GPU. GPU. GPU. When it comes to gaming PCs, it’s all about the GPU. OK, other components matter, too, most obviously the CPU. But your choice of graphics card more than any other component will dictate the ultimate gaming experience.
That’s why the Lenovo Legion 5i gaming desktop PC gets my vote for $1,599 from B&H Photo. It runs an Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super and for me the ’70 Ti Super is where proper high-end gaming begins. Well, that and the fact we reviewed a lower-spec version of this black box just the other day and came away likey likey.
Unlike all other 4070 variants from Nvidia, the Ti Super is the only one that’s based on the larger AD103 chip seen in the RTX 4080 and 4080 Super cards. In terms of memory controller, it’s the real 256-bit deal, where the 4070, 4070 Super and 4070 Ti make do with the AD104 die and its 192-bit controller.
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You also get 8,448 CUDA cores, miles more than the 5,888 of the basic 4070 and quite a bit more than the 7,168 of the 4070 Super and 7,680 of the 4070 Ti. As a general rule of thumb, you’re better off with a slightly cut-down version of the biggest possible GPU than a smaller GPU maxxed out. And I’d argue the 4070 Ti Super fits that bill, despite the really silly branding.
Along with the GPU, you get Intel’s Core i7 14700F CPU with eight Performance and 12 Efficient cores (read our review of the closely related 14700K here). As we’ve seen recently, Intel’s new Arrow Lake chips really don’t move the game on for, well, gaming. So, the 14700F is right up there with the very best Intel gaming chips right now.
Of course, the very best gaming CPUs of late come from AMD. And there’s the whole instability, crashing and voltage spike thing to consider. But if you are willing to go with an Intel 14th Gen processor, and we think on balance that they’re a safe enough bet after multiple microcode updates from Intel, then the 14700F is all the gaming chip you’re going to need for several years.
Indeed, the bad PR around Intel’s chips may actually be a positive here, helping to push down the price. Elsewhere, you get an 850 W PSU, 32 GB of RAM, which is plenty, but only 1 TB’s worth of storage, which will soon fill up with today’s ludicrous 100 GB-plus game installs.
But then at this price point, something has to give. One other thing that may slightly fall short is the CPU cooler. According to this spec sheet, it might not be the beefiest item, which could prevent you from extracting the absolute most from the Intel chip. In reality, it’s unlikely to impact performance tangibly in games. And you do have the option of upgrading the cooler yourself if you’re feeling really picky.
Anyway, it all comes packaged in a neat, premium-branded Lenovo case rather than the generic chassis you get from smaller boutique brands. Lenovo also chucks in a keyboard and mouse, gratis.
So, this isn’t the absolutely perfect gaming PC. But it is just about the most affordable way into RTX 4070 Ti Super gaming right now and from one of the biggest brands in the business. If I was PC shopping right now, it’s where my money would go.
