves much to be desired. While testing with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I intended to take the speakers for a more thorough evaluation than I could manage — but I quickly resorted to using headphones to achieve better sound quality. The speakers are rather muted too. They may suffice for watching a YouTube video or participating in a virtual meeting, but you’ll want to connect a decent pair of headphones or external speakers for gaming. Yet, this is to be anticipated in a budget gaming laptop in this price range.
Lenovo LOQ 15: Webcam, microphone, and biometrics
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo LOQ 15 comes with a 720p front-mounted camera. Let’s be frank: This is a 720p webcam on an $800 gaming laptop. It is known that this will not deliver the highest quality for virtual meetings.
The image quality it offers is slightly low-resolution, understandably — it’s a 720p webcam. However, among 720p webcams within $800 gaming laptops, it’s acceptable. You will be able to utilize it for video conferences occasionally.
Lenovo has incorporated a physical camera shutter switch on the laptop’s right side, which is a pleasant feature to see — and also something not typically anticipated on a budget gaming laptop.
The integrated microphone performs surprisingly well. It may not provide the ultimate audio quality, but it delivers very clear sound. I found it effective for voice chats while playing Diablo IV, and my teammates were pleased with its clarity.
Regrettably, this laptop lacks any biometric features. There is no fingerprint sensor or IR camera for Windows Hello access. These features are convenient for quick Windows access. But it’s understandable that Lenovo would exclude these elements to maintain cost efficiency.
Lenovo LOQ 15: Connectivity
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo LOQ 15 showcases an adequate array of ports. The left side is devoid of any connections — instead, Lenovo has positioned most of this device’s ports at the rear. I prefer this setup to keep the cables unobtrusive.
At the back of the device, there’s a DC power input, a pair of USB Type-A ports, a single HDMI 2.1 output port, and an Ethernet outlet.
On the right side of the laptop, you will discover an additional USB Type-A port along with a USB Type-C slot and a combination audio jack — in addition to a physical shutter switch for the webcam.
This is a commendable assortment of ports, including an Ethernet outlet, which is often absent in many gaming laptops. It’s essential to point out that all USB ports operate at USB 3.2 speeds — USB4 is not available here. With only one USB Type-C connection, this device leans towards the older USB Type-A standard — although this isn’t a significant concern for a lot of gamers, undoubtedly.
This device is equipped with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 technology. It’s not surprising that it lacks Wi-Fi 7 support, but it would have been a positive addition to include Wi-Fi 6E compatibility.
Lenovo LOQ 15: Performance
The Lenovo LOQ 15 merges an AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS processor with 12 GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card. There are two models of the GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, and this unit comes with the variant that has 6 GB of VRAM — a significant enhancement over the baseline 4 GB version.
Nevertheless, it is evident: This is entry-level hardware. It features a basic GPU coupled with only 12 GB of system RAM — many modern gaming laptops start with 16 GB now. The AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS processor included here has merely four cores as well. It’s budget hardware at an economical price.
In actual gaming scenarios, it performed reasonably well. I launched the resource-intensive new Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and found it was functional (at low settings). This confirms that this device can handle its tasks.
Moreover, the cooling system appears to function effectively. I appreciate that the fans expel hot air out of the back of the device instead of the sides. The keyboard remains fairly cool to touch. Additionally, the fans, while noticeable, are not excessively loud — especially by the standards for a budget gaming laptop.
Apart from anecdotal evidence, we assessed the Lenovo LOQ 15 using our standard benchmarks to evaluate its performance.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Initially, we execute PCMark 10 to gauge the overall system efficacy. With a total PCMark 10 score of 6,059, this device falls behind compared to other gaming laptops. The Acer Nitro V 15, priced at $50 more than this one, provides slightly enhanced performance.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Following that, we conduct the Cinebench R20 test. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that assesses overall CPU capabilities. It’s a quick test, so thermal management over prolonged exertion isn’t a significant issue. However, due to its multithreaded nature, CPUs with a higher core count possess a considerable edge.
The AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS in the Lenovo LOQ 15 has only four cores, which is why it lags behind in this benchmark, obtaining a score of 2,763, which is modestly low. It’s important to emphasize that this represents multithreaded performance, and this result does not reflect actual gaming efficiency.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Additionally, we carry out an encoding test using Handbrake. This benchmark is also highly multithreaded, but it is conducted over an extensive duration. This requires the laptop’s cooling to engage effectively, and numerous laptops tend to throttle and decelerate under pressure.
The Lenovo LOQ 15
Spent 1,934 seconds to finalize the encoding procedure — that equates to more than 32 minutes. This again reveals a sluggish performance on a highly multithreaded test as a result of the CPU’s limited core count.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Subsequently, we conduct a visual benchmark. Given that this is a gaming laptop, these gaming-oriented evaluations will provide further insights into how the machine will operate with PC games. To start, we execute 3DMark Time Spy, a visual benchmark concentrating on GPU capabilities.
With a 3DMark Time Spy score of 5,511, the Lenovo LOQ 15 tends to be on the slower end regarding visual performance — although it is certainly quicker than the typical laptop featuring integrated graphics. The primary concern lies with its entry-level Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU.
Afterward, we assess the benchmarks integrated into several games. Initially, we utilize the built-in benchmark in Shadow of the Tomb Raider to evaluate all the gaming laptops under review. While it’s an older title, it serves as an excellent tool for comparing visual performance across various systems.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo LOQ 15 achieved an average of 76 FPS with our standard settings for Shadow of the Tomb Raider — with the highest configurations set to 1080p resolution. Not unexpectedly, this score is diminished because of the RTX 3050 GPU.
Lastly, we utilize the built-in benchmark from Metro Exodus. This game poses more challenges, and we configure the benchmark to 1080p resolution at the Extreme detail setting.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo LOQ 15 registered 23 FPS in this evaluation. Once more, this figure is subpar — likely attributed to its entry-level Nvidia GPU. While 23 FPS may not provide an ideal gaming frame rate for this title, you can certainly lower the graphical settings to achieve a playable experience.
In summary, the Lenovo LOQ 15 offers entry-level gaming capability. With its basic Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU and four-core AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS CPU, this laptop isn’t particularly swift for gaming. Nevertheless, the performance is notably better than that of integrated graphics, allowing it to run games. For $800, that is still a consideration.
Lenovo LOQ 15: Battery duration
The Lenovo LOG 15 is equipped with a 60 Watt-hour battery. Gaming laptops typically don’t excel in battery longevity, and this unit features a relatively small battery for a larger device. This is understandable, as a larger battery entails higher costs and Lenovo’s focus here is on affordability and gaming prowess — not extended battery life.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
To assess the longevity of the battery, we continually play a 4K version of Tears of Steel in the Movies & TV application on Windows 11 with airplane mode activated until the laptop enters suspension. We adjusted the display to 250 nits of brightness for our battery evaluations, which necessitated increasing this device’s brightness significantly. This represents an optimal situation for any laptop since playing local video is extremely efficient, and actual battery life during everyday usage will invariably be less than this.
The Lenovo LOQ endured for 196 minutes — just over three hours — prior to entering suspension in our standardized battery assessment. That figure is on the lower end, even for a gaming laptop.
The reason for this is as follows: The AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS processor utilized here does not feature any integrated graphics. Consequently, while running on battery, the device is constantly utilizing the power-intensive Nvidia GeForce 3050 GPU. Coupled with a relatively small battery, this results in inadequate battery longevity.
This machine simply does not emphasize battery performance. If that is a priority for you, consider other options — and ensure your selected device includes an integrated GPU.
Lenovo LOQ 15: Summary
The benchmarks for the Lenovo LOQ 15 present a distinct narrative: This model is not a particularly speedy gaming laptop. Nevertheless, it costs merely $799 — and the construction quality is remarkably good for this price category.
It’s difficult to contest a 15-inch gaming laptop priced at $799 capable of running the latest titles, albeit at lower detail settings. Moreover, it becomes especially challenging to argue against this device when Lenovo has invested significant effort into its build quality.
However, I would suggest you consider spending a bit more on a gaming laptop if possible. PCWorld’s preferred gaming laptop under $1,000 presently is the Acer Nitro V 16. While it is somewhat more expensive, it offers significantly superior performance.
I also recommend monitoring deals on gaming laptops. You could procure a faster gaming laptop for about $800 if you explore the laptop sales — and we maintain a fantastic regularly-updated guide to laptop sales here at PCWorld.
Conversely, you might also encounter this laptop being sold at a discount. Perhaps it’s available for several hundred dollars less while you’re reading this! Now that would be an exciting offer. If you’re curious whether this device can meet your needs, the answer is affirmative. It may prove to be a particularly good deal if the price decreases further and your gaming requirements are not overly demanding.
