Lenovo Welcomes New Gamers To The Fold With Affordable Yet Powerful Gaming PCs
Contrary to what some people might think, getting into PC gaming doesn't have to be an ultra-expensive proposition. To prove it, Lenovo is introducing a brand-new line of relatively affordable gaming laptops and desktops called LOQ, which is pronounced "lock," with prices starting at $899.99. That's not budget territory, but it's a far cry from boutique systems that run $2,000 or even more than twice as much (which isn't a knock against those systems).
"With the launch of the new Lenovo LOQ brand, we’re building a lineage of gaming excellence and PC offerings that are
not just for the gaming community’s top players, but for new and future gamers alike," said Jun Ouyang, Lenovo’s vice
president and general manager of the Consumer Business Segment, Intelligent Devices Group. "Lenovo LOQ
breaks down barriers to entry for gamers, empowering them to embark on adventures of connection and fun in the gaming
world."
Here's what exactly we're looking at with this new play in the PC gaming space.
Lenovo LOQ 15 And 16 Gaming Laptops Fueled By Intel, AMD And NVIDIA
These aren't wimpy systems, but configurations built around modern hardware. Starting with the Lenovo's LOQ gaming laptops, these are available in 15-inch or 16-inch form factors with up to a 13th Gen Intel Core processor or AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPU, and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU for graphics and gaming.
One of the features Lenovo touts is the presence of a MUX switch. This allows the discrete GPU to bypass the integrated GPU via NVIDIA Advanced Optimus during gaming sessions, to interface directly with the display for a bump in performance and latency. And while not gaming, the integrated GPU takes over to extend battery life.
On the cooling side of the equation, Lenovo says it latest gaming laptops utilize up to four heatpipes, dual 85mm 12V high-speed fans, and extra-large air intakes and outlets totaling up to 135W TDP.
The LOQ 15i can be configured with up to a Core i7-13700H processor while the LOQ 15 (non-i variant) sports up to a Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU. Both offer up to 16GB of DDR5-5600 RAM, up to a mobile GeForce RTX 4060 GPU with 8GB of GDDR6 memory (115W, 2,370MHz boost clock), 512GB and 1TB SSD options, and up to a 2560x1440 IPS display with a 165Hz refresh rate and G-Sync support.
Meanwhile, the LOG 16i and 16 are virtually the same, but with up to a 2560x1600 resolution and Wi-Fi 6E instead of Wi-Fi 6 support. Other shared features among all the models include a USB Type-C port (10Gbps + DisplayPort 1.4 + 140W power delivery), an audio combo jack, 2 USB 3.2 Type-A ports (one at 10Gbps the other at 5Gbps), an e-shutter button, a Novo hole, GbE LAN, and HDMI 2.1.
Lenovo's pricing and availability reflects a staggered release schedule beginning with the LOG 15IRH2 (Intel Core) releasing in April starting at $899.99. This will be followed by the LOQ 15APH8 (AMD Ryzen) and 16IRH8 (Intel Core) in May starting at $899.99 and $1,149.99, respectively, and the 16APH8 (AMD Ryzen) in June starting at $959.99.
LOQ Tower Desktop Pairs 13th Gen Intel Core CPU With A GeForce RTX 40 Series GPU
For those who prefer a desktop configuration over a gaming laptop, Lenovo announced the LOQ Tower 17IRB8. It has almost a workstation-style aesthetic going on (to our eyeballs, anyway), but is built for consumers who want to jump into PC gaming without breaking the bank.
Here as well, Lenovo is keeping the full configuration options close to the vest. However, the company did reveal that its first LOQ desktop can be outfitted with up to a Core i7-13700 processor, which is a 16-core/24-thread chip based on Intel's latest generation Raptor Lake architecture.
This can be flanked with up to a GeForce RTX 40 series graphics card, up to 32GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, and up to 1TB of NVMe SSD and 2TB HDD storage (there's a single SSD bay and two HDD bays). This all comes nestled on an Intel B760 foundation in the micro-ATX form factor.
The use of DDR4 memory instead of DDR5 is disappointing, though we suppose it helps keeps the cost manageable for new entrants into the PC gaming space. To that end, we'll be curious to see exactly which GPUs are offered. We'd guess nothing too crazy, given that Lenovo is also configuring these with up to a 500W PSU.
Connectivity on the front include two USB 3.2 Type-A ports (one Gen 2 and one Gen 1), USB 3.2 Type-C (Gen 1), and an audio jack combo. Around back users will find two USB 2.0 ports, a 2.5G LAN port, VGA and HDMI 1.4b outputs, and an audio output. On the wireless side, Lenovo equips its LOG Tower with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.
The LOG Tower 17IRB8 will be available sometime this fall starting at $979.99.
