How to Choose the Best Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Laptop

Buying a new laptop can  be an overwhelming task as there are many  brands and models to choose from. For casual gamers, Lenovo IdeaPad gaming laptops are good options. A wide range of sizes, colours, and features are all on the eyes and wallet. 

The only issue is choosing the right IdeaPad gaming laptop for your needs. 

As said, the devices come in all sizes, but can they hold their own against other gaming machines? Here, we explain all the factors you'll need to pay attention to when buying a Lenovo IdeaPad gaming laptop to get the best value for your money.  

So, let's dive in! 

Budget

Entry Level: If you are on a budget, the IdeaPad Gaming 3 series is the most affordable option. Designed for people on a budget, these laptops handle esports and older titles well but could struggle with advanced esports on high settings.  

Mid-range: Choose IdeaPad Gaming 3i on an excellent combination of price and performance. You can play modern games at 1080p with medium to high settings. 

High-end: Lenovo IdeaPad 2024 is the newest addition to the Lenovo IdeaPad lineup. It comes with a 15.6" FHD IPS touchscreen, 8-Core AMD Ryzen 7 5700U, Radeon Graphics, and a longer battery life under the price tag of around £600. 

Design

Portability: Many highly portable laptops are available at varying price points. However, getting a compact and lightweight design while adding features to your configuration increases the cost. You might find two laptops with the same power, but the lighter and smaller ones will be pricier. The upside is that if portability is important to you, you will need to spend more .  

Build Quality: Look for a laptop with an aluminium casing that makes sleeker and more durable designs than traditional plastic. 

Weight: A thinner and lighter machine means more portability.  As said earlier, thinner and lighter gaming laptops are musclebooks — often include pricier features. Plus, ultralight Lenovo laptops may lack enough ports and are not designed for easy memory or battery upgrades or replacements. These devices pack SSDs over HDDs to minimise weight and size.  

Wireless Connectivity: Most IdeaPad laptops come with wireless cards that allow you to connect to hotspots and home routers using the 2.4GHz or 5GHz bands. To get the best  wireless internet connections, choose a laptop that supports Wi-Fi 6. Bluetooth is another typical wireless feature, as it connects peripherals such as headphones and controllers over the 2.4GHz band. 

Display

The right screen makes a difference in games, but there are many more features to consider than just the quality.  

Screen Size: A 15.6-inch Lenovo IdeaPad gaming laptop compromises portability and screen real estate. 17-inch options are also available, which offer more immersive gaming without being too bulky. However, remember that the larger the screen size, the heavier the laptop. 

Resolution: The higher the resolution, the more pixels appear on the screen, resulting in a clearer image. High-end Lenovo laptops feature up to 4K screens instead of the standard 1080p, but the hardware needed to power games at these resolutions can increase the cost. An increasingly popular option is the 1440p resolution, which provides a middle ground between 1080p and 4K and is an excellent choice for many gamers.  

Refresh Rate: Refresh rate is the number of times a monitor refreshes its on-screen image. Laptops with 1080p resolution and a 60Hz display are common. For many gamers, these values are enough. Some Lenovo gaming laptops have FHD displays with faster refresh rates of 120Hz, 240Hz, or even more for smoother gaming experiences.  

 

Processor

The Processor, or CPU, is also called the brain of the laptop and is responsible for what your laptop is capable of. Regarding CPU selection in IdeaPad gaming laptops, there are two brands: Intel and AMD. Both companies make great CPUs, but there are some differences.  

AMD CPUs are generally less expensive and offer slightly lower graphics performance than their Intel counterparts. Thus, they provide a cost-effective option without sacrificing power.  

On the other hand, you might choose an Intel Core i7 CPU or higher, such as the Intel Core i9-13900HK, to get overclocking capabilities for the most demanding games. Processors usually aren't upgradeable, so you're making this choice once.  

GPU

While some games rely on CPU, most are still GPU-bound, so picking up the right GPU is another important decision you have to make.  

Types of graphics card in Lenovo gaming laptops: 

NVIDIA GeForce GTX: Great for playing games at 1080p resolution. 

NVIDIA GeForce RTX: Choose if you want to run games at higher resolutions with ray tracing enabled for realistic lighting effects. 

Here are the few things you need to make sure when choosing a GPU in your laptop: 

Frame Rate and Resolution: Ensure your laptop's GPU and CPU maintain constant frame rates while rendering at the correct resolution for your screen or external monitor. You can assess their performance by comparing the CPU and GPU in the laptop you're considering to the system requirements for the games you plan to play. 

Refresh Rate: If your laptop screen is 144Hz, ensure it has a GPU that consistently achieves 144 FPS (or higher) to provide you with buttery smooth visuals. 

RAM

Random Access Memory works to temporarily store data for rapid retrieval by the processor. More RAM means your laptop can run more processes simultaneously which means your laptop is capable of rapid switch between programs while running background services. How much RAM you should get depends on how you plan to use your laptop.  

4 GB: Enough for web browsing, lightweight work applications, or older games. 

8GB: Efficient for mid-range gaming and most work applications. Many modern PC games list 8GB of RAM or more as a minimum system requirement. 

16GB: This allows your laptop to run modern, resource-intensive games at higher settings alongside multiple background apps and streaming software. 

32GB: It is ideal for resource-intensive multitasking, including gaming and content creation. 32 GB of RAM is also sweet spot for memory-intensive processes such as 3D gaming, video editing, and rendering. 

Storage

Solid-state drives (SSDs) outperform older mechanical drives (HDDs) in most aspects, affecting the overall game performance. SSDs rely on flash memory (NAND) to read and write data blocks electronically without moving parts. In contrast, HDDs use mechanical platters spun by a motor, accessed by a moving drive head. 

A major advantage of SSDs over HDDs is their high random read/write speeds, which allow them to access data stored in various locations on the drive swiftly. SSDs typically load programs and files faster than HDDs of similar size. Thanks to the absence of moving parts, SSDs also tend to have a longer lifespan than traditional HDDs. 

SSDs usually cost more per gigabyte than similarly sized HDDs because of higher manufacturing expenses. The good news is that most Lenovo IdeaPad gaming laptops are increasingly incorporating high-speed SSDs.  

SSDs are available in various interfaces, the fastest being the PCIe NVMe M.2. Your choice comes with the amount of storage required. Many gaming laptops also have the option to upgrade or add another SSD, which is an important feature to look for because it allows you to improve your system's performance over time.  

Connectivity

More connectivity ports mean more options for expanding a laptop's functionality. Gaming brands usually reduce the number of ports to achieve extra thinness and a smaller form factor. Here are the ports you could expect from a Lenovo IdeaPad gaming laptop.  

Display: Look for DisplayPort or HDMI to connect external monitors or projectors.  

USB: USB ports are versatile and can connect a wide range of peripherals such as headsets, mice, and external hard drives. The revision numbers, such as 2.0, 3.0, or 3.1, indicate the port's data transfer speed. Meanwhile, Type-A and Type-C classifications refer to the connector's shape. 

Audio: Choose a gaming laptop with a 3.5mm headphone jack and USB ports for attaching external speakers and headsets.  

SD card: An SD card slot enables effortless storage expansion with SDXC cards and allows rapid data transfer between compatible devices. This feature is handy in media fields where frequent media transfers are paramount.  

Keyboard

If you opt for an entry-level gaming laptop, you will get a chicklet keyboard with LED backlighting. Consider these features for the keyboard: 

Key Travel: This is the depth to which you can press a key. You should prefer over 1.5 millimetres of key travel, and 2mm is even better. On some high-end Lenovo gaming laptops, you can even find mechanical keys. 

Backlighting: While budget gaming laptops might offer backlighting but just red or white. On the other hand, modern laptops have RGB backlighting with some options for customisation by zone (or section of the keyboard). In contrast, others allow customisation on a per-key basis. Some even let you change the lighting according to your game. 

Anti-ghosting and n-key Roller: These two features will keep you playing your favourite games at your best. Anti-ghosting means every key is registered regardless of number of keys you mash or perform several actions on. Under the hood, n-key rollover ensures that each key operates independently and will be registered regardless of how many other keys are pressed simultaneously.  

How to Save Money When Buying the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming Laptops Online

When shopping for a Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming laptop online, the following are some ways to save money. 

• Compare prices from different websites to find the best deal. Find out their discounts, promotions, and special offers. 

• Look for coupon codes that can be entered at checkout for a discount. Many websites offer these codes, so you should check before choosing.  

• If you're a student or youth, check if the specific website offers discounts for these groups. 

• Laptops are often sold at lower prices during major sales events such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, New Year's, or back-to-school sales, so wait for these events.  

• Shop for bundles that include accessories or any other device with your laptop purchase, as these are additional saving options.  

• Buy from a store that offers cashback on purchases. Sometimes, the cashback amount can be substantial, so comparing different cashback offers is worth it to secure the best one.  

• Consider an authorised reseller like BOX, as they can sometimes offer better prices and warranties than buying directly from Lenovo's official website. 

• Lastly, be sure to read the return policy of the site you're buying from. If the laptop doesn't meet your expectations or appears damaged, you'll want to return it without any hassles.  

Bottom Line

When buying a Lenovo IdeaPad gaming laptop, look for one that will last years. If you can afford it, go for a mid-range or high-end model for better performance. Pay attention to the graphics, especially if you plan to run intensive titles on high configurations. That choice is more important than processor and RAM, though you should keep them in consideration as well. Storage is the most likely to be upgradeable, but more is better, as heavy-duty games might take up a lot of space.  

As for the screen, decide if you prioritise high resolutions or faster refresh rates, but remember you will not get impressive battery life on a gaming laptop. 

So, what gaming laptop should you buy and from where? Browse through the best IdeaPad gaming laptop collection at Box.co.uk and get your hands on a device that matches your requirements.  

Happy Gaming!