New Lenovo Legion naming convention promises to be easier to understand
Traditionally, Lenovo laptops have had at least three digits associated with their names. The ThinkPad T480, Legion Y740, and IdeaPad S340 are just a few examples. The latest gaming models from the manufacturer will move to a simpler one-digit or two-digit naming convention that aims to be understandable to everyone and not just enthusiasts.
According to Lenovo, the change was in response to feedback from retailers and customers. A window shopper, for example, will more easily understand the names Legion 5 or Legion 7 compared to the older Legion Y540 or Legion Y740. Should the model have both AMD and Intel options, then the laptop may end with an "i" to indicate an Intel CPU while the absence of the letter would indicate an AMD CPU. In previous generations, Lenovo laptops with AMD CPUs would sometimes end with a "5" such as the ThinkPad T495.
The recently announced 2020 IdeaPad and Legion gaming laptops will follow the new naming convention and directly replace the 2019 models as follows:
- IdeaPad L340 ---> IdeaPad Gaming 3
- Legion Y540-15 ---> Legion 5 15"
- Legion Y540-15 w/ Intel ---> Legion 5i 15"
- Legion Y540-17 w/ Intel---> Legion 5i 17"
- Legion Y740-15 w/ Intel ---> Legion 7i
The IdeaPad Gaming 3, Legion 5, and Legion 7 will be low-end, mid-range, and high-end gaming laptops, respectively.
While the new names are easier on the eyes, at least one upcoming model will still be adhering to the older naming convention. The new Legion Y740Si will be the super-slim version of the Legion Y740 instead of the Legion 7. We suspect that Lenovo didn't want to call it the Legion 7s because the chassis design will be derived from the Y740 instead of the Legion 7, but it will still inherit the "i" to indicate an Intel processor nonetheless.
Other than that inconsistency, we're eager to see how Lenovo will plan to indicate 2nd or 3rd generation Legion models without adding another layer of complexity to the new names. The upcoming ThinkPad T14 and X13 that will replace the ThinkPad T490 and X390, respectively, suggest that the company will be slowly moving forward in this direction across its entire portfolio.
