For Those Who Want to Graduate from Smartphone Editing | The Video Editing Laptop (Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10) Used by a Paternity Leave Dad for Half a Year

I have 7 years of experience in IT sales and am currently on paternity leave. I run a YouTube channel with thousands of subscribers as a side business.

I wrote earlier

about the 6 gadgets left on my home desk. This is the story of using one of them, the Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10, for half a year.

Using my paternity leave allowance, I bought this laptop for 258,610 yen including tax, paying in 36 interest-free installments via JACCS. It's a Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 10, 15.1-inch Intel model. That's 7,184 yen a month. I thought, for just a little more than a smartphone bill, I could get a machine capable of serious video editing.

Now, after using it for half a year, I know this choice was not a mistake.

However, the specific model I bought is no longer available new. It has been discontinued on the official Lenovo website, and there is no stock on Amazon, Rakuten, or Yahoo. Therefore, what I recommend to readers now is the successor, the Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 (16-inch Intel). I will write that honestly.

The configuration I chose

The specs of my Legion 5i Gen 10 are as follows.

• CPU: Intel Core i7-14700HX

• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (VRAM 8GB)

• Memory: 32GB DDR5

• Storage: 1TB SSD

• Display: 15.1-inch WQXGA OLED (2560×1600) / 165Hz, VESA DisplayHDR 600 True Black + Dolby Vision support

• Price: 258,610 yen (tax included, includes 1-year carry-in repair)

• Payment: 7,184 yen per month via 36 interest-free JACCS installments

The Core i7-14700HX has 20 cores and is designed more like a mini-desktop than a laptop.

The reasons and criteria for arriving at these specs are written in detail in another article, Buying a Creator Laptop - How to Buy Edition -. Since it was my first time choosing a video editing laptop, this is the story of how I built all my criteria from scratch.

What I've become able to do after using it for half a year

When I was editing videos on my smartphone, it took 4 to 5 hours for one video. Now, with the Legion and Premiere Pro, it takes about a month for one.

Saying I'm choosing to spend time to improve quality sounds good, but in reality, it's the result of unleashing my 'desire to try every edit I can think of'.

The Legion handles editing with multiple layers of animations in Full HD without any issues. I don't work with 4K footage, so I can't speak to its 4K performance. Even so, in half a year of use, I've never once encountered a situation where it felt too slow or problematic.

Exporting a 10-minute video takes about 3 to 4 minutes. In my smartphone editing days, I was forced to wait over 20 minutes, so this difference adds up and feels like it's actually creating more time in my daily life.

It takes about 5 seconds from pressing the power button to being ready to use. It might not seem like much, but in a life where you open your PC every day, it makes a subtle difference. The 'opening the PC = start working' switch happens with zero stress.

The keyboard has a great tactile feel, and I don't get tired even after typing for long periods. The trackpad is also comfortable to use, and I even do fine-tuned video editing with it. The display's color and brightness are perfectly fine. WQXGA provides enough screen space for work.

The speakers and camera quality are also perfectly fine. I don't own external speakers, so I watch movies and listen to music using just the Legion, and I can enjoy even the high-quality animation known as 'god-tier' visuals without any issues. I've never had anyone point out poor image quality during web meetings either.

The fan noise is definitely noticeable when I switch to editing mode. But personally, it's at a level that doesn't bother me. Since I use a commentary video style where I don't record my own voice, I don't have to worry about fan noise getting into the recording in the first place. This works out perfectly, and the fan noise issue doesn't exist in my use case.

Protecting my eyes from 9 hours of PC work with a 3-step approach

Even if I praise the display's performance, my eyes still get tired after 9 hours of PC work.

My countermeasures are the following three.

• Wear large, round blue-light-blocking glasses I bought at Zoff

• Use the standard Windows 'Night light' setting to automatically switch to warmer colors in the evening

• Take a break once every hour (this is the ideal, and I try to be conscious of it as much as possible)

With this 3-step approach, it's much better even if I work until night. The display's performance is a one-time purchase, but eye care is built on the user's habits. This is the same regardless of which PC you buy.

The assumption of working at a cafe disappeared within half a year

Before buying, one of my conditions was 'I want to be able to work at a cafe.' Half a year later, I have completely given up on working at cafes.

After the purchase, I moved from a 1LDK to a 2LDK and got a home office. This eliminated the motivation to go to a cafe in the first place. There's also the fact that I don't have time due to childcare. While watching my 1.5-year-old son, I don't have the luxury of going out of my way to travel somewhere to work. Since I started my side business in earnest and reviewed my household budget, spending several thousand yen a month on cafes became a 'target for savings.' The deciding factor was that the Legion's charger is surprisingly bulky. I can't muster the energy to put it in my bag and carry it around every time.

The assumption of 'editing videos at a cafe' became unrealistic due to changes in my life and unexpected hardware circumstances.

Whether you take this as a miscalculation or a 'happy accident' depends on your perspective. I think it's a happy accident. The change in my life that I didn't expect when I bought it—getting a home office due to moving—shifted how I use the Legion to a 'home-only machine.' Since I'm only moving between the living room and the office within the house, the 1.9kg weight doesn't bother me. Rather, it has landed in the optimal spot as a tool to be moved around inside the house.

After using it for half a year, there are 3 points of concern

The charger is huge. I can't write this enough, no matter how many times I say it. If you intend to carry it around, you should definitely check this.

If it were just a little lighter, it would have been an option for when I go out. However, since there is a trade-off where lightweight models have lower specs, I am satisfied that this 1.9kg is the result of packing in the specs necessary for video editing.

And my lingering attachment to Mac. I still love the design of a Mac. But when I look for the same specs under cost-performance conditions, I end up coming back to Legion. That was the case with this selection as well. Unless my budget increases significantly or the cost-performance of Macs improves dramatically, there is a high possibility that I will choose the Legion series again next time.

Even so, you can no longer buy this model

The Legion 5i Gen 10 (15.1-inch Intel) is currently out of stock on the official Lenovo website. There is no new stock on Amazon, Rakuten, or Yahoo either.

Since it is marked as 'temporarily out of stock,' there is a possibility that sales will resume. However, since I don't know when that will be, for those reading this article now, I have no choice but to recommend what you can buy now.

If you are buying now, the Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 (16-inch Intel)

On the official Lenovo website, three successor-position models are recommended as similar products.

What I recommend is the Legion Pro 5i Gen 10 (left in the image). It is a natural evolution from my Legion 5i Gen 10, and it is packed with the latest current specifications, such as a larger 16-inch size, a generational CPU upgrade, GDDR7 GPU memory, and Wi-Fi 7 support.

The specs for the Pro 5i Gen 10 that have no options (fixed as standard equipment) are as follows.

• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (VRAM 8GB GDDR7)

• Display: 16-inch WQXGA OLED (2560×1600), HDR1000 True Black, 100% DCI-P3, 500nit, 165Hz, blue light reduction panel

• Camera: 5 million pixels, built-in microphone

• Battery: 4-cell rechargeable lithium-ion 80Wh

• AC adapter: 245W

• Keyboard: 24-Zone RGB backlit (Japanese)

• Communication: Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be compatible), Bluetooth

GDDR7 is the latest memory standard adopted in the 2025 RTX 50 series, and it is definitely an evolution from my GDDR6 generation.

The display is OLED, just like my Legion 5i Gen 10, and looking only at the certified specs, the Pro 5i Gen 10 is superior. 16-inch WQXGA OLED display, HDR1000 True Black, 100% DCI-P3, 500 nits, 165Hz. Mine is certified for HDR600 True Black + Dolby Vision support, so on paper, it is one tier lower.

However, when I actually measured the peak brightness of my model, it reached about 1015 nits, and the sustained full-screen brightness is about 507 nits. That is almost the same as the 500 nits of the Pro 5i Gen 10. Even if the certification grades are different, in terms of actual hardware performance, both machines are on almost the same playing field.

The difference that clearly matters is the point where the Pro 5i Gen 10 explicitly states 100% DCI-P3. For those who seek a "guaranteed color gamut" for color correction, this is a reassuring factor. Also, there is the larger 16-inch size.

In the half year I have used it, I have never once felt that the image quality of my display was lacking. Therefore, making the display alone the deciding factor for recommending the Pro 5i Gen 10 would be a bit of an exaggeration. The deciding factor is the generational evolution of the CPU, GPU, and communication systems, which I will write about next.

Customization steps: Where to skimp and where to invest

Pro 5i Gen 10 when buying from the official Lenovo website, you will have to make 7 selections in the main unit customization. At first, I was a little intimidated by the number of items. But when I organized them, the decision was simple. If your goal is video editing, keep 5 items at the minimum configuration and upgrade only the 2 items of memory and storage. This is the exact same decision-making axis I used when I bought the Legion 5i Gen 10, and even now, half a year later, this choice was the right one. I actually put it in my cart and checked, so I will write specifically along the screen. Note that the following is the display as of May 2026.

Keep the CPU as "Core Ultra 7 255HX" (select minimum configuration)

There are the following two options.

• Core Ultra 7 255HX (E-core max 4.50GHz, P-core max 5.20GHz): Standard equipment

• Core Ultra 9 275HX (E-core max 4.60GHz, P-core max 5.40GHz): +¥8,800

For video editing purposes, sticking with the Core Ultra 7 255HX is sufficient. The P-core max 5.20GHz is naturally higher performance than the Core i7-14700HX (base 2.10GHz) I have been using for half a year, and I cannot imagine a situation where I would have trouble with Premiere Pro. There is no need to pay +¥8,800 for the Ultra 9.

Keep the OS as "Windows 11 Home" (select minimum configuration)

There are the following two options.

• Windows 11 Home 64bit: Standard equipment

• Windows 11 Pro 64bit: +¥11,000

Sticking with Home is sufficient. The only people who need the Pro version are those who use remote desktop host functions or full BitLocker features for business. If video editing is your main focus, there is no problem at all with Home. A saving of +¥11,000.

Keep Microsoft 365 as "Trial Version" (select minimum configuration)

There are the following two options.

• Microsoft 365 Trial Version: Standard equipment

• Microsoft 365 Personal (24-month version) / Office Home & Business 2024: +¥26,950

If you already have an Office subscription or plan to subscribe to Microsoft 365 separately, you can leave this as the trial version. That's a saving of ¥26,950. Only consider the 24-month version if you don't own Office and will also be using this PC for work.

Upgrade the memory to "32GB" (the most important investment)

There are two options:

• 16GB DDR5-5600MT/s (SODIMM): Standard equipment

• 32GB DDR5-5600MT/s (2×16GB): +¥42,900

You absolutely should upgrade to 32GB here. I also upgraded my Legion 5i Gen 10 to 32GB when I bought it. As a conclusion from seriously choosing a video editing laptop, 16GB is the minimum and 32GB is recommended for Full HD editing, while 32GB is essential for 4K editing. Even after using it for half a year, I have never felt it was "slow" with 32GB. The +¥42,900 is an investment you shouldn't skimp on.

Upgrade the 1st storage to "1TB SSD" (the most important investment)

There are two options for the 1st storage:

• 512GB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe-NVMe Gen4 TLC: Standard equipment

• 1TB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe-NVMe Gen4 TLC: +¥25,300 (recommended display)

You absolutely should upgrade to 1TB here as well. I made the same decision for my Legion 5i Gen 10 and chose 1TB. Video footage takes up a lot of space, with even Full HD video taking up 4.5 to 9GB per hour. 512GB will fill up quickly as you accumulate footage. The +¥25,300 is an investment you shouldn't skimp on.

You can leave the 2nd storage as "None". Since there is expandability to add an additional SSD later, you can consider it once your footage starts to increase.

Leave the mouse as "None" (select the minimum configuration)

There are two options:

• None: Standard

• USB RGB Gaming Mouse: +¥3,300

You can leave it as none, assuming you will provide your own mouse. You will have higher long-term satisfaction if you choose a dedicated mouse based on your own preferences.

Warranty period: Keep the original 1-year warranty

I recommend a 4-year plan if there is a sale or similar promotion.
Since I purchased mine when there was no sale, I only have a 1-year plan.

Skip all the tabs for software and peripherals.

Several additional services will appear, such as Smart Lock, Smart Performance Software, and ADP (Accidental Damage Protection).For personal use primarily for video editing, none of these are necessary. While ADP might be worth considering for corporate use or rental equipment, it is not needed if you are using it alone at home.

Final price: ¥338,166 (including coupon, ¥9,394/month for 36 months)

For my configuration (upgraded to 32GB memory + 1TB storage, with everything else at the minimum), the base price of ¥409,860 had an e-coupon of -¥68,779 and a special discount of -¥2,915 automatically applied, resulting in a total of ¥338,166 (free shipping).

With the 36-month interest-free Jaccs payment plan, it comes to ¥9,394 per month. This is about ¥2,200/month more than the ¥7,184/month I paid when I bought mine. This covers the upgrades: CPU generation advancement (14th Gen to Series 2), GPU memory from GDDR6 to GDDR7, Wi-Fi 7 support, a move to a 16-inch screen, and higher display certification specs with 100% DCI-P3 specified. Whether it is worth paying an extra ¥2,200 per month depends on your personal priorities.

Supplementary note on AMD models

The remaining two models, the Legion 5a Gen 11 and Legion Pro 5 Gen 10, are equipped with AMD Ryzen CPUs. While it is said that both are fine in terms of compatibility with video editing software, my personal research suggests sticking with Intel if you use Premiere Pro.

Also, I have no experience using laptops with AMD CPUs. While the specs should be sufficient for video editing, I cannot bring myself to recommend something I haven't used myself. If you are considering an AMD machine, please look for reviews from people who have experience using them.

Who it is for, and who it is not for

I would recommend this to those who want a high-performance PC with good cost-performance, those who want a balance in design that is neither too flashy nor too plain, those who do serious heavy work like video editing, 3D, or image processing, and those who are choosing from a long-term investment perspective with the intention of using it for 4 to 5 years.

I would not recommend this to those who carry it around frequently, those who do not do video editing or heavy work, and Apple devotees. You will likely struggle with the weight and the size of the charger. If your usage is limited to creating documents, these specs are definitely overkill. If you prioritize design over cost-performance, you should go with a Mac.

The verdict after half a year: buying it was the right choice

Now that I have used the Legion 5i Gen 10 for half a year, I can say that buying it was the right choice. Even so, what I recommend to readers now is the successor, the Pro 5i Gen 10. That is my verdict after half a year.

The experience of "choosing a laptop for video editing for the first time" was seriously tough for me too. I have written about the detailed selection process in another article, Buying a Laptop for Creators - How to Buy Edition -. I hope it serves as some kind of decision-making material for those in the same position.

In this magazine, "Home Office with Zero Decorations," I plan to delve into each of the six gadgets introduced in the hub article one by one. If you are interested, please follow the magazine to receive notifications when new articles are published.

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