[STEAM] Lenovo just refreshed its most powerful gaming laptop, but a CPU boost can't justify a $2,000 markup

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The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has always been an absolute unit of a machine, so it makes sense for the brand to pump as much power as it can into this 16-inch chassis. The mid-2026 refresh that hit the shelves this week only makes a minor change to its specs under the hood. Rather than the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX that previously headlined the

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on the market, the 2026 iteration has opted for an Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus.

For the hefty MSRP of $5,478.99 (currently

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). The two processors share the same core and thread count, aim to operate within the same power limits, and split the work of those cores the same way (8x Performance and 16x Efficient). That's a problem with the RTX 5080 equivalent from last year is currently down to

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This RTX 5080 Legion Pro 7i has been $100 cheaper in the last few months, but with prices scaling rapidly in that same timeframe today's discount still stands tall. At least, under the heavy weight of that $4,000+ new-gen alternative.

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Gaming laptop prices have been soaring all year, but things have stepped up in the last few weeks. New 2026 releases were always going to lag behind their previous iterations from a value standpoint - components like RAM and storage are far more expensive than they were during the last release cycle. However, those older rigs have started to see their prices shift north as demand for cheaper rigs squeezes retailers' remaining inventory, making finding even an RTX 5060 for under $1,400 a feat.

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Still, there's a difference between knowing why an RTX 5080 gaming laptop costs $5,000 and actually being willing to pay that amount for a similar performance to last year. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (found in the 2025 iteration above) both offer a 24-core, 24-thread setup, with the newer chip edging slightly ahead in its max 5.5GHz boost rate (vs. the 275HX's 5.4GHz). By all accounts, though, real-world performance is enhanced by around 6-7%. The price difference between these two builds? 68.5%.

You're getting the same QHD+ OLED display running at the full 240Hz refresh rate, with both models offering 32GB DDR5 RAM and the older version actually doubling your storage to 2TB.

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