 |
| The LOQ Essential 15IPH11 in one of its two launch colours. |
The new LOQ Essential 15IPH11 aims to make next-gen Intel graphics more accessible, but does it cut too many corners?
Just over a week has passed since Lenovo unveiled its first gaming laptop powered exclusively by Intel's Panther Lake architecture, and already the company is expanding its offerings with a more budget-conscious alternative. To recap, Lenovo already sells the premium Legion 7a 15ASH11 globally with the Radeon 8060S iGPU—a firmly high-end affair that rivals the Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401EA, complete with a price tag to match that premium positioning.
For instance, the Legion 7a 15ASH11 now starts at $1,900 in the US, £2,179 in the UK, and ranges between €2,109-€2,500 across the Eurozone. In a somewhat surprising move, Lenovo has now confirmed that the LOQ Essential 15IPH11 will debut at a significantly more accessible €1,599 (~$1,866) in Europe. This price includes 19% VAT, meaning Eurozone pricing effectively converts to roughly $1,565 at current exchange rates.
The LOQ Essential 15IPH11 in Eclipse Black and Luna Grey finishes, from right to left.
Under the hood, the Core Ultra X7 358H processor and its integrated Arc B390 iGPU will provide the LOQ Essential 15IPH11 with what appears to be limited graphics performance, even with a 65 W TDP. According to benchmarks, the Arc B390 does outperform the GeForce RTX 3050 (4 GB) found in the similar LOQ Essential 15IRH11. However, the Panther Lake-based iGPU falls considerably short of the Radeon 8050S, let alone the more powerful Radeon 8060S found in its premium sibling.
Interested readers can find more details about Lenovo's expanding lineup through our comprehensive coverage of the LOQ series expansion.
The Core Ultra X7 358H does offer the LOQ Essential 15IPH11 better power efficiency than most budget gaming laptops, which could be a saving grace for students or professionals who need all-day battery life. To that end, Lenovo claims the 15-inch laptop lasts 12 hours in MobileMark 30 testing at 250 nits brightness, and an impressive 19 hours when streaming locally stored 1080p videos at 150 nits.
This launch comes as Asus has been quietly making moves in the AMD-powered gaming laptop space. For those keeping track of the evolving market landscape, our earlier coverage of Asus's Strix lineup provides valuable context on the competitive pressures Lenovo faces.
The LOQ Essential 15IPH11 will go on sale in Europe at the end of September, with no word yet on US or UK availability. For gamers considering alternatives, the Asus TUF Gaming A14 FA401EA remains a compelling option at its current price point, though Lenovo's newest offering might appeal to those prioritizing battery life and efficiency over raw graphical horsepower.
