Alright! Welcome back to another OMGluie Unboxing and First Impressions post and this time, we’re taking a look at the Lenovo Legion Y740Si and the Legion BoostStation!
This is the first time I’ve unboxed and experienced a Lenovo Legion gaming laptop so I hope you’re all as excited as I am!
Lenovo Legion Y740Si & Legion BoostStation – Specs, Pricing, & Availability
The Lenovo Legion Y740Si and the Legion BoostStation were both launched early January 2020 during CES. And the laptop unit I was lent has the following specs:
- CPU: 10th Generation Intel® CoreTM i7-10750H Processor
- GPU: eGPU Support (NVIDIA® GeForce RTXTM 2060 6 GB)
- OS: Windows 10
- Memory: 16GB DDR4 3200Mhz
- Storage: 1 TB SSD
- Display: 15.6″ UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS
- Dimensions: : 14.02″ x 9.91″ x 0.59″ / 1.7 kg (3.7 lbs)
- Input/Output (I/O) Ports:
- Left Side
2 x ThunderboltTM 3 Type-CTM - Right Side
1 x SD3.0 UHS-I 4-in-1 Card Reader
1 x Headphone Jack - Rear
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 22
- Left Side
The Legion Y740Si is priced at Php 144,495 and it is already bundled with the Legion BoostStation with the 2060 graphics card! Not bad, considering 20-series GPUs can cost Php 26,000 upwards.
The bundle is available for purchase in the Philippines at your local Lenovo and Legion concept stores and authorized resellers!
Lenovo Legion Y740Si & Legion BoostStation – Packaging & Features
Lightweight Complementary Packaging
The packaging of the Legion Y740Si is pretty straightforward. And to be honest, very different from the flashy, colorful unboxings that I’ve been doing. It’s quite refreshing!
With elegant black colors that emphasize the no-frills, no-nonsense box, the packaging is lightweight – a complement to the already slim design of the laptop.
Ultra Slim Design & Body
The Legion Y740Si proudly claims that it is “breathtakingly thin.” And you know what, it really heckin’ is!
Weighing in at 1.7kg and measuring only 14.9mm, this laptop is the definition of ultra slim. Moving around with it is SOOOO easy that it makes me want to take it everywhere!
Backlit with 2 brightness levels, the keyboard is compact and complete with all the keys you need.
The laptop’s webcam is also uniquely placed below the screen. This surprised me as most of the laptops I’ve worked with have their webcams located above the unit’s screen.
Crazy High UHD Display
One of the things I noticed about the Legion Y740Si is the crazy high UHD display. When booting up my games, the resolution would automatically scale up to 3840 x 2160!
If it’s something that you’re into, I’m sure it’s an exciting feature. However, one thing I noticed is that using this kind of resolution really eats up the laptop’s CPU & RAM usage, even if I’m already using the eGPU that comes with the laptop.
Oh, and also, with an 15” in screen, it really is hard to notice the difference in resolution. But maybe that’s just me and I’m just blind, LOL.
Coldfront 2.0 Cooling System
The Legion Y740Si is the brand’s first gaming laptop with the Vapor Chamber technology. It promises whisper-quiet performance with its Quad-Fan system with 57 liquid crystal polymer blades.
The vents can be found behind and below the laptop lid with more a third of the way down the laptop’s back.
Even with the unique cooling system, this laptop has a tendency to reach very high temperatures, particularly at the top 2 layers of the keyboard, and that really dampened my gaming experience.
eGPU Support With Lenovo Legion BoostStation
One of the most exciting things that comes with the Legion Y740Si is the Lenovo BoostStation.
The eGPU dock houses an Nvidia RTX 2060 video card and has enough space and ports to connect extra storage drives so you don’t have to use up the internal storage of your Y740Si.
The GPU is also swappable, so as long as it’s compatible with the Y740Si’s hardware, you can switch to other graphics cards in the future!
Booting up and connecting the Legion BoostStation takes some getting used to. I had to make sure the laptop recognized the GPU when I connected it via Thunderbolt cable. I also had to download a bunch of drivers (plus the Nvidia Control Panel) to get it to function properly.
There is a bit of technical tinkering involved. Not the best situation for tech noobs like me, but a great way to learn a boatload of new things, haha!
Lenovo Legion Y740Si & Legion BoostStation – First Impressions & Gaming Experience
Extremely Portable For Productivity
I received the Y740Si right before Typhoon Ulysses hit and we were without power for a whole day after the storm. So it really was a lifesaver because I was able to complete my workload while using this laptop.
I pretty much took it with me everywhere around the house – in the dining room, the kitchen, and the living room. Using the internet and basic work apps such as Chrome, Gmail, Microsoft Office didn’t really put a dent into the laptop’s performance.
So really, its lightweight and slim design makes it an absolute dream for extremely portable productivity. If we weren’t in quarantine, I could imagine working the day away at a local coffee shop or cafe!
Stationary Gaming Experience
The Legion Y740Si transforms into a gaming battle station once you plug in the Legion BoostStation.
Don’t, I repeat, don’t, try to play games using the built-in graphics card because it’ll just lag the hell out of your game. That’s what the BoostStation is for! HAHA. Plug in the BoostStation and most, if not all, games will run smooth as long as you balance out your graphics settings/options.
The two games I played while trying out the laptop and eGPU combination were Phasmophobia and Monster Hunter World. Using the built-in resolution throttled the laptop’s performance, so I lowered it down to the standard 1920 x 1080 @ 60 FPS.
There’s a bit of a cooling problem with the Legion Y740Si, even with the eGPU plugged in. I elevated the laptop to give the vents more room to breathe but playing both Phasmo and MHW caused the laptop to heat up so much, I had to be careful not to put my fingers near the screen. I’d recommend using an external keyboard to avoid touching the heated parts of the laptop.
For The Professional By Day, Gamer At Night
Because it’s so portable, the Legion Y740Si really is perfect for the working professional. Especially now that most people have to work-from-home and in the office in shifts due to the quarantine.
With the weight and size of the Legion BoostStation, the portability of the laptop ends there. However, being stationary while gaming is a fair exchange for the power & accessibility that the dock (with its dedicated graphics card & expandable storage) hands you.
So if you’re an on-the-go professional who needs a slim laptop to bring around for work engagements and also an avid gamer who prefers the comforts of your own home when playing video games, the Legion Y740Si and Legion BoostStation might be the best combination for you.
To know more, you can check out Lenovo’s official website and Facebook Page!
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