Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9 Review: A Budget Gaming Laptop Worth Considering

Lenovo recently expanded its gaming laptop lineup in Singapore with the introduction of the Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9, aiming to provide budget-conscious gamers with a reliable gaming experience. Priced competitively at S$1539.05 for the base mode, this new addition to Lenovo’s gaming portfolio promises to deliver decent performance without breaking the bank.

I am of the belief that if it is good for gaming, it will be more than good enough for daily use. This position the LOQ 15IRX9 as a suitable mid-range laptop for young, school kids for their educational needs as well as the occasional light gaming.

Design and Build Quality

The Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9 adopts a cost-effective approach with an all-plastic chassis, deviating from the premium materials used in Lenovo’s higher-end Legion series. While the plastic construction might not exude luxury, it maintains a sturdy build with an overall classy minimalistic blockish aesthetics, ensuring durability despite the budget-friendly design. At around 2.5kg in weight, the LOQ 15IRX9 is relatively heavy for its size, which could be a downside if portability is a key consideration.

Battery and Cooling Features

The Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9 is equipped with an efficient and fast-charing battery that offers a 10-minute boost to 40% capacity, 30 minutes to 80%, and 60 minutes to 100%.

It also comes with a hyper chamber that is purposefully designed for gaming, employing dual fans that spin outward to efficiently expel heat from the back of the device. The sealed chamber also grants an extra 10W of power (maximum 160W thermal design power), reduces skin temperature by 2°C, and decreases noise by 2db. Considering the sweltering heat these days in Singapore, this is a godsend.

Display and Control

Equipped with a 15.6-inch 16:9 display, coupled with 3-side narrow bezels, the Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9 offers fast refresh rates and high brightness for reliable gaming visuals, suitable for its price range. It also comes with an anti-glare coating that enhances viewing comfort, particularly in well-lit environments.

On the control front, the keyboard provides excellent tactile feedback and a dedicated number pad for enhanced productivity. You can also choose between calming white backlighting or vibrant 4-zone RGB lighting, and personalise it further with swappable keycaps.

Lenovo AI Engine+, fueled by the LA1 AI chip allows you to activate Balance Mode in Lenovo Vantage and let AI intelligence dynamically adjust your laptop’s settings based on real-time system monitoring. This allows you to enjoy peak performance powered by AI, without the hassle of manual adjustments.

Performance

Powered by an Intel Core i5-13450HX processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, the Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9 delivers commendable gaming performance at 1080p resolution.

With 8GB of DDR5 memory and a 512 GB PCIe Gen4.0 solid-state drive, it easily delivers smooth gameplay and responsive system performance.

Connectivity and Audio

In terms of connectivity, the Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9 offers a decent selection of ports, including USB Type-A and Type-C ports, HDMI, Ethernet, and a combo headset jack, along with Wi-Fi 6 compatibility for fast wireless connectivity.

Additionally, the laptop features Nahimic Audio by SteelSeries down-firing speakers, providing adequate audio quality for casual listening.

Verdict

Overall, the Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9 presents a compelling option for budget-conscious gamers seeking decent performance without breaking the bank. While it may not boast the premium build quality or top-tier display found in higher-end models, its reliable gaming performance, comfortable keyboard, and competitive pricing make it a worthy contender in the budget gaming laptop market.

This is a great mid range laptop that would suit young school kids for daily use and lighter, occasional gaming.