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| Lenovo's budget 17-inch gaming laptop has returned with a GPU featuring 12 GB of VRAM. |
The 17-inch gaming powerhouse gets a significant VRAM boost, but is it enough to make a difference in modern gaming?
Lenovo has been on a quiet but relentless mission to refresh its gaming laptop lineup throughout 2026. Following recent updates to the Legion Pro 7 16IAX10H, Legion 7 16AGP11, and Legion 9 18IAX10, the company has now turned its attention to the LOQ 17IRX10 – a model that first made its debut at CES in January 2025.
The LOQ 17IRX10 has been something of a dark horse in Lenovo's gaming portfolio, offering a compelling balance of performance and affordability in a spacious 17-inch form factor. Initially available with Intel's Raptor Lake HX processors and a range of graphics options up to the GeForce RTX 5070 8GB, the laptop impressed us in several areas during our comprehensive review. The combination of the Core i7-14700HX and the RTX 5070 8GB delivered smooth gaming experiences at 1080p, though we noted some VRAM-related limitations in the most demanding titles.
What's New in the LOQ 17IRX10?
While the existing GPU options – including the RTX 5050, RTX 5060, and RTX 5070 8GB – remain available, Lenovo has quietly added a more capable variant to the lineup. The new configuration features Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5070 with 12GB of VRAM, marking a significant upgrade over the existing 8GB version.
According to Lenovo's official PSREF website, the 12GB variant maintains the same 115W Total Graphics Power (TGP) and 2,347 MHz boost clock as its 8GB sibling. This means the performance difference won't necessarily come from raw processing power, but rather from the additional VRAM headroom – a crucial factor in modern gaming where texture quality and resolution demands continue to escalate.
Configuration Details
The new RTX 5070 12GB configuration appears to be a fixed specification package:
- Processor: Intel Core i7-14700HX
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU (12GB VRAM)
- Memory: 16GB RAM
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Battery: 60Wh with support for 245W charging
- Display: 17-inch IPS panel, 1080p resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, 300 nits brightness
The display specifications remain unchanged from the original release – a 1080p panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and 300 nits of brightness. While some gamers might have hoped for a higher-resolution or brighter panel option, the 1080p resolution pairs well with the RTX 5070's capabilities, allowing for high frame rates in competitive titles.
The VRAM Question: 8GB vs 12GB vs 16GB
The addition of a 12GB RTX 5070 variant raises an important question for potential buyers: just how much does VRAM matter in 2026?
We've extensively compared how 8GB, 12GB, and 16GB of VRAM perform in modern triple-A games. The short answer is that it matters more than ever. Games like Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Starfield, and Alan Wake 2 can easily exceed 8GB of VRAM usage at high settings, even at 1080p. When VRAM fills up, performance can plummet due to system RAM swapping, resulting in stuttering and inconsistent frame rates.
The 12GB variant should provide a more comfortable buffer for high-resolution textures and future-proofing, though power users with serious creative workloads or 4K gaming ambitions might still want to consider options with 16GB.
Where to Buy
Currently, we cannot find the new 12GB RTX 5070 variant available for purchase at major retailers. The base LOQ 17IRX10 model continues to be sold with the 8GB GPU configuration, but we expect the new variant to appear on store shelves in the coming weeks.
Verdict: A Welcome Upgrade, But Not a Revolution
The addition of a 12GB RTX 5070 option for the LOQ 17IRX10 addresses one of our primary concerns with the original configuration – VRAM limitations in modern games. While the 8GB version remains a solid performer, particularly for esports titles and slightly older games, the 12GB variant offers greater longevity and flexibility.
That said, this isn't a complete redesign. The chassis, display, and overall feature set remain identical to the January 2025 release. For those already considering the LOQ 17IRX10, the 12GB variant represents a meaningful upgrade worth waiting for. For owners of the 8GB model, however, the performance difference in most scenarios will likely be marginal unless you frequently hit VRAM limits.
For those interested in Lenovo's broader gaming laptop refresh strategy, you can read about the Legion Pro 7's recent speed boost and the Legion 7a's massive GPU update for more context on what the company has been rolling out across its product stack.
What do you think about the RTX 5070 12GB upgrade? Is it a worthwhile addition, or should Lenovo have focused on other improvements? Let us know in the comments below.
