//However, the RAM only works at 4000 MTs in this sort of configuration once you install 3 or 4 //RAM sticks, and at 5200 MTs with two sticks, due to the memory controller’s design.
275HX officially supports DDR5 6400 in 2 slots.
Lenovo consistently has issues installing best memory modules for CPU. Now, this is happening to Intel, too. Previously, they couldn't get LPDDR5X 7500 modules to operate at their operating frequency in the top-end Zen4 Phoenix (7940H), reducing it to 6400. Meanwhile, numerous competitors in the mini PC and mini gaming console classes have used these same modules at the standard 7500 frequency without any issues. Therefore, this is definitely not a limitation of Arrow Lake processors, as Intel explicitly states support for 6400 modules in the datasheet. This is another strange limitation from Lenovo, the reasons for which are unknown to us, but it likely stems from issues with the motherboard's multilayered layout and the stability of DDR5 modules operating at 6400 frequency in a similar environment to other chips.
Of course, this limitation significantly impacts processor performance, with a loss of at least 5-7%, at best with a 23% difference in processor performance compared to the 5200, and 60% (here the loss can reach 15-20%) in DDR5 4000 mode in 4 slots. Naturally, those buying it for gaming are less concerned, as gaming performance is limited by the limitations of the 5090 with its outdated process technology (“4/5nm”, not “3nm” TSMC) and 175W, compared to the desktop version's 550W+. This explains the loss in games like very heavy F1 2025, which is a 2x loss, not a 3x loss in fps. Which is rather ironic – where does the extra 200W of the 550W go if the difference in fps is only 2x (58-60 fps vs. 118-120 fps in FHD/Ultra)?
To be honest (as I've mentioned in the comments several times), Arrow Lake looks pathetic in terms of memory bandwidth compared to the Zen5 Halo's memory controller. Zen5 intentionally disables the PCIe 5.0 bus and cuts the PCIe controller to a paltry 16 PCIe 4.0 lanes. Although it would be perfect for such a laptop if AMD had fully optimized it. Ultimately, neither Arrow Lake nor Zen5 need the peak performance of a DGPU, since PL1 (SPL) is automatically cut to 55-70W in both cases (for example, in the Asus ROG Scar 18, it's 58-59W for the 275HX, compared to 67-68W on average for the L9 in gaming mode). That is, It would have been easy to create a Zen5 Halo Max AI 395 modification with a cut-down iGPU, but spend the transistor budget on a proper memory controller in 256-bit mode (like the Apple M4 Pro+, i.e., at least 200GB/s in copy mode), a 5.0 bus with 36 lanes (4x M.2 5.0 x4 in zRAID10).
At least a 1.5 year ago, I expected a 256-bit controller in Arrow Lake, and the Zen 5 HX series, which has been a breakthrough for several years now, compared to Apple (specifically in terms of pure process performance when paired with RAM, not including 3D work with iGPU/dGPU). Unfortunately, this didn't happen in 2025. Memory bandwidth needs to be increased long ago on x86, along with addressing the monstrous latency of DDR5 modules (it increasingly exceeds 100 ns – 275HX memory controller have memory latency 120ns – it very bad for 5200 mode) which is currently at the level of the expanding L3 cache.
———
Given the seemingly incomprehensible advancement (for me) in (AM)OLED screens (for last 2 years), which suddenly started switching to PWM frequencies above up to 3+ kHz, it's clear that when buyers aren't given the option of a semi-matte IPS display, a true 4K (AM)OLED would have been better in that game series. It's clearly orders of magnitude better in terms of black levels, lack of backlight bleeding, and real response time, plus viewing angles (though this is debatable). However, as far as I know, at the time this series was created, there simply weren't any AM(OLED) 4K displays (4k 240/fhd 440Hz) on the market with the same capabilities as this IPS display, so Lenovo didn't really have an OLED option. The lack of a semi-matte IPS option in the 3 Series is disappointing.
Although it's unlikely anyone will buy these laptops for work (which is why the marketers didn't include a semi-matte screen, although they could have easily ordered it from the manufacturers as a non-3D option), i.e. as a universal solution – In this case, it would be better to have a similar 18" model (recommended for Lenovo) without discrete graphics (and the fancy RGB backlighting for wealthy teenagers, or rather their parents) on the Zen5 Max AI 395 or its successor in 2026. It has the same weight and heatsinks, but everything is powered to a single CPU and a 8000+ LPDDR5 GPU with maximum overclocked timings in two 64/128GB versions.
————
And of course, with such top-end hardware, the lack of a galvanically isolated digital audio output, i.e., an optical SPDIF output for an external DAC with amplifiers, is annoying. A top-end laptop deserves top-end sound. Right? Although, what kind of top-end sound is it with such noise, not only in games but also at idle?
And this brings up the second problem: it consumes over 30W at idle, which is clearly not normal. How can it produce 29-30dBA at maximum idle state while weighing over 3.5 kg?
Andrea says it's heavy.. But in my opinion, it's not heavy enough (obviously no one will ever carry it in a backpack with a huge power supply) to ensure 100% silence at least in an “office” workload in a balanced profile with a core load of no more than 25-35%. Why can a 15.6" Dell G5 5587 2018 with PL1/PL2 47/75W set in the "maximum performance" profile be absolutely silent while surfing for hours (including YouTube in 4k@60fps) with such a core load in %, a weight of 2.83 kg and a processor temperature of up to 72C in the (I emphasize – "maximum performance" profile, i.e. I don't need to switch profiles constantly, it always works in the "maximum" profile to instantly squeeze all the power out of the processor in Cinebench and of course it will make noise, but not instantly) with extremely primitive (by 2025 standards) aluminum heatsinks, but the top-end Lenovo L9 18” can't even do it after 7 years and weighs almost 1 kg more? Compare “Quiet” profile in L9 (55/65W) vs mine 47/75W noiseless max profile in obsolete Dell G5 5587 – <35dBA vs 0dBA for hours in surfing with 4k@60 fps (65C on CPU max in sustained mode with coolers off) youtube…
There are clear questions about optimization, power consumption, and the fan performance curve and their temperature threshold. What is the temperature threshold for the CPU/SSD/GPU in this series? I'm not sure. But these thresholds are obviously lower than those of the Dell G5 5587. Why are they lower in a high-end laptop with high-end components in the CPU/GPU power supply and other chips? Lenovo isn't sure that the motherboard will operate stably at 70°C with the fans off? And how could Dell be so confident of this long-term performance seven years ago? The laptop, seven years on, shows no stability issues. There's not even any residue on the fans. I was surprised when I replaced the SSD with a new one, how clean it was after five years of use. And no need to replace the cheap thermal paste in seven years. Everything is still in idle with 2-2.4W (let me remind everyone – in the profile "maximum performance with 47W PL1/75W PL2") on the processor and 35-40C at a room temperature of 25C.
————
/*As far as alternatives go, there are plenty of solid options in the high-performance 18-inch space, with the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, the Alienware 18 Area 51, and perhaps the Razer Blade 18 as the more notable options, each with its own share of advantages and particularities. I've linked to our reviews where available, and we'll discuss them in a comparison article at some point.*/
And there's one "small" nuance: all competitors don't have a working keyboard. All competitors have a broken, classic numpad. Lenovo stands out here (to its credit) with an almost working keyboard. "Almost" because the F1-F2 keys are narrow and not separated (though there's room), and the numpad buttons are narrow, though there's room. And the space for the speaker output could have been much smaller (everyone will be playing with headphones anyway with that kind of noise). But again, this nuance is only important for those who consider such series as a UNIVERSAL solution—work/gaming. The other competitors are 100% NOT targeting this target audience with their completely broken numpads on their keyboards (Dell Alienware used to have one of the best keyboards on the market, but it's long since faded away).
Lenovo seems to be consistently trying to focus on versatility, which sets it apart from its competitors (mostly Chinese) in all its Legion series, but it constantly stops halfway toward the ideal keyboard for engineers and developers (with which it's easy to switch to a full-fledged desktop keyboard without looking for fast blind typing), trying to combine it with its gaming series. So, they're not their target audience either, but rather an attempt to add a few buyers to the series, nothing more.
HP is missing from the list of players, but it has somehow faded into the background in this field in recent years.
That's why this niche product is primarily aimed at affluent teenagers and adult gamers, ostensibly designed for gaming, but with an IPS screen that's poorly suited for gaming (black levels are orders of magnitude worse than OLED, and response times are significantly worse) and a keyboard that's not entirely suitable for gaming.
This target audience doesn't care about spending hours typing on this screen (where glossy, quickly fading, and flickering (AM)OLEDs have so far been a clear loser) – their interests boil down to a dynamic, contrast, and vibrant picture, where (AM)OLED has long reigned supreme.
Again, let me remind that a color coverage of 85-89% AdobeRGB is too poor for handling shot from top-end photo cameras. Then go ahead and install 98%+ AdobeRGB in this series (just like Apple demands perfection from panel manufacturers, certifying them for months and years). So, it feels strange. Shouldn't this target audience have top-end cameras? Why would I need a screen without 98%+ AdobeRGB coverage when I already have 95% and a top-end camera that shoots in Adobe RGB? DCI-P3 on IPS? Why? This standard is only for video. But it is used to its full potential (more precisely, Rec. 2020) on (AM)OLEDs, which meet minimum HDR10 requirements (Display True HDR). But IPS(include miniLED variants) will never be able to physically meet these requirements and is therefore useless in games designed for HDR10. IPS is only suitable for photographers and was originally designed for them. But then – why not 98-99% AdobeRGB in this series?
All of this seems like a minor detail for gamers—the main target audience. But are gamers really the target audience for this series? There are too many questions.
I hope Lenovo will eventually learn something from this experience and from the series' global sales. This is their first 18" line, so some targeting errors (and fluctuations in specifications and design) are inevitable, although it's clear they tried hard to please almost every buyer who could afford a laptop at this price. But this isn't a mass-market series. This is an attempt to create a racing car almost from scratch, looking at some of the mistakes of competing teams and often forgetting that this is a racing car, not a mass-market car. This isn't the path Apple took in the past, which created an entire ecosystem and approximately 5-6% of the world's population around the world, in specific niches and with a predetermined wallet size…
P.S. Sorry for the long text. I hope someone will read it, and I thank the author for another review from a slightly different perspective compared to other reviews of this line and his thoughts on this topic. Each review complements the other with new nuances…
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Table of ContentsSpecs sheets – 2025 Razer Blade 16, Asus ROG Zephyrus G16, Asus ProArt P16Design and ergonomicsKeyboard and touchpadOLED displaysHardware and performanceNoise, Heat, Connectivity, speakers, and othersBattery lifePrice...
NikoB
October 21, 2025 at 6:15 pm
//However, the RAM only works at 4000 MTs in this sort of configuration once you install 3 or 4 //RAM sticks, and at 5200 MTs with two sticks, due to the memory controller’s design.
275HX officially supports DDR5 6400 in 2 slots.
Lenovo consistently has issues installing best memory modules for CPU. Now, this is happening to Intel, too. Previously, they couldn't get LPDDR5X 7500 modules to operate at their operating frequency in the top-end Zen4 Phoenix (7940H), reducing it to 6400. Meanwhile, numerous competitors in the mini PC and mini gaming console classes have used these same modules at the standard 7500 frequency without any issues. Therefore, this is definitely not a limitation of Arrow Lake processors, as Intel explicitly states support for 6400 modules in the datasheet. This is another strange limitation from Lenovo, the reasons for which are unknown to us, but it likely stems from issues with the motherboard's multilayered layout and the stability of DDR5 modules operating at 6400 frequency in a similar environment to other chips.
Of course, this limitation significantly impacts processor performance, with a loss of at least 5-7%, at best with a 23% difference in processor performance compared to the 5200, and 60% (here the loss can reach 15-20%) in DDR5 4000 mode in 4 slots. Naturally, those buying it for gaming are less concerned, as gaming performance is limited by the limitations of the 5090 with its outdated process technology (“4/5nm”, not “3nm” TSMC) and 175W, compared to the desktop version's 550W+. This explains the loss in games like very heavy F1 2025, which is a 2x loss, not a 3x loss in fps. Which is rather ironic – where does the extra 200W of the 550W go if the difference in fps is only 2x (58-60 fps vs. 118-120 fps in FHD/Ultra)?
To be honest (as I've mentioned in the comments several times), Arrow Lake looks pathetic in terms of memory bandwidth compared to the Zen5 Halo's memory controller. Zen5 intentionally disables the PCIe 5.0 bus and cuts the PCIe controller to a paltry 16 PCIe 4.0 lanes. Although it would be perfect for such a laptop if AMD had fully optimized it. Ultimately, neither Arrow Lake nor Zen5 need the peak performance of a DGPU, since PL1 (SPL) is automatically cut to 55-70W in both cases (for example, in the Asus ROG Scar 18, it's 58-59W for the 275HX, compared to 67-68W on average for the L9 in gaming mode). That is, It would have been easy to create a Zen5 Halo Max AI 395 modification with a cut-down iGPU, but spend the transistor budget on a proper memory controller in 256-bit mode (like the Apple M4 Pro+, i.e., at least 200GB/s in copy mode), a 5.0 bus with 36 lanes (4x M.2 5.0 x4 in zRAID10).
At least a 1.5 year ago, I expected a 256-bit controller in Arrow Lake, and the Zen 5 HX series, which has been a breakthrough for several years now, compared to Apple (specifically in terms of pure process performance when paired with RAM, not including 3D work with iGPU/dGPU). Unfortunately, this didn't happen in 2025. Memory bandwidth needs to be increased long ago on x86, along with addressing the monstrous latency of DDR5 modules (it increasingly exceeds 100 ns – 275HX memory controller have memory latency 120ns – it very bad for 5200 mode) which is currently at the level of the expanding L3 cache.
———
Given the seemingly incomprehensible advancement (for me) in (AM)OLED screens (for last 2 years), which suddenly started switching to PWM frequencies above up to 3+ kHz, it's clear that when buyers aren't given the option of a semi-matte IPS display, a true 4K (AM)OLED would have been better in that game series. It's clearly orders of magnitude better in terms of black levels, lack of backlight bleeding, and real response time, plus viewing angles (though this is debatable). However, as far as I know, at the time this series was created, there simply weren't any AM(OLED) 4K displays (4k 240/fhd 440Hz) on the market with the same capabilities as this IPS display, so Lenovo didn't really have an OLED option. The lack of a semi-matte IPS option in the 3 Series is disappointing.
Although it's unlikely anyone will buy these laptops for work (which is why the marketers didn't include a semi-matte screen, although they could have easily ordered it from the manufacturers as a non-3D option), i.e. as a universal solution – In this case, it would be better to have a similar 18" model (recommended for Lenovo) without discrete graphics (and the fancy RGB backlighting for wealthy teenagers, or rather their parents) on the Zen5 Max AI 395 or its successor in 2026. It has the same weight and heatsinks, but everything is powered to a single CPU and a 8000+ LPDDR5 GPU with maximum overclocked timings in two 64/128GB versions.
————
And of course, with such top-end hardware, the lack of a galvanically isolated digital audio output, i.e., an optical SPDIF output for an external DAC with amplifiers, is annoying. A top-end laptop deserves top-end sound. Right? Although, what kind of top-end sound is it with such noise, not only in games but also at idle?
And this brings up the second problem: it consumes over 30W at idle, which is clearly not normal. How can it produce 29-30dBA at maximum idle state while weighing over 3.5 kg?
Andrea says it's heavy.. But in my opinion, it's not heavy enough (obviously no one will ever carry it in a backpack with a huge power supply) to ensure 100% silence at least in an “office” workload in a balanced profile with a core load of no more than 25-35%. Why can a 15.6" Dell G5 5587 2018 with PL1/PL2 47/75W set in the "maximum performance" profile be absolutely silent while surfing for hours (including YouTube in 4k@60fps) with such a core load in %, a weight of 2.83 kg and a processor temperature of up to 72C in the (I emphasize – "maximum performance" profile, i.e. I don't need to switch profiles constantly, it always works in the "maximum" profile to instantly squeeze all the power out of the processor in Cinebench and of course it will make noise, but not instantly) with extremely primitive (by 2025 standards) aluminum heatsinks, but the top-end Lenovo L9 18” can't even do it after 7 years and weighs almost 1 kg more? Compare “Quiet” profile in L9 (55/65W) vs mine 47/75W noiseless max profile in obsolete Dell G5 5587 – <35dBA vs 0dBA for hours in surfing with 4k@60 fps (65C on CPU max in sustained mode with coolers off) youtube…
There are clear questions about optimization, power consumption, and the fan performance curve and their temperature threshold. What is the temperature threshold for the CPU/SSD/GPU in this series? I'm not sure. But these thresholds are obviously lower than those of the Dell G5 5587. Why are they lower in a high-end laptop with high-end components in the CPU/GPU power supply and other chips? Lenovo isn't sure that the motherboard will operate stably at 70°C with the fans off? And how could Dell be so confident of this long-term performance seven years ago? The laptop, seven years on, shows no stability issues. There's not even any residue on the fans. I was surprised when I replaced the SSD with a new one, how clean it was after five years of use. And no need to replace the cheap thermal paste in seven years. Everything is still in idle with 2-2.4W (let me remind everyone – in the profile "maximum performance with 47W PL1/75W PL2") on the processor and 35-40C at a room temperature of 25C.
————
/*As far as alternatives go, there are plenty of solid options in the high-performance 18-inch space, with the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18, the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, the Alienware 18 Area 51, and perhaps the Razer Blade 18 as the more notable options, each with its own share of advantages and particularities. I've linked to our reviews where available, and we'll discuss them in a comparison article at some point.*/
And there's one "small" nuance: all competitors don't have a working keyboard. All competitors have a broken, classic numpad. Lenovo stands out here (to its credit) with an almost working keyboard. "Almost" because the F1-F2 keys are narrow and not separated (though there's room), and the numpad buttons are narrow, though there's room. And the space for the speaker output could have been much smaller (everyone will be playing with headphones anyway with that kind of noise). But again, this nuance is only important for those who consider such series as a UNIVERSAL solution—work/gaming. The other competitors are 100% NOT targeting this target audience with their completely broken numpads on their keyboards (Dell Alienware used to have one of the best keyboards on the market, but it's long since faded away).
Lenovo seems to be consistently trying to focus on versatility, which sets it apart from its competitors (mostly Chinese) in all its Legion series, but it constantly stops halfway toward the ideal keyboard for engineers and developers (with which it's easy to switch to a full-fledged desktop keyboard without looking for fast blind typing), trying to combine it with its gaming series. So, they're not their target audience either, but rather an attempt to add a few buyers to the series, nothing more.
HP is missing from the list of players, but it has somehow faded into the background in this field in recent years.
That's why this niche product is primarily aimed at affluent teenagers and adult gamers, ostensibly designed for gaming, but with an IPS screen that's poorly suited for gaming (black levels are orders of magnitude worse than OLED, and response times are significantly worse) and a keyboard that's not entirely suitable for gaming.
This target audience doesn't care about spending hours typing on this screen (where glossy, quickly fading, and flickering (AM)OLEDs have so far been a clear loser) – their interests boil down to a dynamic, contrast, and vibrant picture, where (AM)OLED has long reigned supreme.
Again, let me remind that a color coverage of 85-89% AdobeRGB is too poor for handling shot from top-end photo cameras. Then go ahead and install 98%+ AdobeRGB in this series (just like Apple demands perfection from panel manufacturers, certifying them for months and years). So, it feels strange. Shouldn't this target audience have top-end cameras? Why would I need a screen without 98%+ AdobeRGB coverage when I already have 95% and a top-end camera that shoots in Adobe RGB? DCI-P3 on IPS? Why? This standard is only for video. But it is used to its full potential (more precisely, Rec. 2020) on (AM)OLEDs, which meet minimum HDR10 requirements (Display True HDR). But IPS(include miniLED variants) will never be able to physically meet these requirements and is therefore useless in games designed for HDR10. IPS is only suitable for photographers and was originally designed for them. But then – why not 98-99% AdobeRGB in this series?
All of this seems like a minor detail for gamers—the main target audience. But are gamers really the target audience for this series? There are too many questions.
I hope Lenovo will eventually learn something from this experience and from the series' global sales. This is their first 18" line, so some targeting errors (and fluctuations in specifications and design) are inevitable, although it's clear they tried hard to please almost every buyer who could afford a laptop at this price. But this isn't a mass-market series. This is an attempt to create a racing car almost from scratch, looking at some of the mistakes of competing teams and often forgetting that this is a racing car, not a mass-market car. This isn't the path Apple took in the past, which created an entire ecosystem and approximately 5-6% of the world's population around the world, in specific niches and with a predetermined wallet size…
P.S. Sorry for the long text. I hope someone will read it, and I thank the author for another review from a slightly different perspective compared to other reviews of this line and his thoughts on this topic. Each review complements the other with new nuances…