Choose the Legion 5 for its lighter 15.1-inch chassis. Choose the Legion Pro 5 if you need the 16-inch 240Hz anti-glare panel or the 12GB RTX 5070 option. Both Intel Gen 10 spec sheets list the GPUs at 115W TGP, so the Pro badge alone does not promise more FPS.
Two boxes on a store shelf may say Legion 5 and Legion Pro 5 while both advertise an RTX 5060 or RTX 5070. The Pro is heavier and usually costs more. Lenovo’s 15IRX10 spec PDF and 16IRX10 spec PDF put those laptop GPUs at the same 115W TGP. Check the configuration before paying more for the Pro label.
This comparison covers the Intel Gen 10 pair: Legion 5 15IRX10 (sold as Legion 5i, 15 inch) and Legion Pro 5 16IRX10 (Legion Pro 5i, 16 inch). AMD and Arrow Lake SKUs share family names but may have different ports. Check the model code rather than relying on a screenshot of another chassis.
Should I buy the Legion 5 or the Legion Pro 5 for the same RTX 5060?
Buy the Legion 5 if the GPU, RAM, and screen on the cheaper box already match your games. Buy the Pro 5 if you want the 16-inch 240Hz IPS, G-SYNC, Advanced Optimus, or the 12GB RTX 5070 SKU. On the June 2026 Intel PDFs, RTX 5050, 5060, and 5070 all sit at 115W on both machines.
PCMag’s Legion 5i Gen 10 review put the family split this way: “Finally, don’t confuse the Legion 5 series with the more powerful Legion Pro 5 line, which bumps the display to 16 inches (up from 15.1), increases the refresh rate to 240Hz (versus 165Hz), and supports higher-tier GPUs.” Higher GPU options elsewhere in the Pro family do not tell you what this model has. The 16IRX10 PDF lists RTX 5050, 5060, and 5070 at 115W, including a 12GB RTX 5070 option. The 15IRX10 PDF lists its RTX 5070 only as 8GB.
If you are staring at two RTX 5060 configs, the GPU is not the reason to pay extra. The screen and the chassis are. The 12GB card is a reason only if that SKU is actually in the cart.
PCMag’s 5i sample was a Core i7-14700HX, RTX 5060 at 115W, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and a 15.1-inch 2560×1600 OLED at 165Hz. They measured 5 hours 22 minutes on a local 720p video loop. Their Bottom Line: “Lenovo’s Legion 5i Gen 10 gaming laptop delivers compelling value in its base configuration, sealing the deal with a stunning OLED panel, the latest connectivity, and potent gaming performance for its price class.”
That review covers the non-Pro 15-inch OLED. It does not establish the Pro 5’s performance. If contrast matters more to you than a 240Hz IPS screen, compare the actual panels in the configurations for sale.
| Item | Legion 5 15IRX10 | Legion Pro 5 16IRX10 |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 15.1″ 2560×1600 OLED, 165Hz, glossy, 500 nits SDR / 1000 nits HDR peak; or 15.3″ 1920×1200 IPS, 165Hz, 300 nits | 16″ 2560×1600 IPS, 240Hz, anti-glare, 500 nits |
| GPU options on the PDF | RTX 5050 / 5060 / 5070, 8GB GDDR7, 115W TGP | RTX 5050 / 5060 8GB; RTX 5070 8GB or 12GB; 115W TGP |
| CPU options | Core i7-13645HX, i7-13650HX, i7-14700HX, i9-14900HX | Core i7-14650HX, i7-14700HX, i9-14900HX |
| Weight | OLED from 1.9 kg (4.19 lb); IPS from 2.1 kg (4.63 lb) | Around 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) |
| Battery | 60Wh or 80Wh | 80Wh |
| Adapter | 170W or 245W | 245W |
| RAM | Two DDR5 SODIMM slots, official max 32GB | Two DDR5 SODIMM slots, official max 32GB |
| Storage | Two M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots | Two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots |
Source: Lenovo PSREF PDFs dated 10 June 2026 (15IRX10) and 11 June 2026 (16IRX10). Other Legion 5 / Pro 5 model codes can differ.
PCMag also wrote that Pro 5 street configs they saw started around $1,464 with IPS, climbed to $1,649 with OLED, and topped near $1,849 with an RTX 5070 Ti. I did not find RTX 5070 Ti on the 16IRX10 PDF. Treat that GPU as a different Pro SKU until the box says otherwise. List prices move. I did not re-check Lenovo.com on 28 September 2026.
Is the Legion Pro 5 16-inch 240Hz screen worth the extra bag weight?
Yes if you sit at a desk, hate OLED reflections, or care about 240Hz and G-SYNC. No if the laptop lives in a backpack with its charger. Lenovo lists the Pro 5 16IRX10 at around 2.4 kg (5.3 lb). OLED Legion 5 15IRX10 starts at 1.9 kg (4.19 lb).
The weight difference also travels with the power adapter. CNET’s 5i sample, a 15.1-inch OLED, weighed 4.3 lb (2 kg), with another 1.5 lb for its cord and brick. There is no independent Pro 5 travel-weight figure here. Lenovo’s 16IRX10 sheet lists a 245W adapter, so account for that when comparing what fits in a bag.
The Pro 5 panel on 16IRX10 is a 16-inch WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS, 16:10, 500 nits, 100% DCI-P3, 240Hz, anti-glare. Lenovo lists DisplayHDR 400, Dolby Vision, NVIDIA G-SYNC, Advanced Optimus, and a 1200:1 contrast ratio. The OLED Legion 5 panel is 15.1-inch WQXGA, 165Hz, glossy, DisplayHDR True Black 600, 1,000,000:1 contrast, 500 nits SDR typical and 1000 nits HDR peak. There is also a cheaper 15.3-inch 1920×1200 IPS on the 5, 300 nits, 100% sRGB. Do not compare an OLED 5 against a Pro 5 if the 5 in your cart is the 300-nit IPS. Those are different machines that share a logo.
The glossy OLED can reflect a window during a dark loading screen in a bright room. The Pro’s anti-glare panel is the alternative. For gaming at night, the OLED’s black levels are a reason to consider the Legion 5. PCMag and CNET both discussed that 15.1-inch panel. CNET’s Matt Elliott wrote that the 5i’s “gaming success requires a sacrifice in battery life,” and discussed its contrast and 165Hz refresh rate.
G-SYNC and Advanced Optimus are on the Pro 5 16IRX10 sheet. They are not on the 15IRX10 display table. Advanced Optimus is the switch that can hand the internal panel to the NVIDIA GPU without a reboot. If you dock to an external 1440p 144Hz monitor all day and only game on the laptop at night, that switch matters more than the extra inch. If you never close the lid on a dock, it is a line on a PDF.
How much RAM and storage can I add after I buy either Legion 5?
Both Intel Gen 10 sheets give two DDR5 SODIMM slots, a 32GB official maximum, and two M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots. You can add a second SSD later. Do not budget for 64GB. Lenovo’s June 2026 PDFs stop at 32GB on both machines.
Retail listings can omit the RAM layout. A “16GB” Legion 5 is often one SODIMM, leaving memory in single channel until a matching stick is added. PCMag’s review unit had 32GB and two slots under the bottom panel, plus two M.2 2280 openings. CNET’s $1,569 Newegg sample also had 32GB and a free M.2. CNET called the memory LPDDR5-5600, but Lenovo’s 15IRX10 PDF specifies SODIMM DDR5-4800 or DDR5-5600. Verify the model code if a listing says soldered RAM; these two PDFs specify socketed memory.
Storage is the easier upgrade. Both sheets allow two M.2 drives. The 15IRX10 PDF talks about M.2 2242 offerings up to 1TB each and two M.2 2280 slots. The 16IRX10 PDF lists M.2 2242 and M.2 2280, up to 1TB each. A 512GB boot drive fills up after one modern game plus Windows. Budget a second 1TB if the sale SKU is 512GB. That is cheaper than jumping to a Pro 5 you wanted only because the Pro box said 1TB.
CPU options overlap more than the marketing implies. The Pro 5 16IRX10 list starts at Core i7-14650HX. The 15IRX10 list still includes 13th-gen i7-13645HX and i7-13650HX. If the cheap Legion 5 on the shelf is a 13650HX and the Pro is a 14900HX, that is a CPU buy, not a Pro-badge buy. Flip it: a 14900HX Legion 5 next to a 14650HX Pro 5 is a bad reason to “step up.” Read the processor line, then stop.
Ports vary by model code. The 15IRX10 PDF lists three USB-A 5Gbps (one Always On), two USB-C 10Gbps, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, combo jack, and a slim-tip power jack. The 16IRX10 PDF swaps one USB-A to 10Gbps Always On and lists USB-C PD as 65-100W instead of 95-100W. PCMag’s 5i write-up mentioned Thunderbolt 4, while CNET’s 14700HX sample listed no Thunderbolt 4 or USB4. Lenovo’s 15IRX10 sheet does not mention Thunderbolt. Check the specifications for the exact 83xx code before assuming a retail unit has that controller.
Will the Legion 5 last through a workday without the charger?
Plan on plugging in. PCMag’s 80Wh Legion 5i lasted 5 hours 22 minutes on a local 720p video loop. CNET’s YouTube drain test on a similar 80Wh unit stayed under 5.5 hours. Lenovo’s MobileMark 30 figures are 4.2 hours for the 80Wh 15IRX10 and 3.4 hours for the 16IRX10 Pro.
CNET reported: “Despite featuring a big, 80-watt-hour battery, it lasted less than 5.5 hours on our YouTube streaming battery drain test.” That measures video playback, not Cyberpunk; gaming on battery is shorter. Lenovo publishes local 1080p video claims of 9 hours for the 80Wh 15IRX10 and 7.1 hours for the Pro, both at 150 nits. Independent test results cited here were closer to the 5-hour class than 9 hours.
There is a 60Wh Legion 5 SKU on the same 15IRX10 PDF. MobileMark 30 drops to 3.1 hours. Local video drops to 6.1 hours. If the sale price looks too good, check watt-hours. The Pro 5 16IRX10 sheet I opened only lists 80Wh.
Heat and noise may affect the choice, but these two chassis were not tested together for this draft. CNET said the 5i’s two fans “kept the laptop cool under load without getting too loud” and that it was not louder than an Acer Nitro whose RTX 5060 was limited to 85W. PCMag said surface temperatures stayed mild and fans were unobtrusive while gaming. Those are 15-inch 115W observations, not a Pro 5 thermal test. Keep either laptop off a duvet when rendering for an hour; use a stand for airflow.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Legion Pro 5 run the same RTX 5070 faster than the Legion 5?
Not according to the Intel Gen 10 PDFs. Both list 115W TGP for RTX 5050, 5060, and 5070. Frame rate also depends on the CPU, RAM channels, power mode, and whether the Pro SKU is the 12GB 5070. A same-week independent comparison of 15IRX10 and 16IRX10 with identical GPUs was not verified for this draft. Check the full configuration before paying more.
Can I put 64GB of RAM in a Legion 5 or Legion Pro 5?
Lenovo’s June 2026 15IRX10 and 16IRX10 sheets say 32GB maximum from current offerings. Both have two SODIMM slots. Community reports of 64GB exist on older Legion generations. I did not verify 64GB on these two codes. If dual-channel 32GB is not enough for your work, this pair is the wrong purchase, not a BIOS away from a workstation.
Is the Legion 5 OLED too glossy for a bright office?
It can be. The 15.1-inch OLED is glossy. PCMag said it “manages glare reasonably well in typical indoor lighting.” A window behind you at noon is not typical indoor lighting. The Pro 5 16IRX10 IPS is anti-glare at 500 nits. If your desk faces glass, take the IPS. If you game at night, take the OLED and stop comparing nits across panel types.
Should I wait for a sale instead of paying Lenovo.com for either one?
PCMag’s review configuration was $1,499.99 at Walmart, otherwise starting at $1,559.99, and the review described Lenovo’s pricing as volatile. CNET paid $1,569 at Newegg for a 32GB / 1TB 14700HX / RTX 5060. Those figures come from 2025 reviews. Live carts were not checked on 28 September 2026, so current prices remain unverified. Compare the exact 83xx models; a sale Legion 5 with 32GB may suit you better than a full-price Pro with 16GB.
