When you think of the word legion, you think of a crowd, a group, a large number of people. In the case of the new Lenovo sub-brand, it means a community of gamers. Lenovo is tapping into this constantly growing segment by creating a line exclusively for this community. According to Dilip Bhatia, vice president of Global Marketing, User and Customer Experience of Lenovo PC and Smart Device Business Group, the introduction of Legion is meant to provide legitimacy to the product. It’s Lenovo’s declaration that they are taking gaming and gamers seriously.
Out of the gate, Lenovo introduces two new gaming laptops and calls these the beginning of a journey. Bhatia promises more and more existing and upcoming products will become part of the Legion brand to show Lenovo’s dedication to the segment. For now, let’s talk about the new gaming laptops.
Legion Y720: For the hardcore gamer
It’s the pinacle of what Lenovo (or Legion) is offering at the moment. The Legion Y720 has the best specs that can be integrated into it: up to 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics, 16GB DDR4 memory, and hybrid storage of up to either 512GB PCIe SSD or 2TB SATA HDD.
It has a 15.6-inch 4K display for stunning graphics, it’s VR-ready (with Oculus certification), and has support for up to four Xbox One wireless controllers. If playing on a bigger screen strikes your fancy, the Thunderbolt 3 port on this machine lets you do that easily. When it comes to audio, the Y720 offers 2W JBL speakers and 3W Dolby Atmos subwoofer (a feature Legion touts as a first for a laptop of its kind).
The Y720 also comes with an RGB keyboard to inject a bit of fun into its black chassis. You don’t have to worry about overheating as this machine comes built with dual metal fans and rear air vents. In terms of connectivity, you get two Wi-Fi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1 combo. And aside from the Thunderbolt 3 port, you get USB 3.0 ports, HDMI port, audio jack, mic jack, RJ45 LAN, and a DisplayPort. Battery life is promised up to five hours per use. (But you really don’t expect great battery life from a gaming rig, right?)
With all the extra bells and whistles, the Y720’s starting price is set at US$1,399.99 (which is close to a hefty P70,000). It’ll be coming to the US in April of this year.
Legion Y520: Gaming goes mainstream
Now for something more “budget-friendly” (we use this term very loosely), you get the Y520. Despite being slightly easier on the pockets, this gaming laptop packs in up to 7th-generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB DDR4 memory, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics, and hybrid storage similar to the Y720.
Promising a great aural experience, the Y520 two 2W Harman speakers with Dolby Audio Premium. It has a crimson backlit keyboard that offers 1.7mm key travel for more accurate and responsive keystrokes.
The Y520 has a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS panel and it comes with a full array of ports including USB Type-C, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI port, audio jack, microphone jack, Rj45 LAN, and a 4-in-1 card reader. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 802.11ac with Bluetooth 4.1 combo. Battery life is promised up to four hours. Lenovo plans to start selling the Y520 in the US by February with a starting price of US$899.99 (around P44,500).
