The words “slim” and “lightweight” usually don’t apply to gaming laptops, but Lenovo is trying it out with the new Legion Slim 7i. At 3.9 pounds and 18mm thick, Lenovo says it’s the lightest 15.6-inch model available that can be configured with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics chip. This machine will release in time for the holidays starting at $1,329.
The Legion Slim 7i can be configured with up to an Intel Core i9-10980HK processor, 32GB of RAM, and 2TB of NVMe M.2 storage. Of course, choosing those top specs will cost far more than the starting price of $1,329, but Lenovo hasn’t shared pricing for the most decked-out configuration. Getting this computer with its baseline gets you the Intel Core i5-10300H, Nvidia’s GTX 1650 Ti, and 8GB of DDR4 RAM clocked at 2,933MHz (the high-end options boost the speed to 3,200MHz).
Due to Lenovo’s emphasis on a thin design, the Slim 7i maxes out at Nvidia’s RTX 2060 Max-Q due to design constraints. However, no matter which configuration you buy, its Thunderbolt 3 ports will let you connect to an eGPU enclosure for boosted frame rates.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21824919/09_Legion_Slim_7i_Hero_Top.jpg)
Image: Lenovo
The Legion Slim 7i has a similar design to the Legion 7i from earlier this year, with a full-sized TrueStrike keyboard with 1.3mm travel per key. And on the top, the section of its lid that houses the camera (and its manual privacy shutter) juts out a bit from the screen bezel.
Interestingly, what might at first seem like a large speaker grille above the Slim 7i’s keyboard is actually used for air intake. This laptop uses Lenovo’s ColdFront 2.0 cooling system, the same one found in the Legion Y740Si, but the company says it can pull in 31 percent more air in this new machine. That’s impressive, as is Lenovo’s claim that the fans will never get loud.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21824923/12_Legion_Slim_7i_HeroRear.jpg)
Image: Lenovo
The base model of the Legion Slim 7i has an FHD display with a 60Hz refresh rate, though it can be upgraded to 144Hz refresh rate if you want smoother gameplay, or a 4K option with a 60Hz refresh rate. In terms of I/O, all of the configurations feature the aforementioned duo of Thunderbolt 3 ports, a full-size SD card reader, headphone jack, and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. Just to note, this model doesn’t allow you to customize the RAM and storage yourself after purchase, so keep that in mind if you plan to buy one.
