The Gaming Desktop I’ve Relied on More Than Any Other Is More Powerful and Sleeker Than Ever — But Damn, It’s Expensive

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It’s often argued by hardcore PC gamers that constructing your own gaming computer is the way to go, mainly because it supposedly saves a significant amount of cash. However, this isn’t necessarily the ideal choice in all scenarios.

A multitude of top-notch pre-assembled computers are available, offering a dependable, powerful, and trouble-free gaming experience for PC enthusiasts. Whether you’re seeking a machine capable of running the most graphically intensive PC games or handling heavy workloads, these pre-built towers have got you covered.

In this regard, computers such as the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i prove quite useful. Lenovo’s Legion brand has established itself as a reliable supplier of pre-built gaming hardware over time, and the Legion Tower 7i stands out as the top model within their desktop lineup.

As a researcher, I found myself captivated by the last Legion Tower 7i to such an extent that I deliberately selected it over the multitude of tempting hardware that graced my desk after my review. Now, Lenovo has revamped its flagship desktop with a modernized design and state-of-the-art components, and I can confirm that my admiration for it remains undiminished.

… I just wish it wasn’t quite this expensive.

My Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 10) review

Design ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

In the new generation, Lenovo didn’t significantly alter the design of the Legion Tower 7i, and that seems appropriate as its low-key design fits seamlessly into various setups. However, it retains a stylish edge that effectively upholds its gaming persona.

Lenovo has indeed reduced the size of the Legion Tower 7i, trimming down both its height and length slightly. Yet, it manages to do so without affecting its performance, cooling efficiency, or features in any way. Now, this model boasts a 34-liter chassis, but it remains larger than desktop systems such as the HP OMEN 35L that I previously reviewed.

The Legion Tower 7i is far from being small, yet it maintains the same level of performance and expansion possibilities as before, all while being housed within a more condensed casing.

As a tech enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that not only do you get the same number of ports, but the speed has been significantly boosted! One of the USB Type-A ports on the front is now a faster USB Type-C port, capable of 10GBps. Meanwhile, the USB Type-C port at the back has leveled up to a Thunderbolt 4 port, offering a blazing fast 40GBps speed, along with Power Delivery 3.1 and DisplayPort 2.1 technology for an even smoother experience!

Upgradeability ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Opening the Legion Tower 7i remains effortless, requiring only two thumbscrews to detach the side glass panel. Upon opening, you’ll encounter a typical Intel Z890 motherboard. This motherboard is equipped with useful barcodes designed to help you locate support resources for different components.

Although it has a smaller interior space, the Legion Tower 7i still offers numerous chances for upgrades and expansions. It provides four UDIMM RAM slots that are compatible with CUDIMM RAM for overclocking, as well as four M.2 SSD slots that accommodate PCIe Gen5 SSDs. Additionally, it includes two 3.5″ HDD bays, and a single each of PCIe 5.0 x16, PCIe 4.0 x16, and PCIe 3.0 x1 expansion slots.

Although navigating through the extensive features of a large NVIDIA GPU might be challenging at times, rest assured that all necessary functionalities are available.

Performance ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Just as anticipated from a premium desktop model, the Legion Tower 7i is brimming with top-tier hardware components. My setup boasts an Intel Core i9-285K processor (24 cores), an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card with 16GB VRAM, a dual-channel RAM of 64GB, clocked at 5,600MHz, and 2TB of blazing fast PCIe Gen4 SSD storage.

Currently, Lenovo’s best offering is quite impressive, but there’s a strong possibility of an RTX 5090 model emerging soon. However, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you truly require the additional VRAM and are willing to spend significantly more for it.

The top Lenovo model available now is great, but they might release an RTX 5090 version shortly. But unless you absolutely need more VRAM and can afford to pay a lot more, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Exceptional performance from contemporary gaming PCs is almost a given, yet the Legion Tower 7i truly stands out as a formidable powerhouse.

This tower allows you to enhance its memory capacity up to 128GB using UDIMM RAM. If you wish to boost its performance further, you have the option to use CUDIMM RAM for overclocking. The tower is compatible with PCIe Gen5 SSDs for top-tier data transfer rates, although Lenovo doesn’t currently provide a setup that includes these SSDs as standard equipment.

It’s unfortunate that this tower’s standout feature, the two 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSDs, aren’t as fast as those in other gaming systems. While they’re not slow per se, they don’t match the top-tier speeds you often find in high-performance PCs and laptimes.

  • Forza Horizon 5 — 146 FPS (Extreme preset, 4K resolution, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution/DLSS Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency disabled) | 196 FPS (Max settings, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution set to Auto, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation/Reflex Low Latency enabled)
  • Gears 5 — 130 FPS (Ultra preset, 4K resolution)
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 — 135 FPS (Extreme preset, 4K resolution, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution set to Performance, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation disabled)
  • Cyberpunk 2077 — 84 FPS (Ray Tracing: Ultra preset, 4K resolution, NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution Transformer Model set to Auto, NVIDIA DLSS Frame Generation/Ray Reconstruction disabled, NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency enabled) | 188 FPS (Ray Tracing: Overdrive preset, NVIDIA DLSS Multi-Frame Generation set to 4X, NVIDIA DLSS Ray Reconstruction enabled)

The Legion Tower 7i performs impressively, handling anything you throw its way without a hitch. It’s a powerhouse capable of pushing settings to their maximum at 4K resolution.

Apart from the update on the cooling system in Lenovo’s Legion Tower 7i, I haven’t encountered any issues related to overheating or thermal throttling. Moreover, even when the fans run at maximum speed, they are barely audible compared to the sound produced by most gaming headsets.

Software & AI ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Legion ecosystem developed by Lenovo has reached maturity, and the Legio Tower 7i now functions as what could be considered an AI PC due to the integration of a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) within its processor. However, in this specific aspect, I believe Lenovo made a slight compromise.

The newly introduced Legion Space launcher has a sleek design and user-friendly interface, yet it seems lacking in advanced functionalities. Apart from basic GPU overclocking, fundamental performance presets, and customizable RGB lighting, there aren’t many options to fine-tune your hardware; delving into the BIOS doesn’t reveal much more either.

This thing is expensive, even compared to other RTX 50-series desktops

The Legion Tower 7i has always been a high-priced desktop computer, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards are infamously costly. However, even among other pre-built computers, this latest tower remains pricey.

The Legion Tower 7i and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50-series are known for being expensive desktop PCs and graphics cards, respectively. And when it comes to pre-built computers, this new tower still costs a pretty penny.

As a passionate tech enthusiast, I’m excited to share a comparison between two high-performance gaming rigs that have caught my eye. The Alienware Aurora R13 PC, boasting an Intel Core i9 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, and 2TB SSD, is priced at $3,149.99 on BestBuy.com. On the other hand, the equivalent Legion Tower 7i configuration comes in at $3,799.99 from Lenovo.com. It’s worth mentioning that Alienware isn’t typically associated with budget-friendly options, so keep that in mind when considering these price differences.

I believe that the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i offers value for its price, yet I can understand if you choose to wait for a discount instead.

You can find the ASUS ROG G700 with a Core Ultra 7 for $2,749.99 on BestBuy.com, whereas the Legion Tower 7i will cost you $3,099.99 from Lenovo.com.

In this paraphrase, I’ve tried to keep the information intact while using simpler and more natural language to make it easier for readers to understand.

The Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 10) delivers impressive performance and cooling that matches or even surpasses the more expensive Alienware Area-51 PC we tested, despite being smaller in size. However, if your focus is solely on the specifications listed, you could find comparable hardware at a lower cost by hundreds of dollars.

Legion Tower 7i review: My final thoughts

✅You should buy this if …

  • You want the best Intel and NVIDIA hardware you can get.
  • You believe better cooling is worth having a larger PC.
  • You need a lot of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, on your desktop.

❌You should not buy this if …

  • You’re willing to put in the time and effort to build your own PC.
  • You’re looking for the best possible value in a pre-built PC.

For quite some time, I held onto my Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Eighth Generation), and the newest version delivers enhanced performance while reducing its footprint. This powerful tower offers ample space for growth, making it a fantastic companion that can evolve alongside you throughout the years.

I would prefer if Lenovo’s software had more detailed customization options. This computer, being on the pricier side, ensures it delivers top-notch performance; however, keep an eye out for sales if you’re looking to save some money.

Once more, Lenovo has created my preferred pre-built gaming desktop PC. If you’re interested in one for your own use, the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 10) is now up for grabs starting at $2,699.99 on Lenovo.com.

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2025-08-09 17:14