May 20, 2025
    |   No Comments
    |   Gracy Sahai
    |   4:39 am

Build, Display, and Features

  • Chassis & Build: The LOQ 15 has a sturdy, matte-gray plastic chassis with aggressive gamer styling (red-accented vents, backlit keyboard). NotebookCheck gave it a “74/98 → 76%” chassis score, noting a solid build for the price. The laptop is on the heavier side (~2.4 kg) with relatively thick side bezels, but the hinge and keyboard deck feel durable. Users report the feeling of a “simple but practical” design, with a full-size keyboard and a number pad.

  • Display: All models use a 15.6″ 1920×1080 IPS panel at 144 Hz (300 nits brightness). The screen is matte to reduce glare. NotebookCheck praised the “matte FHD display (144 Hz, G-Sync)” in the Pros. Colors are decent for the price, and gaming is smooth without tearing. However, reviews note the panel isn’t super bright or high-contrast; for example, NotebookCheck suggests it “could do with being a little brighter”.

  • Keyboard & I/O: The backlit keyboard has RGB-like multi-zone lighting (rainbow effects reported by some users) and comfortable travel. Ports include multiple USB-A, one USB-C (with DisplayPort 1.4 and PD charging), HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and audio jack. It lacks Thunderbolt/USB4 and an SD card reader. The inclusion of Power Delivery charging via USB-C and a camera privacy shutter is are nice extra.

Comparison table of the Lenovo LOQ 15 AMD variants using the Ryzen 5 7235HS, Ryzen 7 7435HS, and Ryzen 7 8845HS:

Specification

LOQ 15 (Ryzen 5 7235HS)

LOQ 15 (Ryzen 7 7435HS)

LOQ 15 (Ryzen 7 8845HS)

CPU

Ryzen 5 7235HS (Zen 3+, 4C/8T)

Ryzen 7 7435HS (Zen 3+, 8C/16T)

Ryzen 7 8845HS (Zen 4, 8C/16T)

Base / Boost Clock

3.2 GHz / 4.2 GHz

3.1 GHz / 4.5 GHz

3.8 GHz / 5.1 GHz

iGPU

Radeon 660M

None

Radeon 780M

dGPU Options

RTX 3050 / RTX 4050

RTX 4060

RTX 4060 / RTX 4070

RAM

8–16GB DDR5-4800 (upgradeable)

16–24GB DDR5-4800

16–32GB DDR5-5600

Storage

512GB NVMe SSD

512GB–1TB NVMe SSD

1TB+ NVMe SSD

Display

15.6″ FHD (1920×1080), 144Hz IPS

15.6″ FHD (1920×1080), 144Hz IPS

15.6″ FHD (1920×1080), 144Hz IPS

Battery

60 Wh

60 Wh

60 Wh

USB-C PD / DisplayPort

Yes

Yes

Yes

Weight

~2.4 kg

~2.4 kg

~2.4 kg

Typical Price (USD)

$799–$899

$999–$1,099

$1,199+

Ideal For

Casual gaming, students

Midrange gamers, multitaskers

Power users, creators, and high-end gaming

LOQ’s build and features punch above their budget, offering dual SSD slots, easily upgradeable RAM, and gaming-friendly I/O. Downsides include modest brightness and no premium extras (no Thunderbolt, modest battery).

Lenovo LOQ 15 with Ryzen 5 7235HS – Entry-Level Gamer

  • Specs: AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS (4 cores/8 threads, 6nm Zen3+, 3.2–4.2 GHz). Integrated Radeon 660M GPU (Rembrandt-R). Typically paired with 8–16GB DDR5-4800 (2×8 or 1×8GB) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 or 4050 discrete GPU, plus a 512GB NVMe SSD.

  • Performance: This is the LOQ’s budget option. The 7235HS has 4 cores and Vega/Radeon 660M graphics, so it handles everyday tasks easily and can run e-sports titles smoothly on medium settings. With a discrete GPU (e.g. RTX 3050 6GB or RTX 4050), it can deliver respectable 1080p gaming at medium/high details. Best Buy’s description says it will “deliver lightning-fast gameplay on a high-res 144Hz display,” which holds for lighter games or older AAA titles.

  • Value: The 7235HS model is often the cheapest LOQ 15, typically around $799–$899 with RTX 3050 (8GB), or slightly higher with an RTX 4050. This makes it an excellent entry-level gaming laptop for students or budget gamers. Customer reviews appreciate that it doesn’t “break the bank” while providing a full gaming laptop experience.

Key takeaway: Ryzen 5 7235HS + RTX 3050/4050 is ideal for budget-conscious gamers. It won’t max out every game, but it offers solid 1080p performance for many titles. Its iGPU also helps with office tasks and light content creation when not gaming.

Lenovo LOQ 15 with Ryzen 7 7435HS – Midrange Performance

  • Specs: AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS (8 cores/16 threads, 6nm Zen3+, 3.1–4.5 GHz). No integrated GPU (discrete only). Common configurations include 16–24GB DDR5-4800 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (8GB). Storage is usually 512GB–1TB NVMe.

  • Performance: The 7435HS doubles the cores of the 7235HS (8c/16t vs 4c/8t) and boosts higher (up to 4.5 GHz), so it excels at multithreaded tasks and gaming. In GPU-bound games, pairing it with an RTX 4060 means smooth high/ultra settings at 1080p for most titles. In CPU benchmarks, 7435HS-based LOQs are “roughly on par with the RTX-4060 average” according to NotebookCheck. Best Buy highlights this config as having “lightning-fast gameplay” and a “future-proof machine that doesn’t break the bank”.

  • Benchmarks: Nanoreview notes the 7435HS is solid but lags the newer Zen4 8845HS; it scores about 26% lower in single-core Geekbench v6 (2010 vs 2538 points). In gaming, NotebookCheck’s LOQ 15 (with 7435HS+RTX4060) achieved high frame rates: e.g., Metro Exodus (1080p/High RTX) averaged ~67 fps, with CPU temps ~68°C. This is competitive with similarly equipped laptops.

Value: The 7435HS/RTX 4060 LOQ is often around $999–$1,099 (sometimes on sale). For example, Best Buy sells a 16GB/512GB model at $999.99. Currys UK has a 16GB/1TB configuration for £1,099 ([

Buy LENOVO LOQ 15ARP9 15.6″ Gaming Laptop – AMD Ryzen 7, RTX 4060, 1 TB SSD | Currys. This midrange price point earns praise for performance-per-dollar. Users note that for intensive tasks (streaming, video editing), the extra cores help compared to the 4-core model.

Key takeaway: Ryzen 7 7435HS + RTX 4060 is the LOQ sweet spot. It offers strong gaming at 1080p and solid productivity thanks to 8 cores. This model is great for mainstream gamers and students who also do some video editing or multitasking.

Lenovo LOQ 15 with Ryzen 7 8845HS – High-End Power User

  • Specs: AMD Ryzen 78845HS (8 cores/16 threads, 4nm Zen4, 3.8–5.1 GHz). Includes integrated Radeon 780M (RDNA3) graphics. Usually paired with high-end GPUs (RTX 4060 or 4070), 16–32GB DDR5, and 1 TB+ SSD. TDP is still 45W base, but performance is much higher.

  • Performance: As a Zen4 chip, the 8845HS delivers a major leap over the 7435HS. NanoReview notes its 26% faster single-core score and 13% higher turbo frequency (5.1 vs 4.5 GHz). In gaming and content creation, this translates to noticeable gains. For example, in synthetic tests, NotebookCheck’s LOQ 15 (8845HS + RTX 4060) scored 93.7 in AIDA64/FP32 ray-tracing vs 75–76 for comparable Intel i7 machines. Its average AIDA64 ray-trace throughput was 29544 KRay/s – far above Intel competitors.

  • Integrated GPU: The onboard Radeon 780M also offers decent graphics (for light gaming or accelerated workloads) if the discrete GPU is idle or absent, whereas the 7435HS model had no iGPU at all. This helps battery endurance slightly and enables outputs via USB-C.

  • Value: The 8845HS variant is the most expensive LOQ, but still budget-friendly for its power. In some markets, the RTX 4070 config is available (Tom’s Guide notes an RTX 4070 LOQ at ~$1000 off MSRP. Expect prices around $1,199+ for a 8845HS + RTX 4060 model. The high-end components suit serious gamers and creators who want something like a mid-tier desktop replacement.

Key takeaway: Ryzen 7 8845HS + RTX 4060/4070 LOQs are for power users. They deliver top-tier 1080p/144Hz gaming and excel in multi-threaded content creation. If you can stretch to an 8845HS model, you get Zen4 performance and a built-in RDNA3 GPU – the fastest LOQ line.

Performance Benchmarks and Gaming

Lenovo LOQs are designed for 1080p gaming at high settings. NotebookCheck states the LOQ 15 “allows for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings,” thanks to its high-refresh panel and RTX GPUs. Real-world tests confirm this: In Metro Exodus (1080p/RTX High), the 7435HS/4060 LOQ hit ~67 fps. Comparable results occur in other AAA titles – expect 60+ fps in many modern games at Medium/High. Esports titles (CS: GO, Fortnite) easily exceed 100+ fps on these machines.

In CPU-bound tasks, the 8-core models shine. Tom’s Hardware notes the 7435HS unit scored 2040 (single-core) and 10,143 (multi-core) in Geekbench 6. This trailed some competitors, but content creators still benefit from 8 cores. The 8845HS’s advantage is clear in benchmarks: Nanoreview’s Balanced score is 63 vs 53 for 7435HS, reflecting much stronger single- and multi-core performance. In practical terms, the 8845HS will render videos faster and sustain higher boost clocks during long gaming sessions.

Summary of differences (CPU alone): 8845HS (Zen4) offers ~30% faster processing than the 7435HS (Zen3+), and both vastly outperform the 4-core 7235HS in multithreaded work. This gap shows in demanding games and creative workloads. For pure gaming, however, GPU choice matters most – e.g., a 7235HS+RTX4060 can outperform an 8845HS+RTX3050. Overall, Lenovo balances the options so you can choose more CPU power or a stronger GPU depending on your needs.

Cooling, Noise, and Battery Life

  • Cooling: All LOQ 15 models have a dual-fan, dual-heatpipe cooling system with wide rear vents. Lenovo claims “quiet and powerful cooling,” allowing you to game “undetected”. In reality, tests say the cooling is effective but loud. NotebookCheck’s verdict lists “loud under load” and “heats up more than average” as cons. Tom’s Hardware similarly noted that fans ramp up quickly as soon as gaming begins, creating a “blare” that often requires gaming headphones. This noise is typical for 45–54W gaming laptops. On the plus side, the system does prevent thermal throttling – in Metro stress tests, the 7435HS averaged ~68°C CPU and 64°C GPU, staying within safe limits.

  • Battery: LOQs use a 60 Wh battery. Battery life is a weak point. NotebookCheck bluntly calls it “below-average”, and Tom’s Hardware measured only 3 hours 24 minutes in a mixed-use test. Web browsing or video playback will see ~4–5 hours at moderate brightness; gaming will drain it within an hour or two. This is expected (and somewhat unavoidable) given the powerful CPU/GPU and no efficiency-focused mode. Quick note: The LOQ does support USB-C Power Delivery charging, so you can top it up with a USB-C charger in a pinch.

  • Noise/Usability: In practice, expect high fan noise during gaming and while charging. Both NotebookCheck and users suggest playing with headphones when gaming or using “quiet mode” settings (which reduce performance) to tame fan noise. At idle, fans sometimes pulse even with light tasks (a minor annoyance). On the other hand, while gaming, the cooling keeps sustained FPS stable.

Key takeaway: Cooling is adequate for sustained performance, but not whisper-quiet. The LOQ 15 will get warm and noisy under load. Battery life is short (~3–4 hours), so this laptop excels when plugged in – ideal for desktop replacement or dorm use with a charger nearby.

Use Cases: Who Is the LOQ For?

Lenovo LOQ 15 laptops span a range from budget to high-end, suiting different user profiles:

  • Casual/Budget Gamer or Student (Entry-Level): The Ryzen 5 7235HS model (with RTX 3050 or 4050) is a great budget pick. It handles e-sports titles (CS: GO, Fortnite, Valorant) at high FPS and can run many modern games on medium settings. Students will also appreciate the portability and price. This configuration (often 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is often priced under $800–$900, making it one of the cheapest RTX-capable gaming laptops. Good for moderate gaming and productivity (office/online classes) on a dime.

  • Avid Gamer / Multitasker (Midrange): The Ryzen 7 7435HS + RTX 4060 model is for gamers who want high frame rates on AAA games or who multitask (streaming, editing) alongside gaming. With 8 cores and a stronger GPU, it breezes through most 1080p gaming scenarios. Users like the extra headroom for creativity (e.g, video editing, 3D rendering) compared to the 4-core. This model is ideal if your budget is ~$1,000 and you want solid performance for both work and play.

  • Power User / Content Creator (High-End): The Ryzen 7 8845HS variant targets power users who need muscle. Game and stream at top settings, compile code, edit videos, render 3D projects – all faster thanks to Zen 4. Combined with an RTX 4060/4070, this model can handle virtually any 1080p/144Hz task. Choose this if you do heavy content creation or simply want maximum future-proofing (and can spend around $1,200+). It’s a “budget workstation” of sorts, given how much hardware you get for the price.

Additional tips: Upgradeable RAM/SSD means you can start with 8–16GB RAM and add more later (Max 64GB). The integrated Radeon GPU in the 8845HS also helps with compute tasks when the laptop is unplugged (though the battery is still small). All LOQs have MUX switches with NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, meaning they can bypass the iGPU for slightly better performance in games.

User Impressions and Reviews

Public reviews echo the mixed (but generally positive) professional findings: LOQ laptops are praised for value and performance, with some quibbles on noise and battery.

  • Positive: Many reviewers and users note the LOQ’s “great bang for the buck.” Best Buy reviews (4.6 stars) often mention strong gaming performance and a sturdy feel. NotebookCheck’s verdict calls it “an affordable FHD gaming laptop” that only has “one or two minor flaws”. Reviews highlight the upgradability (dual SSD slots, extra RAM slots) and the crisp 144Hz display as big advantages.

  • Constructive Criticism: Common downsides are fan noise and battery life. Users on forums report the battery rarely lasts a full workday, and under gaming, the fans get “loud” (as Tom’s found. Some note the keyboard and trackpad feel decent, but not on par with high-end Lenovo models. Overall, however, most comments on sites like Reddit say the LOQ “is a good pick if you mostly keep it plugged in and want performance for the price.”

In summary, user impressions align with experts: “solid budget gamer” that excels in frame rates and multitasking, at the expense of portability.

2025 Summer Sale Deals (US, India, UK)

Great deals on Lenovo LOQ models are available this summer. Retailers and Lenovo itself are running promotions:

  • United States: Lenovo’s Annual Sale and Memorial Day promotions feature discounts on Legion and LOQ laptops. For example, Best Buy lists the AMD LOQ 15 (Ryzen 5 7235HS, 12GB, RTX 3050) at around $799.99 and the Ryzen 7 7435HS/RTX 4060 model at $999.99. (Actual sale prices fluctuate, so check Best Buy /Amazon.) Keep an eye on Amazon Prime Day (July 2025) and Lenovo’s site for coupon codes. For instance, Tom’s Guide notes a $300 off deal on an RTX 4070 LOQ, bringing it under $1,000 during a recent sale.

  • India: The Amazon Great Summer Sale 2025 lists AMD LOQs with steep discounts. Hindustan Times reports a LOQ (Ryzen 7 7435HS, RTX 4050, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) at ₹80,990 (down from ~₹98,000). Lenovo India also offers cashback and bundled offers (games, accessories) during summer campaigns. Check Lenovo’s India site for “Crazy Upgrade” deals or 5–10% cashback on gaming laptops.

  • United Kingdom: Retailers like Currys and Box.co.uk are featuring LOQs on sale. Currys lists a LOQ 15ARP9 (Ryzen 7 7435HS, RTX 4060, 16GB/1TB) at £1,099 (about $1,370) ([

    Buy LENOVO LOQ 15ARP9 15.6″ Gaming Laptop – AMD Ryzen 7, RTX 4060, 1 TB SSD | Currys. Amazon UK and Box have similar configurations (e.g., 24GB RAM/2TB SSD) around £1,199–1,299. Lenovo UK runs its sales with student discounts and finance options. Don’t forget back-to-school promotions in late summer, which usually include gaming laptops.

👉 Shop smart: Always compare current prices on Lenovo’s official site, Amazon, Best Buy, and local retailers. Look for coupon codes or special bundles (some deals include extra RAM or peripherals for the same price). The LOQ 15 consistently ranks as one of the best value gaming laptops when on sale, often undercutting competitors with similar specs.

Conclusion

The Lenovo LOQ 15 series delivers exceptional value for gamers, students, and creators who need a powerful laptop without spending flagship prices. Across the lineup:

  • The Ryzen 5 7235HS models offer an entry point into gaming, with enough power for popular games and productivity at ~$800.
  • The Ryzen 7 7435HS models hit the sweet spot of price vs. performance, ideal for high-FPS gaming and multitasking around $1,000.
  • The Ryzen 7 8845HS models provide top-tier 1080p gaming and creation power, rivaling more expensive laptops, typically in the $1,200+ range.

Cooling and battery life are not class-leading, but are acceptable for this price segment. Users get a high-refresh display, solid build, and upgrade-friendly internals. Notebook Check summed it up: the LOQ 15 is a “solid budget gamer”​.