%20Review%20%E2%80%93%20A%20Mid-Range%20Gaming%20PC%20with%20Power%20and%20Flaws.jpg "Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (2025) Review – A Mid-Range Gaming PC with Power and Flaws")
When it comes to affordable mid-range gaming PCs, Lenovo’s Legion Tower series has always been a go-to option for gamers who want strong performance without spending a fortune. The Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (2025) continues that tradition, packing in an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU and AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU paired with 32GB of RAM. On paper, these specs sound like a dream for anyone looking to dive into 4K gaming or dominate competitive esports at 1440p.
However, while the performance numbers hold up well, Lenovo’s design decisions this year make the Tower 5 a tricky recommendation—especially for gamers who enjoy tinkering, upgrading, or customizing their rigs.
This review takes a deep dive into the design, features, performance, and value of the Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (2025), helping you decide whether it’s worth your money.
Design and Build – A Step Backward
At first glance, the Legion Tower 5 (2025) feels underwhelming compared to last year’s design. Lenovo has stripped away much of the visual personality, replacing the bold honeycomb-tesseract front panel with a completely flat black surface that features only the illuminated Legion logo.
While the glowing logo is a nice touch, it looks lonely and minimal compared to the striking RGB patterns and textures of the previous generation. Even worse, Lenovo’s decision to move the power supply unit (PSU) to the front of the case means there are no front intake fans. That design choice not only hurts airflow but also makes the case harder to manage.
Through the side glass panel, you can still see four RGB-lit fans doing most of the heavy lifting for aesthetics. The RTX 5070’s logo glows faintly as well, but the overall interior feels bland. Unlike the Tower 7, there are no LED light strips to highlight the components, and the RAM sticks lack heatsinks or RGB, making them look like bare circuit boards.
A Frustrating Layout
The biggest issue with this design is accessibility. To reach the PSU, you can’t just open the back panel. Instead, you’ll need to remove:
-
The glass side panel
-
The rear panel
-
The top grille (secured with six internal clasps)
Only after unscrewing the PSU and sliding it out can you actually access the ports. For an average user, this process feels like an unnecessary puzzle. It’s a sharp contrast to the more user-friendly Tower 7, or even last year’s Tower 5.
The case dimensions have also changed. The Tower 5 (2025) measures 16.3 inches tall and 19.3 inches wide, making it wider than the Tower 7 but slightly shorter. At 33 pounds, it’s also a bit lighter than the Tower 7’s 35.3 pounds. Still, the cramped internal layout means future upgrades will be challenging, especially with only one PCIe x4 slot available.
For gamers who want plug-and-play convenience, this might not matter. But for PC enthusiasts, the design feels like a downgrade.
Ports and Connectivity
Thankfully, Lenovo didn’t skimp on I/O options. On the top panel, you’ll find:
-
1 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
-
1 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
-
1 × Headphone jack
The inclusion of a front Type-C port is excellent for quick access.
On the rear panel, the Tower 5 offers:
-
1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C
-
2 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
-
2 × USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A
-
2 × USB 2.0 Type-A
-
1 × RJ45 Ethernet port
-
3 × Audio ports
The selection covers most needs, but the absence of Thunderbolt 4 means you’ll miss out on the fastest external storage and peripheral speeds.
Software – Useful Tools with Some Bloat
Like most branded desktops, the Lenovo Legion Tower 5 comes preloaded with a mix of useful and unnecessary software.
-
LegionSpace App – Lets you monitor CPU, GPU, and RAM performance, adjust RGB lighting, and manage performance profiles. While functional, its impact on performance tuning is minimal, and with limited airflow, overclocking is risky.
-
Lenovo Vantage App – Useful for checking warranty details, system diagnostics, and driver updates. A must-keep tool.
-
Lenovo Now & Subscription Marketplace – Essentially bloatware that tries to push extra services and subscriptions. Safe to uninstall.
While the bundled software isn’t terrible, expect to spend some time cleaning out the unnecessary apps.
Performance – Mid-Range Power for AAA Gaming
Where the Legion Tower 5 (2025) truly shines is in its gaming performance. Thanks to the RTX 5070 and Ryzen 7 7800X3D, this machine can handle just about any modern AAA title with ease.
4K Gaming
-
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ray Tracing Ultra + DLSS Performance Mode) – Averaged 57 fps at 4K, and up to 94 fps with Frame Generation enabled.
-
Assassin’s Creed Shadows – Stable 60-70 fps at 4K, boosted close to triple digits with frame generation.
-
Black Myth: Wukong – Similar results, with solid frame rates above 60 fps at 4K.
1440p Gaming
-
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ray Tracing Ultra) – 96 fps average, climbing into triple digits with frame generation.
-
Metro Exodus (no upscaling) – 69 fps at 1440p vs 41 fps at 4K, showing the GPU’s limits without DLSS.
-
Competitive Titles (Black Ops 6, Forza Horizon 5, Marvel Rivals) – Easily maxes out high-refresh-rate monitors, often exceeding 120–180 fps at 1440p.
The RTX 5070 isn’t a flagship GPU, but it delivers excellent results for both 1440p and 4K gaming, especially when combined with DLSS 4 and Frame Generation.
CPU Considerations
The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is still a strong processor, but being released in 2023, it feels dated in a 2025 prebuilt system. Ideally, Lenovo should have included the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which would future-proof the system better and reduce the chances of bottlenecking high-end GPUs.
Still, for most gamers, the 7800X3D provides more than enough power for modern workloads, from gaming to streaming and content creation.
Value for Money
The Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (2025) sits in an interesting spot. It offers:
✅ Strong gaming performance at both 1440p and 4K
✅ Solid build quality despite the questionable design choices
✅ Plenty of ports for peripherals and accessories
✅ Competitive pricing compared to custom builds
But it also comes with:
❌ Awkward case design that makes upgrades frustrating
❌ Lack of airflow in the front panel
❌ Outdated CPU choice for a 2025 model
❌ Bland aesthetics compared to last year’s Tower 5
For gamers who just want a plug-and-play PC that performs well out of the box, this machine makes sense. But for enthusiasts who enjoy upgrading components or care about RGB-heavy aesthetics, the Legion Tower 5 may feel disappointing.
Final Verdict – Who Should Buy the Legion Tower 5 (2025)?
The Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (2025) is best suited for:
-
Casual gamers who want strong performance without worrying about upgrades.
-
1440p gamers seeking triple-digit frame rates in competitive titles.
-
4K players who don’t mind turning off ray tracing for smoother performance.
-
Buyers looking for a mid-range gaming PC at a fair price.
However, if you’re someone who:
-
Enjoys tinkering, upgrading, or customizing PCs
-
Wants better airflow and future-proof hardware
-
Values aesthetic design as much as performance
…then the Legion Tower 7 (2025) or a custom-built PC may be a much better option.
In conclusion, the Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (2025) is a powerful but frustrating mid-range gaming PC. It delivers impressive performance numbers, but its awkward design and outdated CPU hold it back from being a top recommendation. If you can look past those flaws, it’s still a capable system that won’t disappoint when it comes to gaming performance per dollar.
Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (2025) – Ratings
| Category | Rating (out of 5) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Design & Build | ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2/5) | Flat, uninspired front panel and frustrating PSU placement make upgrades difficult. |
| Performance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) | Strong 1440p and solid 4K gaming with RTX 5070, but CPU choice feels dated. |
| Upgradeability | ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2/5) | Cramped layout and complex PSU access limit future upgrades. |
| Cooling & Airflow | ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2/5) | Lack of front fans hurts airflow; manageable but not ideal for heavy overclocking. |
| Software & Features | ⭐⭐⭐☆ (3.5/5) | LegionSpace and Vantage are useful, but unnecessary bloatware drags experience. |
| Value for Money | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5) | Competitive price for performance, but better options exist for tinkerers. |
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆ (3.3/5)
The Lenovo Legion Tower 5 (2025) is a capable mid-range gaming PC with excellent performance but frustrating design flaws. It’s ideal for gamers who just want to play without tinkering, but enthusiasts may want to look elsewhere.
Images Cradit IGN.com
No comments:
Post a Comment