Lenovo Lenovo Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 16 (2023)
Laptops

Lenovo

Legion Pro 5 Gen 8: What Real Users Say About Thermals and Reliability

Mar 2026

Last Analyzed

7/10

Overall Rating

24

Positive Reviews

18

Negative Reviews

Summary

The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 (2023) is a well-regarded mid-range gaming laptop that Reddit users largely recommend, particularly for its strong price-to-performance ratio when configured with the 7945HX and RTX 4070. Most owners report solid day-to-day experiences, with the negativity bias on forums making failure rates seem worse than they actually are. Thermals are a recurring concern — the 7945HX can run hot under load, and undervolting or a quality cooling pad is frequently advised. The switch from an all-metal to a partially plastic chassis in 2023 drew criticism from longtime Legion fans, though most new buyers find the build quality acceptable. This laptop is best suited for users who want powerful desktop-class CPU performance in a gaming laptop and are willing to do some initial setup work to get the most out of it.

Pros

  • The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX is a powerhouse CPU — users note it still holds up competitively even two years after launch, outpacing most other laptop processors in sustained workloads
  • Strong gaming performance at 1440p with the RTX 4070 configuration, with users reporting smooth framerates on demanding titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Call of Duty Warzone on max or high settings
  • Legion Space software gives granular control over power modes and fan curves, with the Custom Mode letting users fine-tune CPU/GPU TDP limits for better thermal management without sacrificing much performance
  • The 240Hz WQXGA (2560x1600) IPS panel with 500 nits and 100% DCI-P3 coverage is consistently praised for color accuracy and brightness — a clear step up from the 165Hz/300 nit panel on lower-tier configs
  • Value proposition at clearance/sale pricing is frequently highlighted — users picked up the 7945HX + 4070 + 32GB config for around $1,480, which is considered excellent for the specs
  • Undervolting headroom is good — users report GPU temps dropping to sub-60°C under load after MSI Afterburner tuning, and the 4-year extended warranty is widely recommended for long-term peace of mind

Cons

  • CPU thermals can be aggressive — the 7945HX regularly hits 90°C+ under gaming load out of the box, and some users with the 7745HX reported motherboard failures they attribute to sustained high temps
  • The 2023 gen dropped the all-metal bottom panel in favor of plastic, a noticeable downgrade from the 2022 model that previous Legion owners flagged as a build quality regression
  • Reliability concerns are real even if exaggerated by negativity bias — multiple users report cold-solder mobo failures, and extended warranty purchases are near-universally advised as a precaution
  • Battery life is mediocre for a laptop this size — users on light workloads like coding get 4–6 hours at best, and performance mode requires being plugged in
  • The RTX 4050 variant is widely considered a poor value at its price point — 6GB VRAM is limiting for 1440p gaming and the Ryzen 5 7645HX pairing further undercuts the premium chassis
  • OEM bloatware and driver conflicts on the stock Windows image are a known issue — experienced users recommend a clean Windows reinstall immediately after purchase, with Legion Space installed manually afterward

Should You Undervolt the Legion Pro 5 Gen 8?

Reddit's verdict is essentially yes — especially on the 7945HX. Users who undervolt via MSI Afterburner and bump up fan curves report GPU temps dropping from the high 80s to under 60°C. Those who skip it run hotter, louder, and in some cases report hardware longevity concerns.

Plastic Body, Premium Price: Is the 2023 Build Quality Regression Worth It?

Lenovo dropped the metal bottom panel on the Pro 5 Gen 8 that made the 2022 model feel premium. Most new owners say the plastic feels solid enough in practice, but longtime Legion fans who expected the 2022 build quality are genuinely disappointed — and a few report creaking under heat.

The Motherboard Failure Posts Aren't the Whole Story

Reddit's r/LenovoLegion can feel like a graveyard of dead mobos, but owners push back: most people posting positive experiences simply don't post at all. The extended warranty is still strongly recommended, but the failure rate appears far lower than forum volume suggests.

User Reviews (42 of 219 analyzed)

105
0
AttackingHobor/gadgets9d agonegative

Lenovo has been so bad for driver/hardware support. I will never buy again. They bought some cool tech/patents from people, but they have really bad software quality control and just don't care.

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42
0
0b_101010r/gadgets9d agopositive

Me and my family have bought numerous Lenovo products over the past 10 years, including 6 laptops. No real complaints about any of them, prefer them to any brand at this point. I've bought a Legion 5 for gaming too, great cooling and good design. Had no issue with drivers either, although I always bought with no OS installed.

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40
0
CommunismDoesntWorkr/gadgets9d agonegative

Daily reminder Lenovo is a Chinese company and has been caught installing spyware in their laptops.

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24
0
ThingsGotStabbyr/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

Do not leave any static screen on for more than a few minutes. I have had ghosting with even just a window being left on for 10 minutes at 60% brightness. It is ridiculous how much the OLED needs to be babied and maintained.

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20
0
Proud_Tier/gadgets9d agopositive

I just paid $1200 for the Legion 5 slim with Ryzen 7 7840HS with 16GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 - 512GB SSD.

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18
0
lazytownenjoyerr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

You can do a pixel refresh which should fix the issue. Permanent burn in shouldn't be possible in such a short time. Hardware Unboxed (YT channel) have been testing OLED burn in for the past year with static content and even then it's very minimal, hardly noticeable. Just do the pixel refresh and should look good again.

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10
0
fizzed815r/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

On the drivers part I recently got my 7i and it said on the discord that the latest nvidia driver fixed most of the issues so I upgraded and am not having problems since.

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9
0
niru007_kumarr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

Oh really? They done away with metal this time? I didn't expect this lol, I always thought pro had metal. Mine is non pro 2021 model. But I can assure as an owner even plastic is very sturdy nothing to worry in Legion.

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7
0
Tosan25r/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

Rule #1 for ANY new PC bought (laptop or PC): after you activate the digital license and do a device and driver check, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wipe Windows and do a fresh load. This has saved me so many issues over the years. OEM images are generic and they will use one image across multiple models. I've found this leads to driver conflicts and incompatibilities, many of which may not be noticed or obvious. A fresh image is built to your specs and only with the software you want on there.

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6
0
notnooneskrrtr/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

So this hasn't been mentioned, but the current problems stem from a Quality control issue with cold soldered mother boards for a popular model made back in 2020/2021. I do agree with the sentiment, but Lenovo hasn't made a statement yet on this issue.

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5
0
TheknightofAurar/gadgets9d agonegative

I can't say I'll ever trust Lenovo again. Horrible customer service and QA. I got a laptop from them as an emergency replacement after my old computer died — the first one they sent me had a faulty VGA cable, dead pixels, and a cracked casing. The first return fixed the cable, the second traded one crack for another.

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4
0
asrdor/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

Tinker with Custom Mode. It's in LegionSpace. Custom Mode has a little wrench icon that lets you limit the power usage of the GPU and CPU. Just take a screenshot of the settings and send it to any AI model along with your laptop's model number and ask it to give you the best settings for performance while considering temperature control and longevity. Also bump up the fan curves.

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4
0
SnooBeans404r/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

Im on legion 7i gen 10 and im running the latest nvidia drivers. I played Beam and Battlefield 6 so far and so good, haven't had any issues even on balanced mode.

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3
0
Hench-AFr/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

Extend your warranties! I don't normally do this but for some reason I decided to for my Legion. A few months later mine is now with Lenovo after cooking itself, luckily covered by the extended warranty.

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3
0
Bigghead1231r/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

From the outside it feels ultra premium and solid. The deck/keyboard feel a bit sticky to me; I can definitely tell the quality difference on the trackpad. There is also a big keyboard flex around the wasd keys on these, I think that's universal in this body. It is a bit cheaper feeling, though an all metal deck would generate more heat transfer.

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3
0
zanokorellior/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

I too bought the L5G8 to replace my old HP Omen with RX580. The laptop has been great, the form factor is awesome, the build quality is solid, and having finally jumped to the 165hz master race, going back to work on a computer with 60hz monitors killed me inside. Got mine for $1400, worth every penny.

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3
0
bebo7privr/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

If your hands sweat like mine do note that the keyboard and the body of the device will get pretty ugly sometimes and it happens quickly so you'd have to clean it regularly. Also if you can get an accidental damage warranty don't hesitate, from one fall I got 2 cracks in the body of the laptop — nothing serious, it runs perfectly but still.

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3
0
ConsistentSpare3131r/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

My Pro 5 works like a charm, I don't have those kind of problems.

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3
0
yttropolisr/gadgets9d agopositive

I have a Legion Y540 and it's served me well for a couple of years now. No issues at all. Had their Z50 laptop before that lasted 7 years. I bought with OS installed and drivers weren't ever a problem.

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3
0
Consistent-Poet-3245r/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

With the resolution the display comes with, I don't think the 5060 GPU really holds up that well.

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2
0
gravelcrowmanr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

I sold an M1 Macbook Pro to buy a 5 Pro (Gen 8, 4070) and I haven't been disappointed in the build quality at all. The keyboard deck has no flex, it feels weighty and everything has been put together exceptionally well. Metal bodies aren't immune to damage. Plastic has quite a lot of give in it before it breaks, metal obviously moreso, but it will bend and hold its shape.

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2
0
deathentryr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

My AMD 4070 undervolted stays under 60c with 99% GPU, room temp is about 25c.

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2
0
RefrigeratorFlaky859r/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

Bought my 5i in January as an upgrade thinking if I put more money down on a 'more reliable' laptop it would lead to less worrying. 10 months into using this rock of a laptop and it is completely out of commission. Went back to my old 300 dollar laptop of 5 years which is easily more reliable than this garbage. Will never buy another thing from Lenovo.

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2
0
Nefantasr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

I just use a pair of rubber erasers to lift the back of the laptop, mainly because it improves the keyboard ergonomics apart from temperatures. I have an 8 pro with the 7945HX. Much of the improvement comes from just lifting the air vents, a thing that the rubber erasers accomplish.

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2
0
epstanzar/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

It's a beefy ideapad gaming aka LOQ tbh. For heat, it will absolutely be worse than having a metal chassis Legion, it's always like that for all plastic laptops, not only Legion.

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2
0
Only-Ad5049r/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

My Pro 5i feels solid to me. It is a lot better than my old Y7000P-1060. That one felt cheap and the keyboard wasn't great, this one doesn't feel as cheap and the keyboard is a lot better. The laptop is smaller too.

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2
0
gravelcrowman_thermalr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

Mine's running the 7745HX and 32gb of ram. Honestly can't fault the performance or thermals. I've played Baldur's Gate 3 and it was never over 70 degrees on the 'balanced' performance profile. The performance mode sounded like a jet engine taking off.

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2
0
mordiakenr/gadgets9d agonegative

Stop calling xx50s gaming laptops. They aren't, they could do some minor games but they will fail you for AAA modern games, the vram is too low.

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2
0
thatnitair/gadgets9d agonegative

The 4050 is held back by 6GB VRAM, I wouldn't recommend a laptop using it. So are the 4060, 4070 laptop versions sadly. Nvidia messed up this gen of cards except the top end.

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1
0
Hour-Purer/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

I have a 4070 and it's been great. Even under highly demanding games like DCS, with a custom fan curve and good ventilation the CPU and GPU barely see 70°C while I get around 120FPS on a 3440x1440 display on mostly high settings.

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1
0
GodOfLeg1onr/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

Laptop stand. There are only a couple of credible coolers and they cost 100+. Jarrod on YouTube has done videos that show minimal, if any difference in temps. At times the coolers can actually cause the heat to rise due to blocking intake vents.

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1
0
Aayush48r/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

I have 7745HX and it ran so hot I had two Motherboard replacements because they died. The easiest way is to turn off cpu turbo boost but it will tank 50% of the cpu performance. I prefer longevity over raw performance and high temps.

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1
0
wily_virusr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

The power and efficiency of 7945HX is unmatched by any laptop CPU right now, even after 2 years released. $1480 for the 7945HX + 4070 + 32GB + 500 nit 240Hz screen is an insane value at clearance pricing.

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1
0
AintNoLaLiLuLer/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

My customer configured 4060 pro 5 has the 500nit screen, it looks wonderful. It's not just brighter, the color accuracy is way better and it has HDR.

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1
0
VonHorr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

I got the same 5I Pro and apart from some screen flickering when watching YouTube I don't have any issues with it.

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1
0
antonlbdvr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

Win11 is perfectly serviceable OS by this point. You don't need 'driver boosters'. Combination of Windows Update and Vantage is more reliable way to get your drivers without the risk of them going missing unexpectedly. If your new laptop is not working without being plugged in you should return or exchange it immediately.

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1
0
Giornothesexymanr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

Basically the same one except I got 16 Gb of ram. No problems at all.

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1
0
ThEHIghGrOunDbruhr/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

My Slim 7 died with warning signs: higher temps, and lines on screen. After updating the nvidia drivers, temps were higher while gaming and black lines appeared at the bottom of the screen. The machine still turned on but the screen went black. Went to the Lenovo repair center and they replaced the whole motherboard as I still had 3 year warranty. Now I bought a cooling pad too.

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1
0
PrinterJedir/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

Literally just maxed these out to 4 years (including accidental damage coverage) today. For around 10% of what I paid for my Legion Pro 7i just over a month ago, that's a pretty easy price to justify for epic peace of mind!

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1
0
Mundane_Menu9531r/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

I just got mine back from having the mobo replaced. I CANNOT recommend the extended warranty enough.

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1
0
Homie_Fr/LenovoLegion9d agopositive

There's actually a lot of additional discounts you can get on top of the listed price. I would recommend the 4060 version over the 4050 model. If it's really just for very light gaming, I suppose the 4050 is fine enough, but the 4060 for a little additional cost will go a long way.

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1
0
inmeavitar/LenovoLegion9d agonegative

I also have a problem where when you go from one app to another (from discord to chrome) some parts of the screen are stuck for a few seconds — 90% of the page moves but some parts stay in place. It happens often when more apps are open, seems like a ram or GPU issue.

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