For years, Lenovo’s LOQ series has been the go-to option for budget-conscious gamers. The 2025 refresh promises higher FPS in games, longer battery life, and quieter fans. But as always with affordable gaming laptops, there are trade-offs. Let’s dive into what’s improved, what’s worse, and whether the new LOQ is still worth your money.
Design & Build Quality
The LOQ 2025 comes in Lenovo’s familiar Luna Grey finish, with a full plastic build. While it isn’t premium, it also doesn’t feel cheap — solid enough for everyday use. The lid design makes it easy to open with one hand, and the screen folds back flat to 180°. The hinges hold up well, though you’ll want to avoid pushing past the maximum angle.
At 2.5kg (5.5lb), the laptop isn’t light, but not overly heavy either — average for a 15–16” gaming laptop. With the included 170W charger, the total weight bumps up to 3kg (6.6lb). Lenovo also sells a 245W charger upgrade for $15, which might be worth considering (more on that later).
Keyboard & Touchpad
The keyboard offers 24-zone RGB lighting (or a cheaper white-only option). While brightness is a bit dim in daylight, it looks fine in darker environments. Key travel is 1.5mm with Lenovo’s signature clicky feel — comfortable for gaming and typing.
The plastic touchpad is basic but accurate, and Lenovo’s Legion Space software allows lighting and performance mode customization.
Ports & Connectivity
Most ports are located at the back, keeping cables out of the way — a nice touch. The downside? Only one USB-C port, which doubles as charging and display output.
Wi-Fi 6 comes standard, but speeds lag behind Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 laptops. Fortunately, the Wi-Fi card is replaceable, so you could upgrade for around $20.
Upgradability
Inside, you’ll find:
- 2x RAM slots
- 2x PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD slots (both double-sided)
- Upgradeable Wi-Fi card
This makes the LOQ 2025 surprisingly flexible compared to many other budget gaming laptops.
Display Options
The LOQ 2025 offers two screen choices:
- 1080p 144Hz panel (300 nits) – budget-friendly, but with a sluggish 20–25ms response time, making it less ideal for competitive gaming.
- 1440p 165Hz panel (3ms, brighter) – the better choice for gamers who want smoother visuals.
Colors and contrast are decent, but the slow response time on the 1080p option is a step backward compared to older LOQs.
Performance & Gaming
Configurations vary, with both Intel (13th-gen) and AMD options, plus Nvidia’s new RTX 5050, 5060, or 5070 GPUs. Our tested model featured an Intel CPU + RTX 5060.
In real-world games:
- Cyberpunk 2077 – nearly 60 FPS at 1440p Ultra (better with DLSS).
- Alan Wake 2 – playable at 1080p High, even smoother with medium settings + DLSS.
- Black Myth: Wukong – ~60 FPS at 1080p High, upscaling recommended at 1440p.
Compared to Alienware’s Aurora 16 (same GPU but lower power), the LOQ pulled ahead in most titles while costing less.
Thermals & Noise
The cooling system uses shared heatpipes for the CPU and GPU, with airflow directed out the back (so no hot air blowing on your mouse hand).
Fan noise peaks at 50–51dB, making it quieter than most competitors. Even under stress tests, the keyboard surface stays cool — only the center warms slightly.
The catch? The 170W charger can’t sustain full load gaming indefinitely, slowly draining the battery during extended heavy use. The $15 245W charger upgrade is strongly recommended if you plan on long gaming sessions.
Battery Life
The LOQ comes with either a 60Wh or 80Wh battery. In video playback tests, the 60Wh version lasted 5+ hours — impressive for an Intel-based gaming laptop.
Features like refresh rate switching (144Hz → 60Hz on battery), charge limiting, and slower overnight charging help extend battery longevity.
Audio & Camera
Surprisingly, the LOQ’s front-facing speakers sound better than Lenovo’s pricier Legion 5 — less tinny, with more bass.
The 1440p webcam includes a privacy shutter but lacks IR for Windows Hello login.
Pricing & Value
As of late August 2025:
- RTX 5050 version: starts around $800
- RTX 5060 AMD version: around $950–1000
- RTX 5060 Intel version (tested): around $1280 (with coupons lowering the price by ~$100)
However, previous-gen RTX 4060 LOQ models have been spotted on sale between $700–900, making them potentially better value if performance differences are small.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Advanced Optimus + G-Sync support
- Solid (though plastic) build
- Quieter fans than most gaming laptops
- Good upgrade options (RAM, SSDs, Wi-Fi)
- Excellent Linux compatibility
- Better speakers than Legion 5
- Strong performance for the price (with sales)
❌ Cons
- 170W charger underpowered → 245W upgrade recommended
- 1080p panel has slow response times
- Only one USB-C port
- Wi-Fi 6 instead of 6E/7
- No Windows Hello IR camera
Verdict: Should You Buy the LOQ 2025?
Lenovo’s LOQ 2025 remains one of the best budget gaming laptops, delivering strong performance, solid build quality, and quieter operation than most competitors. However, the underpowered charger and slow 1080p panel response time hold it back.
If you’re shopping on a budget, get it on sale, opt for the 245W charger, and consider the 1440p screen upgrade if you care about display quality. Otherwise, last-gen RTX 4060 LOQs might still offer better value.
In case you have found a mistake in the text, please send a message to the author by selecting the mistake and pressing Ctrl-Enter.
