After decades on PlayStation and Xbox, I tested the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 in Fortnite, Warzone, Gears, and Hogwarts Legacy… here’s why I’m not going back.
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For three decades, I’ve been a console gamer. From the early days of the PlayStation 1 to the raw horsepower of the Xbox Series X, my gaming life has always revolved around a controller and a television. The idea of moving to a gaming laptop… the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 [Amazon affiliate link for a slightly more powerful SKU], in my case… felt intimidating at first. After all, why trade plug-and-play simplicity for the complexity of drivers, graphics settings, and an entirely different way of playing?
And yet, after a few days of making the transition, I’ve found myself more comfortable than I expected… I’m even starting to prefer it.
The keyboard and mouse adjustment
The biggest barrier was obvious: controls. For thirty years, my thumbs did all the heavy lifting. On PC, my left hand suddenly had responsibilities I wasn’t sure it could handle… WASD, sprint, crouch, reload, and quick keys. It was overwhelming at first.
But something clicked after a few sessions. My hands, which felt drunk for most of this experience, began to sober up… which led to movement feeling much sharper in shooters like Halo Infinite and Call of Duty. And while my hands were still navigating the RGB keyboard in a clumsy fashion, I slowly realized that the layout gave me more flexibility. Instead of scrolling through menus or remembering which bumper combination triggered an action, everything was one key press away.
The Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 advantage
Of course, my first gaming laptop makes this easier. The 16-inch 165 Hz WQXGA display feels like a cheat code compared to my old 4K TV capped at 60 Hz. Games look and feel smoother, especially competitive ones… much like Fortnite and Call of Duty.
And the RTX 4050 GPU paired with a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H (2.40 GHz) isn’t just handling games… It’s handling me. When I push the settings higher out of curiosity, the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 stays cool enough and doesn’t complain. There’s no guesswork like I feared, as Lenovo’s software makes performance and battery tweaks almost as simple as choosing “Performance” or “Balanced”. That’s a comfort I didn’t expect.
Breaking old habits
The truth is, I still plug in an Xbox controller for some titles. I’ve been trying out racing games, fighting games… pretty much anything where muscle memory from the past 30 years gives me an edge… The nice part is, on PC, I don’t have to choose. Controller or keyboard, the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 recognizes both without a fuss. That flexibility is something I never approached on console.
Discovering the extras
What surprised me most, though, is how PC gaming feels less like a “mode” of play and more like an ecosystem. Steam’s library, Game Pass for PC, mods, Discord integration… it’s all right there on the same device I use for work. My Xbox was for gaming, and that was it. My Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 is for gaming, streaming, editing clips, working on podcasts and browsing, as well as feeding me the power I need while working.
Why I’m comfortable now
Comfort didn’t come overnight; I’m still slightly struggling; however, I’ve had to unlearn habits, retrain my hands, and fight the urge to just switch my Xbox back on. But now, when I load up a game on the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8, I feel like I have more control… not just in the literal sense with a mouse and keyboard, but over the entire experience. Graphics sliders, mods, peripherals, cloud saves — it’s gaming on my own terms.
After 30 years on console, I didn’t think I’d say this: my first gaming laptop doesn’t just feel comfortable, it feels like I have a console sitting on lap.
Further testing
When it comes to the games that I tested on the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8, each title told its own story. Performance wasn’t just about numbers; it was about whether the transition from console to PC felt like an upgrade worth committing to.
Fortnite
Fortnite was the first test, partly because it’s such a reliable benchmark for competitive play. On the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8, running at 1080p with settings on High, DLSS in Performance mode, and shadows dialed back slightly, I was averaging around 100–120 FPS.
The difference compared to my Xbox was immediate. The 165 Hz panel made character movement smoother, and aiming felt more precise with a mouse. The GPU did the heavy lifting without drama, and input lag was practically non-existent. For a game that thrives on responsiveness, the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 turned Fortnite from “good enough” into “competitive edge.”
Call of Duty: Warzone
Warzone was where the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 really flexed. With settings balanced at medium—textures normalized, ray tracing off, and DLSS disabled to reduce input lag—the game consistently hit between 90 and 110 FPS.
What stood out wasn’t just the frame rate but the smooth consistency during firefights. On console, drops below 60 FPS in large-scale battles were noticeable. Here, even when explosions filled the screen, the system stayed stable. The CPU barely broke a sweat, letting the GPU take command. For a fast-paced shooter that demands every split-second advantage, this setup felt like trading in a used car for a sports model.
Gears of War: Reloaded
The built-in benchmark told the story clearly: an average of 122 FPS, with a minimum of 104 FPS even in the most chaotic firefights. The GPU was doing almost all the work (98% bound), while the CPU just coasted.
In practice, that translated into battles that were buttery smooth. Chainsaw duels, smoke grenades, Locust hordes—everything felt seamless. Compared to my Xbox Series X, which caps at 60 FPS, this was double the smoothness. To put it bluntly: my Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 didn’t just play Gears; it was mocking it. The only stutter came from me, relearning how to wall-bounce with a keyboard.
Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy was the toughest test—and the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 held its own. With graphics set to Medium, DLSS on Performance, ray tracing off, and a framerate cap aligned to the display refresh rate, I was consistently around 70–80 FPS at 1080p.
That’s not quite as explosive as Fortnite or Warzone, but in a dense, open-world RPG, it’s impressive. The game looked rich without punishing performance. Exploring Hogsmeade and dueling in the Forbidden Forest felt smooth and cinematic—exactly the balance you want in an immersive single-player title.
Final thoughts on the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8
Each game showed me something different. Fortnite and Warzone proved the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 can handle competitive shooters with ease; my fingers are still getting there though, turning responsiveness into a genuine advantage. Gears of War Reloaded demonstrated how a higher frame rate can transform even familiar experiences into something new. And Hogwarts Legacy reassured me that even demanding RPGs can look and feel great without crippling the system.
The Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 didn’t just survive my testing, while straining my left hand’s ability to work with me, it made me rethink what I want out of gaming hardware. After decades of being locked at set framerates on consoles, the idea that my “mid-tier” gaming laptop could double or even triple that is something I’m still processing. The takeaway is simple: this machine doesn’t just make PC gaming approachable for console veterans… it makes it addictive… So, if you are moving away from a console, don’t pass on the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8.
Why the Lenovo LOQ 16IRH8 is relevant for console gamers in 2025
- You get high refresh rate gaming experiences (120-165 Hz, depending on the model), which consoles often can’t maintain consistently.
- There’s a big jump in control precision with mouse & keyboard; LOQ helps smooth that transition thanks to a responsive display and good input latency.
- The learning curve of PC settings is softened by built-in tools (AI tuning, performance modes, etc.).
- Ability to use the same laptop for gaming, productivity, media, streaming, etc.
Hands-on testing
Images sourced by Darryl Linington – Notebookcheck
Darryl Linington – Tech Writer – 24 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2025
I’m a tech editor and journalist with over 20 years of experience covering everything from cutting-edge smartphones and AI breakthroughs to gaming hardware and future-forward tech. I have a passion for making complex technology accessible, relatable, and genuinely interesting—especially when it’s something that impacts how we live, work, or play.
Outside of journalism, I’m also an author with a deep love for psychological thrillers, horror, and emotionally honest storytelling. My books include Drowning: The Island Saga Book 1, 3:33 a.m.: The Island Saga Book 2, The Midnight Murderer, Keystrokes of Vengeance, and the no-filter self-help guide Life’s Too Short For This Sh!t! Whether I’m writing page-turning mysteries or personal insights, my goal is to connect, provoke thought, and leave an impact.
Inspired daily by my daughters and shaped by years of media work and personal growth, I bring purpose, curiosity, and heart to everything I write—tech or fiction.
Darryl Linington, 2025-10- 3 (Update: 2025-10- 4)