Lenovo Legion Y740 Gaming Laptop Deep Dive Review With Benchmarks
Lenovo Legion Y740 Review: A Ray Tracing Desktop Replacement
Lenovo's line of Legion laptops and desktops are designed for gamers, but one complaint levied against last year's Legion Y730 model was the lack of more powerful graphics options. However, Lenovo was obviously listening to consumer feedback and the new Lenovo Legion Y740 we are looking at today, rights this previous wrong by giving potential buyers not one, but two powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs to choose from. The base model comes with a GeForce RTX 2060, but if you're able to spend a few more greenbacks on your config, you can move up to a GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q.
NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q wasn't the only high-end component selection Lenovo managed to squeeze under the hood of this new model though. Our machine also has a six-core 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor, 16GB of DDR4 memory, a 256GB NVMe SSD, and a 1TB HDD for bulk storage. These are impressive specs, so we are relatively satisfied that Lenovo managed to keep the premium for this configuration under $2,000. The base Legion Y740 weighs in at $1,369. At that price you lose the RTX 2070, but you keep the same Core i7-8750-H processor and memory configuration.
NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q wasn't the only high-end component selection Lenovo managed to squeeze under the hood of this new model though. Our machine also has a six-core 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor, 16GB of DDR4 memory, a 256GB NVMe SSD, and a 1TB HDD for bulk storage. These are impressive specs, so we are relatively satisfied that Lenovo managed to keep the premium for this configuration under $2,000. The base Legion Y740 weighs in at $1,369. At that price you lose the RTX 2070, but you keep the same Core i7-8750-H processor and memory configuration.
The only notable issue we could find with the base spec for this machine is its relatively small battery. For a gaming laptop we expected a battery larger than 57 Wh. This small battery will really limit the amount of time it can go without a charge, and on top of that this machine's large 230W power supply makes lugging the whole package around a bit of a chore. Then again, we're talking desktop replacement-type horsepower here, so it comes with the territory.
Visually, the Lenovo Legion Y740 looks similar to the Y730. Both use the same aluminum and plastic hybrid composite chassis and have similar dimensions. The Y740 is a full pound lighter though and its bezels are also trimmer as well. Speaking of improvements, the display is also better than last year's model. The Legion Y730 came with a 60Hz display, while the Y740 has a 144Hz display that supports NVIDIA G-SYNC technology. With the combined power of its GeForce RTX 2070 GPU and G-SYNC technology, we should be assured a much smoother gaming experience. Here's a rundown of the rest of the specs...
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| Processor Options | 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H Six Core (9MB Cache, 2.2GHz to 4.1GHz) |
| Display |
15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080), 72% color gamut, NVIDIA G-SYNC, 144 Hz, 300 nits, software-enabled Dolby Vision HDR |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q |
| Memory |
16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 2666MHz 19-19-19-43-2T |
| Storage |
Up to 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD and up to 1TB HDD 7200 RPM |
| Audio | Dolby Atmos Speaker System with Soundbar and integrated subwoofer |
| Ethernet | RJ45 Ethernet |
| Wireless Connectivity |
Killer Wireless 802.11 AC (2 x 2) + Bluetooth |
| Interface (Left) |
3.5mm microphone/headphone combo port, USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C / Thunderbolt 3 |
| Interface (Right) |
USB 3.1 Gen 2 |
| Interface (Back) |
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, Mini DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, RJ45 Ethernet, Kensington Wedge Lock slot, NOVO Hole |
| Webcam |
720p HD camera with integrated microphone |
| Operating System |
Windows 10 Home, or Pro 64-Bit |
| Battery | 3 cell 57Wh Battery |
| Dimensions | 14.2 x 10.5 x .088 inches (W x D x H) |
| Weight |
5.1 lbs |
| Manufacturer Warranty |
1 Year depot or carry in |
| Pricing | $1,989.99 As Configured And Tested |
If you are looking to get the exact model that entered our lab, it'll set you back $1989.99 to be exact. While, that's a lot of money, the Legion Y740 is actually relatively affordable, considering what you get. It has a ton of processing and gaming power on-board, making it a solid desktop replacement machine.
The Legion Y740 starts at $1,369.99 and can range up to nearly $2400. There are some great upgrades to be had though for the extra cash. You can double the size of the main drive, increase the memory to 32GB, and run Windows Pro, instead of Home. Interestingly enough, processor selection is limited though. The only option is the Core i7-8750H, but when you're talking about a 6-core, 12-thread processor running at up to 4.1GHz, who's complaining?
The gaming performance and compute power of the Legion Y740 should be top-notch, but we'll look into that on the pages ahead. Well, that and how long its 57 Wh battery can hang while it's off of life support.
The Legion Y740 starts at $1,369.99 and can range up to nearly $2400. There are some great upgrades to be had though for the extra cash. You can double the size of the main drive, increase the memory to 32GB, and run Windows Pro, instead of Home. Interestingly enough, processor selection is limited though. The only option is the Core i7-8750H, but when you're talking about a 6-core, 12-thread processor running at up to 4.1GHz, who's complaining?
