London-based startup F(x)tec launched the Pro1 back in September last year. At launch, the device ran a near-stock version of Android 9.0 Pie with just a couple of additional apps that had been optimized to work with its physical keyboard. The device received official LineageOS 16 as well as official LineageOS 17.1 support. The phone also served as the base for our own XDA phone: the Pro1-X. And now, the device has received an unofficial LineageOS 18.0 build based on Android 11.
The LineageOS 18.0 build for the F(x)tec Pro1 is built off the official Android 9 firmware with proprietary blobs, but the underlying base version of the ROM is Android 11. The build is compatible with all F9X)tec Pro1 variants, essentially meaning that you can flash it on the Pro1-X too when it reaches your hands. Pretty much all expected functions of the phone are functioning as expected, and no major bugs exist in the ROM.
If you’re interested in trying out LineageOS 18.0 and near-stock Android 11 on your F(x)tec Pro1, you can download the recovery flashable package from the thread below. But before you go ahead and flash the ROM on your device, make sure you read the installation instructions and other linked documentation, including the guides and special boot modes. Also, make sure to take a backup of your data before you start the process or you may lose it during the installation. Also keep in mind that no custom kernels are provided support for, in the forum thread, so stick to the stock kernel only. There aren’t too many options for custom kernels either, so you should be good on this end. The device is developer-friendly, but there aren’t options available because of its rather niche characteristics. But with our Indiegogo for the Pro1-X sitting at 661% funded, there’s clearly a demand for such a device, and we hope that the situation changes in the near future.
Lenovo’s Legion lineup has matured over the years and this year, we saw the company cranking up a notch with some really interesting products. Apart from the Legion 5i, the company launched the Legion 7i which is the top of the line offering from the company. It borrows the looks and styling from its mid-range counterpart but competes with some of the most powerful notebooks including heavyweights like Alienware and Razer. But is this notebook the right choice for gamers?
Lenovo Legion 7i: Specifications
As I mentioned, the Legion 7i is the most powerful offering from Lenovo and is available with either the 10th-gen Intel Core i5-10300H all the way to a Core i9-10980HK. The unit that I got here includes the Core i7-10875H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q. Here are the full specifications:
Specification
Lenovo Legion 7i
Dimensions & Weight
19.82 x 359.41 x 259.08mm
2.25 kgs
Display
15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS
144Hz
HDR400
100% Adobe RGB
500-nits brightness
G-Sync
Processor
Intel Core i7-10875H (2.3GHz / 5.1GHz)
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q (8GB GDDR6)
RAM & Storage
16GB DDR4 (3200MHz)
1TB M.2 NVMe SSD
Battery & Charger
80Wh
230W charger
I/O
USB 3.1 Gen 1
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2
HDMI 2.0
Ethernet
Kensington lock slot
Power-in
Thunderbolt 3 Type-C (Thunderbolt, DisplayPort, USB 3.1, HDMI)
USB-C (DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.1 Gen 1)
3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
Connectivity
Intel WiFi 6 802.11AX (2 x 2)
Bluetooth 5.0
OS
Windows 10 Home
Paid Add-on: Windows 10 Pro
Other Features
Corsair iCUE controlled RGB lighting
Lenovo Vantage tuning software
X-Rite Color Assistant
Quick access thermal profiles
About this review: Lenovo India sent us the Legion 7i for review. This review has been written after about 15 days of regular use. Lenovo had no input into the contents of this article.
Lenovo Legion 7i: Design and Build
The design is sort of a mixed bag here. While I appreciate the clean look and aluminum finish of the notebook, the lid tends to wobble, and the dark grey finish does seem quite plain. You do get a lot of RGB lighting though, and that definitely catches your eye. There is an RGB strip around the bottom, an RGB Legion logo on the lid, some RGB lights planted right inside the rear air vents, and of course, under the keyboard. Apart from the light show, Lenovo has all of its branding placed vertically on the keyboard deck and the lid. Very clean.
It is a fairly sleek 15-inch machine weighing 2.25 kilograms with a thickness of about 19mm. That is not bad considering it is roughly the same as the Razer Blade 15. It shouldn’t be very heavy to carry around but considering most of us are now confined to our homes, the notebook should look suave on your desk. Now as I mentioned, the lid isn’t very sturdy, although I can overlook that considering it doesn’t wobble when using it on a firm surface. The lid can open all the way and lay flat, which can be useful if you like to prop your laptop on a cooling stand. Speaking of which, the display gets slim bezels on the sides, while the top bezel houses the 720p webcam. Lenovo offers a nifty slider to shut the camera lens for the ones who fret over security. The bottom bezel is fairly large, but I don’t have any complaints about that.
You also get a total of four air vents- two at the back and one on each side. The bottom has this large perforated area for the fans to pull in cool air. The keyboard deck is nice and spaced out, and the trackpad looks fairly big. Lenovo is offering a good set of ports placed all around the notebook. You get two USB-C 3.1 ports on the left, one of which offers Thunderbolt 3 while the other is limited to DisplayPort 1.4. There is also a headphone combo jack. The right side includes a single USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A port to plug in a mouse or other peripherals. At the back, you get two more USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, an HDMI 2.0, a gigabit ethernet port, a charging port, and a Kensington lock slot. The ports at the back are denoted by subtle white LEDs, which I really liked. These light up when the notebook is turned on or is in standby mode.
I wanted to check out the insides for future upgradability and I got easy access by removing ten screws from the bottom lid. The dual-cooling fans have a large array of fins that are quite slim and in the middle are some heat pipes to dissipate heat. Lenovo does offer a vapor chamber cooling solution on the higher-configured models, including the one I am reviewing here. There are two M.2 slots out of which one is occupied by a 1TB Western Digital NVMe SSD. This means you can add another M.2 SSD to expand your storage. The memory sticks are in the middle but are protected by a plastic shield. You can remove that and get access in case you want to upgrade in the future.
Display
Lenovo is offering the Legion 7i in three display options. While all three offer a 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS anti-glare panel, there are various configurations. The first one is a 144Hz, < 3ms response time option that comes with 100% sRGB and 300-nits of brightness. The second option (the one that we have received for review) has the same refresh rate but offers 100% Adobe RGB coverage, 500-nits of brightness, VESA DisplayHDR 400-certification, and Dolby Vision. The top of the line option includes 240Hz refresh rate, < 1ms response time, 100% sRGB, 500 nits brightness, VESA DisplayHDR 400-certification as well as Dolby Vision.
Now, I honestly had no complaints about this panel. Colors look punchy and there is an ample amount of brightness as well despite having a matte finish. The unit that we got is also G-Sync compatible. Speaking of which, I had a great time playing games as the panel offered smooth textures and sharp imaging. The display is also a treat if you want to watch movies, especially in HDR format. Additionally, Lenovo packs a software called X-Rite Color Assistant that lets you set various color profiles depending on your usage. You can choose between Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, Rec. 709, and sRGB. Other than that there is a Default setting as well as a Non-calibrated option.
Keyboard and Touchpad
I use iCUE on my personal desktop and I can tell you that it is one of the best RGB software.
I’ve usually had a good experience with Lenovo’s keyboards and this doesn’t seem any different. It has a sturdy build although there is a bit of a flex on the keyboard deck, but I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Lenovo suggests that its ‘TrueStrike’ keyboard features soft switches with a 1.3mm key travel. It is good to type on with a sort of membrane style feel to it. The keyboard includes a full-sized number pad, along with large arrow keys that take some extra room on the deck. Of course, it comes with RGB lighting offering 16 million different colors via Corsair’s iCUE software. I use iCUE on my personal desktop and I can tell you that it is one of the best RGB software. You get a variety of options including colors and patterns for the keyboard as well as the under-glow and rear lighting. Though, there is one small issue specifically on this laptop. The software doesn’t have any option to switch off the default rainbow effect. Thus every time you turn the laptop on or off, the colors change to a spiral rainbow effect. The only option is to completely shut the lighting on the keys. The keyboard comes with a variety of function button options as well as one where you can switch between the thermal modes on the laptop by pressing the Fn + Q key. This can also be done using the Lenovo Vantage software and is denoted by the color of the power button.
The touchpad is fairly simple to look at, nothing fancy in terms of the finish. It is smooth and responsive and the left and right clicks work as expected. Now I’ve seen some concerns on certain forums suggesting that if you press the top section of the touchpad it depresses making a small gap. While that is true, I believe it isn’t a huge issue unless apart from dust accumulating over time.
Performance
Powering the unit I reviewed is an Intel Core i7-10850H which is an octa-core processor offering speeds of 2.30GHz going up to 5.10GHz using Turbo Boost. The Samsung dual-channel 16GB DDR4 memory used on the system is clocked at 3200MHz. For storage, you get a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD by Western Digital, although certain regions around the world get a Samsung NVMe drive. Last but not the least, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q GPU 8GB GDDR6 takes care of the graphics loads. This is a high-end machine and is way more capable than handling 30-40 Chrome tabs and multiple video streams at the same time. I never had a single instance where the laptop would slow down on me.
Gamers can expect excellent performance even in the most resource-intensive games.
Gamers can expect excellent performance even in the most resource-intensive games. Titles like Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order at its highest settings ran around 130fps while Rise of the Tomb Raider held up well around 90fps at maximum settings. Multiplayer titles like Apex Legends and PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds (PUBG) consistently ran smoothly at 120fps.
As for synthetic benchmarks, I ran a variety of tests to push the limits of the hardware. The results were as expected delivering scores similar to most gaming laptops in the same range. Some of the benchmarks we tested included 3D Mark, Cinebench R20, and PC Mark 10. You can check out the results below:
The Western Digital SSD felt quite fast and snappy to me. Running CrystalDiskMark reaffirmed my experience as the NVMe SSD managed to score 2,913MBps read speeds and 2,961MBps write speeds. This is not the fastest SSD around when compared to the offerings by Samsung, but it should deliver rock-solid transfer speeds.
Lenovo bundles the laptop with its central-hub software called Lenovo Vantage. It’s a nifty tool that helps you monitor your system as well as enable or disable certain features. As mentioned before, you can use this to choose either of the thermal modes that include performance, balanced, or silent.
As for audio performance, the dual stereo speakers are placed on either side and face downwards. They produce a good amount of volume and even a little bit of thump. The sound quality isn’t going to blow your mind, but it should be good enough for watching movies or casual gaming.
Thermals
With great power comes great responsibility heat, but thermals are something that the Legion 7i is not entirely good at. During my testing, I saw peak temperatures of the CPU going as high as 95-degrees which is quite alarming. Due to this, all cores of the CPU did thermal throttle. Just to clear up, I didn’t face any noticeable issues in the performance while gaming, and these peak temperature readings were recorded during benchmark stress tests. The system does limit either the power or the clock speeds of the CPU. This was evident as the CPU was unable to hit the 5GHz clock speeds and only peaked at speeds of 4.7-4.8GHz.
The notebook emits a considerable amount of heat during long gaming sessions especially if you engage the performance mode. The areas around the air vents get really hot and the heat spreads around the top of the keyboard deck. The keyboard itself does not get warm, which was nice to see. You shouldn’t face any heating issues while regular usage, although I wouldn’t advise using this notebook in your lap for longer stretches as the cooling fans need space to pull in air from the bottom.
Battery Life
The notebook features power-hungry hardware and I honestly didn’t have high expectations with the battery life. However, since Lenovo offers three performance modes, I was curious. The 4-Cell 80Wh battery lasted about 4 hours 10 minutes while using the machine at a stretch for web browsing. For a good measure, I had kept the brightness slightly below 50% and set the performance mode to Balanced. This is fairly average for a gaming laptop and you may get varied results depending on your usage. To provide the juice, the notebook comes with a beefy 230W charger. I do have to give it to Lenovo for making an effort to keep the thickness of the charging brick almost similar to the laptop itself.
Lenovo Legion 7i Verdict: Powerful but Toasty
Lenovo is finally working it’s way up the ladder with the Legion 7i and assures that it means business. It’s a really well-made machine and definitely the most powerful gaming laptop offered by the company. Capable of handling all of your high-end AAA titles with ease, it is also a really good machine for content creators. Is it a good desktop replacement? Definitely. Having said that, I really hope Lenovo would look into the issues regarding thermal performance as there are instances of throttling under certain heavy loads. Apart from that, I hardly had any complaints, which is to be expected at these premium price points.
The pricing for the Legion 7i starts at ₹1,94,638 going all the way up to ₹2,77,490 where you get the Core i9-10980HK processor and a 240Hz panel. The notebook is clearly targeted at consumers looking for the top of line performance with no restrictions on their budget. Should you buy one? Well, there are a bunch of options in this price range that you should also explore before choosing the Legion 7i. Do have a look at the Alienware M15 R3, the Razer Blade 15, and even the Acer Predator Triton 500, or some of our other recommendations for those in the USA. If you do end up with the Legion 7i, you will be satisfied with your decision as long as you know what you are getting.
The Legion 7i is the top of the line gaming notebook from Lenovo. It offers the 10th-gen Intel Core processors and NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 20-series GPU for a super-charged performance package.
London-based startup F(x)tec launched the Pro1 back in September last year. At launch, the device ran a near-stock version of Android 9.0 Pie with just a couple of additional apps that had been optimized to work with its physical keyboard. The device received official LineageOS 16 as well as official LineageOS 17.1 support. The phone also served as the base for our own XDA phone: the Pro1-X. And now, the device has received an unofficial LineageOS 18.0 build based on Android 11.
The LineageOS 18.0 build for the F(x)tec Pro1 is built off the official Android 9 firmware with proprietary blobs, but the underlying base version of the ROM is Android 11. The build is compatible with all F9X)tec Pro1 variants, essentially meaning that you can flash it on the Pro1-X too when it reaches your hands. Pretty much all expected functions of the phone are functioning as expected, and no major bugs exist in the ROM.
If you’re interested in trying out LineageOS 18.0 and near-stock Android 11 on your F(x)tec Pro1, you can download the recovery flashable package from the thread below. But before you go ahead and flash the ROM on your device, make sure you read the installation instructions and other linked documentation, including the guides and special boot modes. Also, make sure to take a backup of your data before you start the process or you may lose it during the installation. Also keep in mind that no custom kernels are provided support for, in the forum thread, so stick to the stock kernel only. There aren’t too many options for custom kernels either, so you should be good on this end. The device is developer-friendly, but there aren’t options available because of its rather niche characteristics. But with our Indiegogo for the Pro1-X sitting at 661% funded, there’s clearly a demand for such a device, and we hope that the situation changes in the near future.
Lenovo’s Legion lineup has matured over the years and this year, we saw the company cranking up a notch with some really interesting products. Apart from the Legion 5i, the company launched the Legion 7i which is the top of the line offering from the company. It borrows the looks and styling from its mid-range counterpart but competes with some of the most powerful notebooks including heavyweights like Alienware and Razer. But is this notebook the right choice for gamers?
Lenovo Legion 7i: Specifications
As I mentioned, the Legion 7i is the most powerful offering from Lenovo and is available with either the 10th-gen Intel Core i5-10300H all the way to a Core i9-10980HK. The unit that I got here includes the Core i7-10875H with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q. Here are the full specifications:
Specification
Lenovo Legion 7i
Dimensions & Weight
19.82 x 359.41 x 259.08mm
2.25 kgs
Display
15.6-inch Full HD (1920×1080) IPS
144Hz
HDR400
100% Adobe RGB
500-nits brightness
G-Sync
Processor
Intel Core i7-10875H (2.3GHz / 5.1GHz)
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q (8GB GDDR6)
RAM & Storage
16GB DDR4 (3200MHz)
1TB M.2 NVMe SSD
Battery & Charger
80Wh
230W charger
I/O
USB 3.1 Gen 1
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2
HDMI 2.0
Ethernet
Kensington lock slot
Power-in
Thunderbolt 3 Type-C (Thunderbolt, DisplayPort, USB 3.1, HDMI)
USB-C (DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.1 Gen 1)
3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
Connectivity
Intel WiFi 6 802.11AX (2 x 2)
Bluetooth 5.0
OS
Windows 10 Home
Paid Add-on: Windows 10 Pro
Other Features
Corsair iCUE controlled RGB lighting
Lenovo Vantage tuning software
X-Rite Color Assistant
Quick access thermal profiles
About this review: Lenovo India sent us the Legion 7i for review. This review has been written after about 15 days of regular use. Lenovo had no input into the contents of this article.
Lenovo Legion 7i: Design and Build
The design is sort of a mixed bag here. While I appreciate the clean look and aluminum finish of the notebook, the lid tends to wobble, and the dark grey finish does seem quite plain. You do get a lot of RGB lighting though, and that definitely catches your eye. There is an RGB strip around the bottom, an RGB Legion logo on the lid, some RGB lights planted right inside the rear air vents, and of course, under the keyboard. Apart from the light show, Lenovo has all of its branding placed vertically on the keyboard deck and the lid. Very clean.
It is a fairly sleek 15-inch machine weighing 2.25 kilograms with a thickness of about 19mm. That is not bad considering it is roughly the same as the Razer Blade 15. It shouldn’t be very heavy to carry around but considering most of us are now confined to our homes, the notebook should look suave on your desk. Now as I mentioned, the lid isn’t very sturdy, although I can overlook that considering it doesn’t wobble when using it on a firm surface. The lid can open all the way and lay flat, which can be useful if you like to prop your laptop on a cooling stand. Speaking of which, the display gets slim bezels on the sides, while the top bezel houses the 720p webcam. Lenovo offers a nifty slider to shut the camera lens for the ones who fret over security. The bottom bezel is fairly large, but I don’t have any complaints about that.
You also get a total of four air vents- two at the back and one on each side. The bottom has this large perforated area for the fans to pull in cool air. The keyboard deck is nice and spaced out, and the trackpad looks fairly big. Lenovo is offering a good set of ports placed all around the notebook. You get two USB-C 3.1 ports on the left, one of which offers Thunderbolt 3 while the other is limited to DisplayPort 1.4. There is also a headphone combo jack. The right side includes a single USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A port to plug in a mouse or other peripherals. At the back, you get two more USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A, an HDMI 2.0, a gigabit ethernet port, a charging port, and a Kensington lock slot. The ports at the back are denoted by subtle white LEDs, which I really liked. These light up when the notebook is turned on or is in standby mode.
I wanted to check out the insides for future upgradability and I got easy access by removing ten screws from the bottom lid. The dual-cooling fans have a large array of fins that are quite slim and in the middle are some heat pipes to dissipate heat. Lenovo does offer a vapor chamber cooling solution on the higher-configured models, including the one I am reviewing here. There are two M.2 slots out of which one is occupied by a 1TB Western Digital NVMe SSD. This means you can add another M.2 SSD to expand your storage. The memory sticks are in the middle but are protected by a plastic shield. You can remove that and get access in case you want to upgrade in the future.
Display
Lenovo is offering the Legion 7i in three display options. While all three offer a 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS anti-glare panel, there are various configurations. The first one is a 144Hz, < 3ms response time option that comes with 100% sRGB and 300-nits of brightness. The second option (the one that we have received for review) has the same refresh rate but offers 100% Adobe RGB coverage, 500-nits of brightness, VESA DisplayHDR 400-certification, and Dolby Vision. The top of the line option includes 240Hz refresh rate, < 1ms response time, 100% sRGB, 500 nits brightness, VESA DisplayHDR 400-certification as well as Dolby Vision.
Now, I honestly had no complaints about this panel. Colors look punchy and there is an ample amount of brightness as well despite having a matte finish. The unit that we got is also G-Sync compatible. Speaking of which, I had a great time playing games as the panel offered smooth textures and sharp imaging. The display is also a treat if you want to watch movies, especially in HDR format. Additionally, Lenovo packs a software called X-Rite Color Assistant that lets you set various color profiles depending on your usage. You can choose between Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, Rec. 709, and sRGB. Other than that there is a Default setting as well as a Non-calibrated option.
Keyboard and Touchpad
I use iCUE on my personal desktop and I can tell you that it is one of the best RGB software.
I’ve usually had a good experience with Lenovo’s keyboards and this doesn’t seem any different. It has a sturdy build although there is a bit of a flex on the keyboard deck, but I wouldn’t worry about it too much. Lenovo suggests that its ‘TrueStrike’ keyboard features soft switches with a 1.3mm key travel. It is good to type on with a sort of membrane style feel to it. The keyboard includes a full-sized number pad, along with large arrow keys that take some extra room on the deck. Of course, it comes with RGB lighting offering 16 million different colors via Corsair’s iCUE software. I use iCUE on my personal desktop and I can tell you that it is one of the best RGB software. You get a variety of options including colors and patterns for the keyboard as well as the under-glow and rear lighting. Though, there is one small issue specifically on this laptop. The software doesn’t have any option to switch off the default rainbow effect. Thus every time you turn the laptop on or off, the colors change to a spiral rainbow effect. The only option is to completely shut the lighting on the keys. The keyboard comes with a variety of function button options as well as one where you can switch between the thermal modes on the laptop by pressing the Fn + Q key. This can also be done using the Lenovo Vantage software and is denoted by the color of the power button.
The touchpad is fairly simple to look at, nothing fancy in terms of the finish. It is smooth and responsive and the left and right clicks work as expected. Now I’ve seen some concerns on certain forums suggesting that if you press the top section of the touchpad it depresses making a small gap. While that is true, I believe it isn’t a huge issue unless apart from dust accumulating over time.
Performance
Powering the unit I reviewed is an Intel Core i7-10850H which is an octa-core processor offering speeds of 2.30GHz going up to 5.10GHz using Turbo Boost. The Samsung dual-channel 16GB DDR4 memory used on the system is clocked at 3200MHz. For storage, you get a 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD by Western Digital, although certain regions around the world get a Samsung NVMe drive. Last but not the least, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q GPU 8GB GDDR6 takes care of the graphics loads. This is a high-end machine and is way more capable than handling 30-40 Chrome tabs and multiple video streams at the same time. I never had a single instance where the laptop would slow down on me.
Gamers can expect excellent performance even in the most resource-intensive games.
Gamers can expect excellent performance even in the most resource-intensive games. Titles like Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order at its highest settings ran around 130fps while Rise of the Tomb Raider held up well around 90fps at maximum settings. Multiplayer titles like Apex Legends and PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds (PUBG) consistently ran smoothly at 120fps.
As for synthetic benchmarks, I ran a variety of tests to push the limits of the hardware. The results were as expected delivering scores similar to most gaming laptops in the same range. Some of the benchmarks we tested included 3D Mark, Cinebench R20, and PC Mark 10. You can check out the results below:
The Western Digital SSD felt quite fast and snappy to me. Running CrystalDiskMark reaffirmed my experience as the NVMe SSD managed to score 2,913MBps read speeds and 2,961MBps write speeds. This is not the fastest SSD around when compared to the offerings by Samsung, but it should deliver rock-solid transfer speeds.
Lenovo bundles the laptop with its central-hub software called Lenovo Vantage. It’s a nifty tool that helps you monitor your system as well as enable or disable certain features. As mentioned before, you can use this to choose either of the thermal modes that include performance, balanced, or silent.
As for audio performance, the dual stereo speakers are placed on either side and face downwards. They produce a good amount of volume and even a little bit of thump. The sound quality isn’t going to blow your mind, but it should be good enough for watching movies or casual gaming.
Thermals
With great power comes great responsibility heat, but thermals are something that the Legion 7i is not entirely good at. During my testing, I saw peak temperatures of the CPU going as high as 95-degrees which is quite alarming. Due to this, all cores of the CPU did thermal throttle. Just to clear up, I didn’t face any noticeable issues in the performance while gaming, and these peak temperature readings were recorded during benchmark stress tests. The system does limit either the power or the clock speeds of the CPU. This was evident as the CPU was unable to hit the 5GHz clock speeds and only peaked at speeds of 4.7-4.8GHz.
The notebook emits a considerable amount of heat during long gaming sessions especially if you engage the performance mode. The areas around the air vents get really hot and the heat spreads around the top of the keyboard deck. The keyboard itself does not get warm, which was nice to see. You shouldn’t face any heating issues while regular usage, although I wouldn’t advise using this notebook in your lap for longer stretches as the cooling fans need space to pull in air from the bottom.
Battery Life
The notebook features power-hungry hardware and I honestly didn’t have high expectations with the battery life. However, since Lenovo offers three performance modes, I was curious. The 4-Cell 80Wh battery lasted about 4 hours 10 minutes while using the machine at a stretch for web browsing. For a good measure, I had kept the brightness slightly below 50% and set the performance mode to Balanced. This is fairly average for a gaming laptop and you may get varied results depending on your usage. To provide the juice, the notebook comes with a beefy 230W charger. I do have to give it to Lenovo for making an effort to keep the thickness of the charging brick almost similar to the laptop itself.
Lenovo Legion 7i Verdict: Powerful but Toasty
Lenovo is finally working it’s way up the ladder with the Legion 7i and assures that it means business. It’s a really well-made machine and definitely the most powerful gaming laptop offered by the company. Capable of handling all of your high-end AAA titles with ease, it is also a really good machine for content creators. Is it a good desktop replacement? Definitely. Having said that, I really hope Lenovo would look into the issues regarding thermal performance as there are instances of throttling under certain heavy loads. Apart from that, I hardly had any complaints, which is to be expected at these premium price points.
The pricing for the Legion 7i starts at ₹1,94,638 going all the way up to ₹2,77,490 where you get the Core i9-10980HK processor and a 240Hz panel. The notebook is clearly targeted at consumers looking for the top of line performance with no restrictions on their budget. Should you buy one? Well, there are a bunch of options in this price range that you should also explore before choosing the Legion 7i. Do have a look at the Alienware M15 R3, the Razer Blade 15, and even the Acer Predator Triton 500, or some of our other recommendations for those in the USA. If you do end up with the Legion 7i, you will be satisfied with your decision as long as you know what you are getting.
The Legion 7i is the top of the line gaming notebook from Lenovo. It offers the 10th-gen Intel Core processors and NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 20-series GPU for a super-charged performance package.
Update 71 (11/16/2020 @ 04:57 AM ET): Added download links for MIUI 12 latest beta builds, compiled on November 13, 2020.
Previous Updates
Update 70 (11/11/2020 @ 06:07 AM ET): Added download links for MIUI 12 latest beta builds, compiled on November 12, 2020.
Update 69 (11/11/2020 @ 06:07 AM ET): Added download links for MIUI 12 latest beta builds, compiled on November 10/11, 2020. Previous links have been moved to our archive page.
The latest version of Xiaomi’s custom Android skin – MIUI 12 – is finally here. The company has dropped the curtain yesterday, alongside the Mi 10 Youth Edition launch event in China. Compared to MIUI 11, the stable version of which was released less than six months ago, MIUI 12 brings in a slew of improvements, visual overhauls, and many new features. We have already extracted the new wallpapers, and now we are presenting the downloading links of the first set of MIUI 12 beta firmware packages for a bunch of Xiaomi and Redmi devices.
It is worth mentioning that these closed beta builds are meant for the Chinese variants, as Xiaomi suspended the rollout of MIUI global beta since last year. As a consequence, you have to flash these recovery ROMs using TWRP to bypass the MIUI beta account whitelisting. Do not expect Google Play Services or any pre-installed Google apps in them. Language options are likely limited to English and Chinese only, too. Xiaomi did launch MIUI 12 globally, and we are waiting for builds to appear for that too. Meanwhile, you can try out the closed betas from China.
The beta MIUI 12 builds listed below are based on either Android 10 or Android 11, depending on the device. If you are looking for MIUI 12 stable releases, you can find those here.
Download: MIUI 12
You can download the latest beta of MIUI 12 for your device from the links below. You can also visit our linked forums in case you need further assistance. While all of these download links are directly from Xiaomi, users are advised to proceed at their own risk. We warn you once again, this is not intended for the average consumer and is recommended only for users comfortable with flashing ROMs.
The full changelog for MIUI 12 beta, when updating from MIUI 11, is as follows:
MIUI 12 Full Changelog
Highlights
MIUI 12. Yours alone.
System animations
New: All-new physically-based animation engine with advanced architecture will refresh your device’s look.
New: Dynamic window technology takes switching screen orientation to a new level.
System visuals
Brand new visual design works for all types of content and languages.
Magazine-level layouts bring important things into the spotlight and make the content structure clear.
Privacy protection
New: MIUI 12 is the first Android-based mobile OS that went through the rigorous enhanced privacy protection testing.
New: Reset your device ID and control how it’s used based on virtual ID technology.
New: Grant permissions that will be used only while you’re using an app.
New: You can also grant permissions just once, and decide again next time a permission is required.
New: Restrict access to telephony to third party apps.
New: Return blank messages to the apps that require personal information.
New: Receive notifications whenever apps record audio, use camera, or access your location.
New: Use secure sharing to control what additional data is sent along with shared items.
New: Get comprehensive stats on how apps use permissions in app behavior history.
New: Visit privacy.miui.com to learn how MIUI protects your privacy.
Optimization: Apps aren’t allowed to launch other apps in the background now.
AI Call Assistant
New: Mi AI can answer your calls now!
New: You can record a customized greeting that will be played to the other person during AI calls.
New: Customized greetings are also supported for outgoing calls.
Xiaomi Health
New: All-new Xiaomi Health gives you more options and makes your health stats more accurate.
New: Put your device next to you before falling asleep to analyze your sleep cycle and record talking and snoring.
New: You can sync data with supported wearable and smart home devices.
New: Xiaomi Health can remind you to stand up and move when it detects that you’ve been sitting down for too long.
New: The app also analyzes your stats and gives you simple health advice.
Control center
New: Swipe down from the upper right corner of your screen to open Control center.
New: Animated icons are a joy to look at!
Accessibility
New: Mi Ditto combines dictation and speech output, making mobile devices more convenient for people who have difficulties using conventionally designed smartphones.
Trips
New: Traffic and suggested routes to airports and train stations.
New: You can track your previous trips now.
New: Checklists for trips.
New: Alarms for train arrivals.
Mi Carrier Services
New: View your SIM balance and mobile data usage stats.
New: Save frequently used phone numbers to top up balance and buy mobile data later.
New: Buy SIM cards and services.
Messaging
New: Promotional messages are grouped according to their content now.
Status bar, Notification shade
New: All-new design.
Weather
New: New animations bring the weather from outside directly to your screen.
Settings
New: Security introduces new comprehensive privacy protection mechanisms.
New: Lite mode simplifies your device and brings essential features up front.
File Manager
New: Use the floating shortcut to filter and sort items, as well as switch view.
Calendar
New: New layout tailored for landscape orientation is available now.
New: We added lots of fresh animations that will accompany your actions.
New: Calendar cards will remind you about important events and anniversaries.
Notes
New: You can create folders with notes now.
New: New dynamic backgrounds look gorgeous!
New: Tasks are completed with a satisfying animation now.
New: Checklists of subtasks make managing your agenda much simpler.
Security
New: New animations feel natural and refreshing.
New: Keep your home safe with smart home device alerts.
New: Binging your favorite shows will be more convenient with our new video toolbox.
Xiaomi Cloud
New: Shared family storage plan is available now.
Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer yshalsager and XDA Member kacskrz for providing these download links!
Update 71 (11/16/2020 @ 04:57 AM ET): Added download links for MIUI 12 latest beta builds, compiled on November 13, 2020.
Previous Updates
Update 70 (11/11/2020 @ 06:07 AM ET): Added download links for MIUI 12 latest beta builds, compiled on November 12, 2020.
Update 69 (11/11/2020 @ 06:07 AM ET): Added download links for MIUI 12 latest beta builds, compiled on November 10/11, 2020. Previous links have been moved to our archive page.
The latest version of Xiaomi’s custom Android skin – MIUI 12 – is finally here. The company has dropped the curtain yesterday, alongside the Mi 10 Youth Edition launch event in China. Compared to MIUI 11, the stable version of which was released less than six months ago, MIUI 12 brings in a slew of improvements, visual overhauls, and many new features. We have already extracted the new wallpapers, and now we are presenting the downloading links of the first set of MIUI 12 beta firmware packages for a bunch of Xiaomi and Redmi devices.
It is worth mentioning that these closed beta builds are meant for the Chinese variants, as Xiaomi suspended the rollout of MIUI global beta since last year. As a consequence, you have to flash these recovery ROMs using TWRP to bypass the MIUI beta account whitelisting. Do not expect Google Play Services or any pre-installed Google apps in them. Language options are likely limited to English and Chinese only, too. Xiaomi did launch MIUI 12 globally, and we are waiting for builds to appear for that too. Meanwhile, you can try out the closed betas from China.
The beta MIUI 12 builds listed below are based on either Android 10 or Android 11, depending on the device. If you are looking for MIUI 12 stable releases, you can find those here.
Download: MIUI 12
You can download the latest beta of MIUI 12 for your device from the links below. You can also visit our linked forums in case you need further assistance. While all of these download links are directly from Xiaomi, users are advised to proceed at their own risk. We warn you once again, this is not intended for the average consumer and is recommended only for users comfortable with flashing ROMs.
The full changelog for MIUI 12 beta, when updating from MIUI 11, is as follows:
MIUI 12 Full Changelog
Highlights
MIUI 12. Yours alone.
System animations
New: All-new physically-based animation engine with advanced architecture will refresh your device’s look.
New: Dynamic window technology takes switching screen orientation to a new level.
System visuals
Brand new visual design works for all types of content and languages.
Magazine-level layouts bring important things into the spotlight and make the content structure clear.
Privacy protection
New: MIUI 12 is the first Android-based mobile OS that went through the rigorous enhanced privacy protection testing.
New: Reset your device ID and control how it’s used based on virtual ID technology.
New: Grant permissions that will be used only while you’re using an app.
New: You can also grant permissions just once, and decide again next time a permission is required.
New: Restrict access to telephony to third party apps.
New: Return blank messages to the apps that require personal information.
New: Receive notifications whenever apps record audio, use camera, or access your location.
New: Use secure sharing to control what additional data is sent along with shared items.
New: Get comprehensive stats on how apps use permissions in app behavior history.
New: Visit privacy.miui.com to learn how MIUI protects your privacy.
Optimization: Apps aren’t allowed to launch other apps in the background now.
AI Call Assistant
New: Mi AI can answer your calls now!
New: You can record a customized greeting that will be played to the other person during AI calls.
New: Customized greetings are also supported for outgoing calls.
Xiaomi Health
New: All-new Xiaomi Health gives you more options and makes your health stats more accurate.
New: Put your device next to you before falling asleep to analyze your sleep cycle and record talking and snoring.
New: You can sync data with supported wearable and smart home devices.
New: Xiaomi Health can remind you to stand up and move when it detects that you’ve been sitting down for too long.
New: The app also analyzes your stats and gives you simple health advice.
Control center
New: Swipe down from the upper right corner of your screen to open Control center.
New: Animated icons are a joy to look at!
Accessibility
New: Mi Ditto combines dictation and speech output, making mobile devices more convenient for people who have difficulties using conventionally designed smartphones.
Trips
New: Traffic and suggested routes to airports and train stations.
New: You can track your previous trips now.
New: Checklists for trips.
New: Alarms for train arrivals.
Mi Carrier Services
New: View your SIM balance and mobile data usage stats.
New: Save frequently used phone numbers to top up balance and buy mobile data later.
New: Buy SIM cards and services.
Messaging
New: Promotional messages are grouped according to their content now.
Status bar, Notification shade
New: All-new design.
Weather
New: New animations bring the weather from outside directly to your screen.
Settings
New: Security introduces new comprehensive privacy protection mechanisms.
New: Lite mode simplifies your device and brings essential features up front.
File Manager
New: Use the floating shortcut to filter and sort items, as well as switch view.
Calendar
New: New layout tailored for landscape orientation is available now.
New: We added lots of fresh animations that will accompany your actions.
New: Calendar cards will remind you about important events and anniversaries.
Notes
New: You can create folders with notes now.
New: New dynamic backgrounds look gorgeous!
New: Tasks are completed with a satisfying animation now.
New: Checklists of subtasks make managing your agenda much simpler.
Security
New: New animations feel natural and refreshing.
New: Keep your home safe with smart home device alerts.
New: Binging your favorite shows will be more convenient with our new video toolbox.
Xiaomi Cloud
New: Shared family storage plan is available now.
Thanks to XDA Recognized Developer yshalsager and XDA Member kacskrz for providing these download links!
As for synthetic benchmarks, I ran a variety of tests to push the limits of the hardware. The results were as expected delivering scores similar to most gaming laptops in the same range. Some of the benchmarks we tested included 3D Mark, Cinebench R20, and PC Mark 10. You can check out the results below:
The Western Digital SSD felt quite fast and snappy to me. Running CrystalDiskMark reaffirmed my experience as the NVMe SSD managed to score 2,913MBps read speeds and 2,961MBps write speeds. This is not the fastest SSD around when compared to the offerings by Samsung, but it should deliver rock-solid transfer speeds.
