Lenovo has officially refreshed its 16-inch powerhouse, the Legion Pro 7i, for mid-2026. While the machine maintains its reputation as a high-performance unit, this year’s update is subtle under the hood, centering almost entirely on a processor swap that comes with a significant increase in cost.

Quick Facts

  • New Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus
  • MSRP: $5,478.99 (Currently discounted to $4,463.99)
  • Performance Gain: Approximately 6-7% in real-world scenarios
  • Key Specs: 24-core, 24-thread CPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, QHD+ OLED 240Hz display

The Upgrade Dilemma

The headline change for the 2026 iteration is the move from the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX to the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus. Despite the new branding, the underlying architecture remains largely unchanged. Both chips utilize a 24-core, 24-thread configuration with an identical split of 8 Performance cores and 16 Efficient cores. The primary difference is a slight boost in clock speed: the 290HX Plus reaches a 5.5GHz max boost, compared to the 5.4GHz ceiling of its predecessor.

By all accounts, this change nets a performance improvement of roughly 6-7%. When weighed against the current market pricing, however, that marginal gain becomes difficult to justify. The new-gen model carries a hefty MSRP of $5,478.99, though it is currently listed at $4,463.99 on the official Lenovo website.

Comparing Value Against Last Year's Model

For those looking to save, the 2025 iteration of the Legion Pro 7i—featuring the RTX 5080—has seen significant price drops. The previous generation is currently available at B&H for $2,649, down from its original $3,499 price tag. Choosing the older model not only saves thousands of dollars but, in some configurations, actually provides double the storage capacity (2TB) compared to the newer build.

Gaming laptop prices have been trending upward throughout 2026, driven by higher costs for components like RAM and storage. This trend has tightened the market, making it increasingly difficult to find mid-range options, such as RTX 5060 laptops, for under $1,400. As inventory for older models thins out, retailers are beginning to increase prices on remaining stock, further complicating the decision for buyers looking for value.

Ultimately, while the 2026 Legion Pro 7i remains a capable machine, the 68.5% price difference between the current build and the previous version—coupled with the modest 6-7% performance uplift—suggests that the older hardware currently represents the more pragmatic purchase.