Lenovo LOQ Essential 15 (2025)

Configs to buy / avoid: Buy the RTX 3050 config with 16GB RAM and the 144Hz screen because that is where the cut-down design starts to make sense. Avoid the RTX 4050 unless heavily discounted, and avoid any LOQ Essential priced within $50 to $100 of the original LOQ, the OG LOQ is significantly better. Testing notes: The LOQ Essential delivered good battery life at 5 hours and 47 minutes, very cool thermals, decent balance-mode gaming performance, a usable 300 nit 144Hz screen with near 100% sRGB, and great Linux support. Its RTX 3050 only ran around 57W with the CPU loaded, so performance was clearly behind the original LOQ, which offers a full powered GPU and more FPS in games. Trade-offs: The main compromises were cheaper build quality, worse keyboard feel, no keyboard backlight by default, one RAM slot, 2242-only SSD support, slow Wi-Fi, weak SD card speeds, data-only USB-C, no MUX, no Advanced Optimus, no G-Sync, and a 720p camera. Alternatives: If the original Lenovo LOQ is close in price, buy that instead because it has better performance, better upgrades, better ports, a better keyboard, and better gaming features. Spending $50 to $100 more on the original LOQ is highly recommended and absolutely worth it for most buyers.