Lenovo LOQ Gaming Tower Delivers Surprising Performance at a Budget Price
Lenovo LOQ Gaming Tower Delivers Surprising Performance at a Budget Price
Introduction
Lenovo’s newest addition to its LOQ series – the LOQ Gaming Tower – is turning heads in the pre‑built desktop market. Positioned as a budget‑friendly alternative to the premium Legion line, this compact machine packs a surprisingly powerful combination of a mobile Ryzen 7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti graphics card. In this review we break down the design, hardware, real‑world performance, and the practical limits of this intriguing system.
Design and Build Quality
The LOQ Gaming Tower adopts a modest footprint that rivals many mini‑PCs, yet it manages to incorporate a tempered‑glass side panel with subtle tinting. The panel can be removed easily, revealing a clean interior layout that is atypical for entry‑level pre‑built rigs.
- Exterior: Minimalist chassis with a single RGB strip, fully controllable via Lenovo’s Legion Space software.
- Internal organization: Cable management is tidy; the GPU is secured in a robust plastic bracket, and the power supply is housed in a dedicated compartment.
- Expansion: Two 3.5‑inch drive bays and two M.2 2280 slots (up to 2 TB each) provide ample room for future storage upgrades.
Overall, the build quality feels more premium than its price tag suggests, making it an attractive option for gamers who value aesthetics without breaking the bank.
Hardware Specifications
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 8745AX (mobile, Zen 4) – 8 cores / 16 threads, 3.6 GHz base, 5.1 GHz boost |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti, 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM |
| RAM | 32 GB DDR5‑5200 (upgradeable to 64 GB) |
| Storage | 1 TB M.2 SSD (plus two additional M.2 slots, 2 TB each) |
| Power Supply | 500 W unit (configurable up to 850 W) |
| Connectivity | Wi‑Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
The most notable aspect is the use of a mobile Ryzen 7 processor. While typically found in laptops, this chip delivers desktop‑class performance at a lower cost and power envelope. The trade‑off is the inability to upgrade the CPU later on.
Performance Benchmarks
CPU
- Geekbench 6: Single‑core score ≈ 2,777, Multi‑core score ≈ 13,482. The high boost clock pushes the chip close to its 5.1 GHz ceiling under load.
- Power draw: Sustained TDP hovers around 85–86 W, peaking at roughly 100 W during short bursts.
GPU
- 3DMark – SteelSeries Nomad: Total score ≈ 3,638, average FPS ≈ 36.4.
- 3DMark – Time Spy: Graphics score ≈ 15,713, overall score ≈ 14,866.
These results place the RTX 5060 Ti comfortably within the mid‑range performance tier, delivering smooth frame rates at 1440p in most modern titles.
Gaming Tests
| Game | Resolution | Settings | Average FPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 1440p | Ultra, DLSS Quality | ~70 FPS |
| Doom Eternal | 1440p | High, DLSS Balanced | ~120 FPS |
| Forza Horizon 5 | 1440p | Ultra, no DLSS | >150 FPS |
| God of War: Ragnarok | 1440p | Ultra, DLSS Quality | ~135 FPS (V‑Sync on) |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 1440p | Ultra, DLSS Balanced | ~65 FPS (frame generation disabled) |
The RTX 5060 Ti’s 8 GB VRAM is sufficient for most 1440p titles, though games that heavily tax VRAM (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077) may require DLSS scaling to maintain smooth play. Overall, the system delivers a consistently playable experience across a variety of demanding titles.
Thermal Performance
Despite the mobile nature of the CPU, the LOQ Tower’s cooling solution keeps temperatures in check:
- CPU: Average gaming temperature ≈ 79 °C, with occasional spikes to 86 °C that quickly subside.
- GPU: Average temperature ≈ 56 °C, peak around 66 °C.
No thermal throttling was observed, indicating that Lenovo’s thermal design is adequate for sustained gaming sessions.
Upgradeability and Limitations
- CPU: Fixed – the mobile socket prevents any processor upgrades.
- RAM: Expandable from the shipped 32 GB up to 64 GB DDR5.
- Storage: Two additional M.2 slots and two 3.5‑inch bays allow substantial storage expansion.
- GPU: The bracket design permits swapping the RTX 5060 Ti for a higher‑end card, provided the power supply can support it.
The primary downside is the locked‑in CPU, which constrains future performance scaling. However, the flexible memory and storage options, combined with a replaceable GPU, give owners meaningful avenues for improvement.
Conclusion
Lenovo’s LOQ Gaming Tower proves that a budget‑oriented pre‑built desktop can still offer strong performance and a polished design. By leveraging a high‑end mobile Ryzen 7 processor and an RTX 5060 Ti GPU, the system delivers smooth 1440p gaming across a broad spectrum of titles while maintaining respectable thermals.
For gamers seeking a compact, aesthetically pleasing PC without the premium price of a Legion model, the LOQ Tower is a compelling choice. Its main limitation—an unchangeable CPU—should be weighed against the generous upgrade paths for RAM, storage, and graphics. As more manufacturers explore mobile‑chip desktops, the LOQ Tower may well signal a shift toward more cost‑effective, high‑performance gaming rigs.