Lenovo Unleashes a Gaming Revolution: Handheld Marvels at CES 2025!

At CES this year, Lenovo’s Legion gaming series caters to a variety of preferences, ranging from anticipated enhancements to its established gaming laptops to groundbreaking advancements in AR eyewear and portable PC gaming devices. These innovative products are set to hit store shelves between now and June of this year, with price and specification options ranging from premium to more economical alternatives.

Gaming Laptops

Lenovo’s enduring Legion gaming laptops are entering their 10th generation this year, featuring six core models. The lead model, Legion Pro 7i, will be the first to debut with a launch in March, showcasing a new vapor-cooled thermal displacement architecture that accommodates Intel’s Core Ultra 9 275HX and Nvidia GeForce 5090 RTX chips in the top configurations. It also boasts a 16-inch WQXGA OLED display capable of refresh rates up to 240Hz and response times below 0.5ms to ensure fluid visuals.

For the remaining new Legion Pro and Legion laptops, you can expect options featuring the latest generation of Intel and AMD processors, Nvidia 5000-series graphics, and 16-inch or 15.3-inch OLED displays. Among various features, the Legion Pro models offer customizable per-key RGB lighting software, and across all of Lenovo’s latest laptops, you can utilize the Lenovo AI Engine+ software to adjust CPU and GPU power consumption for real-time performance optimization.

The starting prices for the Legion Pro series begin at a recommended $2,399 for the Legion Pro 7i, with the Legion Pro 5i priced at $1,499 launching in March and the Legion Pro 5 at $1,399 arriving in June. The standard Legion lineup will see the launch of Legion 5i and Legion 5 in May, followed by the Legion 7i in June.

Gaming Handhelds

On the highly portable side, Lenovo is introducing two new models to last year’s Legion Go handheld family. The Windows-based Legion Go S is set to launch in January with a starting price of $729, while a version utilizing Steam OS will debut in May. This is noteworthy as it will be the first PC gaming handheld constructed on the Steam OS by a company other than Valve.

Both new models exhibit design changes from their predecessor in two significant aspects. The controllers are now integrated into the unit, eliminating the option to detach them as one might do with a Nintendo Switch. To enhance battery efficiency and improve portability and ergonomics, Lenovo has also slightly reduced the screen size to an 8-inch, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution IPS display, down from 8.8 inches with a resolution of 2,560×1,600 pixels.

Each of the Legion Go S models will come equipped with either an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go or Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, AMD Radeon 700M series graphics, and up to 32GB of RAM.

For those holding on to the larger display and detachable controllers of the original Legion Go, there’s no need to worry. Lenovo has also presented a prototype of the Legion Go Gen 2, which features an 8.8-inch OLED display and an optional AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor, but details regarding the release of that Windows-based model have yet to be announced.

Gaming Monitors

If you are in the market for a new gaming monitor this year, Lenovo has two attractive new 34-inch curved display alternatives. The OLED Legion Pro 34WD-10 will retail around $999 upon its March launch, while the Legion R34w-30 featuring a VA panel will be priced at $349 starting in January.

Beyond the display specifications for the Legion Pro model (3,440×1,440 resolution, 800R curvature, 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time), additional features are plentiful. The display base is especially beneficial due to a 140 watt USB-C connection which can charge and link other devices. Lenovo also provides virtual monitor software and integrated KVM switch functionality, among other advantages.

The Legion R34w-30 is more basic than the Legion Pro variant. Noteworthy aspects include 3,440×1,440 screen resolution, HDR10 compatibility, 1500R curvature ratings, and a refresh rate of 180Hz.

Gaming Desktops and budget gaming

Three new Legion desktop models debuted at this year’s CES. The Legion Tower 7i comes in a 34-liter chassis, equipped with an Intel 275HX CPU and up to a GeForce RTX 4080 Super graphics card, starting at $3,299 with its April launch. The Legion 5i and Legion 5 Towers feature 30-liter cases, which means accommodating a graphics card capped at the RTX 4060 model, but these still represent strong gaming PCs for their price range given their processors. The 5i Tower will contain the same Intel 275HX chip trading at $1,199 upon its May launch. Pricing and timing for the Legion 5 Tower are still not determined, although that AMD-based model will support up to a Ryzen 9 7950X3D chip.

Lenovo will also keep refreshing its LOQ series of budget-friendly gaming laptops and desktops in 2025. Pricing and availability remain unclear, but you can anticipate four new LOQ laptops, including three 15-inch models and a new 17-inch version this year, along with a new LOQ gaming desktop, powered by diverse combinations of Intel and AMD processors and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5070 laptop GPU.

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A veteran of CNET for two decades and a founding editor of CNET Home, Rich Brown has reported on everything from desktop computers to dishwashers. He now serves as a consultant for early-stage start-ups.