Lenovo LOQ 15 review: The FHD gaming laptop with an RTX 4060 from around US$1,000

[Redaktion]

Lenovo's 15.6-inch laptop is made for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings. Its harmonious hardware basis consists of a Core i5-13450HX, GeForce RTX 4060, 16 GB RAM and a 1-TB SSD. The price is right: You can already find the computer for around US$1,000—without Windows.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Lenovo-LOQ-15-review-The-FHD-gaming-laptop-with-an-RTX-4060-from-around-US-1-000.860325.0.html

[PeterGrowcott]

Hi,
I read your review with interest but IMO, you tested the wrong laptop! To people like me, who seek out the most gaming bang for the absolute least buck, you should have tested the LOQ 15 with the 'new' Ryzen 7 7435HS.I bought mine recently in the UK, direct from Lenovo, for the ridiculously low price of £700 ($US 900). I specced mine with 24GB DDR5, the 512GB SSD & no Windows.
The R7 7435HS is a slightly downclocked R7 7745HS with the iGPU disabled. Whilst this severely limits battery life, it's perfectly acceptable if you use your laptop exclusively for playing games when hooked up to a power socket (seriously, who buys a gaming laptop to play Cyberpunk on battery power??).
In my experience gaming laptops age very badly & have a life span of three years max. No doubt I will replace the LOQ in due course but I'll do so safe in the knowledge I didn't pay through the nose for it!

PS - a some point can you benchmark the 7435HS & list it in your database.

[RobertJasiek]

In my experience gaming laptops age very badly & have a life span of three years max.

Do you clean the fans etc. about thrice per year and (let) repaste thermal paste or liquid as soon as necessary according to too high die temperatures? Do you replace batteries when necessary? Do you replace keyboards when nececssary (or do you buy from manufacturers not offering them?)? If yes, why do you think nevertheless that notebooks age too soon?

[NikoB]

Horribly slow processor at a monstrous 60W in PL1 (don't forget that its performance when running dgpu is even lower!) for 2024.

The screen is fhd, not 4k. Moreover, even in fhd, this "gaming" laptop is no longer capable of providing 60fps in good quality for 2023/2024 games. At the same time, it is 100% fake in terms of response - there is no trace of a 144Hz screen refresh rate, even in such a shameful resolution and low ppi (owners will 100% spoil their eyesight with 100% always cloudy fonts in Chrome and Edge, only Firefox users ( after additional settings) are freed from this nightmare for the eyes on screens with ppi below 220-230)

Monstrously low efficiency of ddr5 5600 RAM (theoretical bandwidth 5600x16=89.6GB/s).

A shameful cheap QLC SSD without a DRAM buffer, which is a priori unsuitable as a system drive, because... quickly falls down under mixed load.

Disgraceful set of ports - there is nothing on the left at all! There is no TB4 (which means there is no way to connect egpu, except to output a link using one M.2 connector, which will require modification of the case), despite the fact that, as the review showed, it is not able to provide the minimum acceptable 60fps in modern games in ultra quality, even for fhd resolutions.

And to top off the terrible picture of the review - a shameful cooling system that howls wildly (36dBA!) even with a ridiculous 24W consumption, according to the report! Lenovo simply disgraced itself with such a shameful cooling system in a laptop weighing 2.42 kg!!!

Nor work quietly in silence. It is impossible not to play modern games with normal quality on this disgrace Lenovo.

The question is - who and why is this completely idiotic series intended?

At the same time, it is no longer possible to buy a business laptop from stupid Lenovo with power supply from the rear or through a durable and convenient, right-handed, round, angled classic plug for the same money.

Lenovo has produced a bunch of shameful series in recent years, but all of them are passable for both comfortable long-term work and gaming...

I don't understand why you should buy something like this even for $700 - your nerves cost more...

[9ine]

Hey NikoB, my default font rendering in Firefox is pretty bad - text sometimes show up blurry and badly aliased. Any idea how I can fix it?

[NikoB]

9ine,
about:config->gfx.text.disable-aa=true

[PeterGrowcott]

Horribly slow processor at a monstrous 60W in PL1 (don't forget that its performance when running dgpu is even lower!) for 2024.

The screen is fhd, not 4k. Moreover, even in fhd, this "gaming" laptop is no longer capable of providing 60fps in good quality for 2023/2024 games. At the same time, it is 100% fake in terms of response - there is no trace of a 144Hz screen refresh rate, even in such a shameful resolution and low ppi (owners will 100% spoil their eyesight with 100% always cloudy fonts in Chrome and Edge, only Firefox users ( after additional settings) are freed from this nightmare for the eyes on screens with ppi below 220-230)

Monstrously low efficiency of ddr5 5600 RAM (theoretical bandwidth 5600x16=89.6GB/s).

A shameful cheap QLC SSD without a DRAM buffer, which is a priori unsuitable as a system drive, because... quickly falls down under mixed load.

Disgraceful set of ports - there is nothing on the left at all! There is no TB4 (which means there is no way to connect egpu, except to output a link using one M.2 connector, which will require modification of the case), despite the fact that, as the review showed, it is not able to provide the minimum acceptable 60fps in modern games in ultra quality, even for fhd resolutions.

And to top off the terrible picture of the review - a shameful cooling system that howls wildly (36dBA!) even with a ridiculous 24W consumption, according to the report! Lenovo simply disgraced itself with such a shameful cooling system in a laptop weighing 2.42 kg!!!

Nor work quietly in silence. It is impossible not to play modern games with normal quality on this disgrace Lenovo.

The question is - who and why is this completely idiotic series intended?

At the same time, it is no longer possible to buy a business laptop from stupid Lenovo with power supply from the rear or through a durable and convenient, right-handed, round, angled classic plug for the same money.

Lenovo has produced a bunch of shameful series in recent years, but all of them are passable for both comfortable long-term work and gaming...

I don't understand why you should buy something like this even for $700 - your nerves cost more...

Are you okay mate?? You come across as a bit...well, overwrought.

It may come as a bit of a shock to you but not everyone shares your assessment of what makes a gaming laptop 'good'. I've just bought the LOQ 15, albeit with  the AMD R7 7435 rather than the more expensive i5 & I think I've made an entirely logical choice which, now that I have used it, I am extremely happy with. I also reckon I've bagged myself the bargain of the century!

Is the machine perfect? No. Do I care? No. Does the lack of a QHD or 4k screen bother me? Not really as it's noticeably better than the screen on my old Legion.   Does the fan noise bother me? Not really because like 99% of gamers, I pop on some headphones & the noise disappears. Am I bothered by the CPU's lack of an iGPU? No, not really because 99% of the time, my laptops are plugged in to a wall socket so that I can play power hungry, graphics intensive games. If I want to browse the web or watch YouTube, I'll do it on my phone which seems much more appropriate. Am I not bothered by the weight? No because 99% of the time it sits on a table!

I could go on but you get the picture right? You may not understand why anyone would buy a $700 (or in my case, £700) laptop but that's sort of on you & your lack of imagination. Lots of other people, me included, DO understand why & I for one applaud Lenovo for putting machines like this into the market place.

As for your nerves, well there's always Valium...

[RobertJasiek]

Having your opinion is fine but please spare us from 99% people do X claims!

[NikoB]

I pop on some headphones & the noise disappears.

obviously a lie.

If I want to browse the web or watch YouTube, I'll do it on my phone which seems much more appropriate.

I just almost died of laughter - comparing 6" with 16"+. Most of the sites I view are inferior in ergonomics many times over on a smartphone to a large screen. There is simply much less information on one screen (the only plus is ppi 300+, which, to the shame of 99%+ of laptops and monitors, is still not achievable even in 2024). Not to mention the performance of any smartphone, which slows down in the case of desktop versions of sites (which they are still not able to display as is) and quickly drains the battery during heavy surfing.

Are you okay mate??

Trying to blame another person for mental problems, when he consistently and reasonably points out the obvious problems in the series, reveals that you are mentally unstable. You feel like you bought a shitty series and everything I wrote hit the mark, so you started by insulting me (and moderators easily let this verbal abuse, but they fast erase everything that their advertisers don't like).

And if you were a real buyer of this series, your opinion is a priori biased - after all, you spent money on garbage...

As for your nerves, well there's always Valium...

Guy, you are seriously ill, you need to see a psychiatrist. Your stupid speech started with insults and ended with them, which shows how annoyed you are by my well-aimed comments. Most likely, you are not a real buyer of this series, but another one will be hired by Lenovo or their marketer.

[Edgar Ramirez]

99% of the time, my laptops are plugged in to a wall socket so that I can play power hungry, graphics intensive games.

A desktop will do much better in such a scenario. Plus it will last forever. Which should actually might be important since you moan about 3 years of gaming laptops longevity.

[ciota phd]

thats exactly right.

[Gibon]

Are you okay mate??

Are you?
Who in their right mind buys a laptop for gaming and uses it stationary?

[PeterGrowcott]

99% of the time, my laptops are plugged in to a wall socket so that I can play power hungry, graphics intensive games.

A desktop will do much better in such a scenario. Plus it will last forever. Which should actually might be important since you moan about 3 years of gaming laptops longevity.

I've owned a few desktops in my time. I bought my first one, an Amstrad PCW 8256 in 1985 for £400! I purchased two or three more & did loads of messing about with them. The last one I gave away to my lad when he went off to uni.

But then I got mega busy at work & spent a lot of time in aeroplanes, so most of what I did, I did on my company laptop. When I threw in the towel at work, I realised I didn't want to go back to a bulky desktop & messing around with motherboard jumper settings. I wanted something convenient that I can plop on the dining room table, use & then put back in its case & out of the way.

I got my first gaming laptop in 2009, a Medion that I picked up on sale in Aldi for £200...and I loved it! I still have it & yes it still works. I've had another five or six since then, each one way better than the last.

And can I correct you on something? I wasn't 'moaning' about changing my laptop every three years. I was simply relating my experience of many years passing. I actually enjoy the process of selecting my next laptop, which is why I'm a dedicated watcher of Notebookcheck. Also, like a lot of retired folks you find yourself awash with dosh & in a position to have the best of everything...except that's not necessarily what everyone wants! I like to optimise performance versus cost. It's a game you play with yourself & getting it spot on can make you really happy, like the LOQ for example.

You may not agree & you may think it's a ridiculous philosophy to deploy but hey, you're not me are you?

[PeterGrowcott]

Are you okay mate??

Are you?
Who in their right mind buys a laptop for gaming and uses it stationary?

Yes & me. People's views & needs are different. Get used to it.

[PeterGrowcott]

I pop on some headphones & the noise disappears.

obviously a lie.

If I want to browse the web or watch YouTube, I'll do it on my phone which seems much more appropriate.

I just almost died of laughter - comparing 6" with 16"+. Most of the sites I view are inferior in ergonomics many times over on a smartphone to a large screen. There is simply much less information on one screen (the only plus is ppi 300+, which, to the shame of 99%+ of laptops and monitors, is still not achievable even in 2024). Not to mention the performance of any smartphone, which slows down in the case of desktop versions of sites (which they are still not able to display as is) and quickly drains the battery during heavy surfing.

Are you okay mate??

Trying to blame another person for mental problems, when he consistently and reasonably points out the obvious problems in the series, reveals that you are mentally unstable. You feel like you bought a shitty series and everything I wrote hit the mark, so you started by insulting me (and moderators easily let this verbal abuse, but they fast erase everything that their advertisers don't like).

And if you were a real buyer of this series, your opinion is a priori biased - after all, you spent money on garbage...

As for your nerves, well there's always Valium...

Guy, you are seriously ill, you need to see a psychiatrist. Your stupid speech started with insults and ended with them, which shows how annoyed you are by my well-aimed comments. Most likely, you are not a real buyer of this series, but another one will be hired by Lenovo or their marketer.

If I say 'okay you win', would you shut up & go away?? Anything for a quiet life...