Lenovo LOQ Essential 15IRH11 Launches with 165 Hz Display and RTX 3050

Lenovo has introduced the LOQ Essential 15IRH11, a 15-inch gaming laptop that brings higher refresh rates and modern Intel processors to the entry-level segment. This release matters because it offers a sharper 165 Hz display and up to 32 GB of RAM at a starting price around $1,209, giving budget gamers a clearer path to smoother visuals without jumping to premium tiers. Buyers looking for a solid 1080p gaming machine with decent upgradeability will find this configuration worth a closer look.

Budget gaming laptop features 165 Hz IPS panel and Intel Core 7 processor

The new laptop runs on Intel’s Raptor Lake-H Refresh lineup, specifically the Core 5 205H or the Core 7 230H processors. The Core 5 205H provides eight cores and twelve threads, while the more powerful Core 7 230H steps up to ten cores and sixteen threads. These CPUs pair with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3050 laptop GPU, which comes in either 4 GB or 6 GB VRAM variants to match different performance needs.

Specifications

• Display: 15.3-inch IPS, 1920 x 1200, 165 Hz, 300 nits, 100% sRGB
• CPU Options: Intel Core 5 205H (8 cores/12 threads) or Intel Core 7 230H (10 cores/16 threads)
• GPU Options: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 (4 GB or 6 GB)
• Memory: 8 GB, 16 GB, or 32 GB DDR5-5200 RAM
• Storage: 512 GB or 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 (M.2 2242)

Visuals come from a 15.3-inch IPS panel that resolves at 1920 x 1200 pixels and runs at 165 Hz. The screen covers 100% of the sRGB color space and reaches 300 nits of peak brightness for better visibility. Memory configurations start at 8 GB and go up to 32 GB of DDR5-5200 RAM, while storage options include 512 GB or 1 TB of PCIe Gen 4 M.2 2242 SSDs.

Power comes from a 60 Wh battery that supports 135 W charging via Lenovo’s proprietary Slim Tip connector. The chassis measures 345 x 233 x 21 to 23 mm, keeping the footprint compact for a 15-inch device. We looked at Lenovo V15 Gen 7 IWC Launches in our earlier Lenovo coverage, which shows the company continues to expand its diverse hardware lineup across different price points.

Pricing in Hong Kong starts at 9,490 HKD (around $1,209) for the base configuration with the Core 5 processor and 4 GB RTX 3050. The top-tier model with the Core 7 230H, 6 GB RTX 3050, 32 GB RAM, and 1 TB storage costs 15,560 HKD (around $1,983). Lenovo has released this model in Hong Kong, but pricing and availability for other markets remain unknown for now.

Source: NotebookCheck