The Lenovo Legion Y25-30 is a slightly slower yet competent version of the fantastic Y25g-30. This variant only goes up to 280Hz, but it is considerably more affordable than its 360Hz brother. Let’s take a closer look to know if this should be the value king for E-Sports gaming in 2024.
Lenovo Legion Y25-30 Specifications
- Screen Size: 25 Inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Full HD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 280Hz
- Response Time: 0.5ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 400 cd/m2 (500 cd/m2 Peak)
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 3 Watts)
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, USB-C PD27W x 1, USB 3.2 x 3, 3.5mm Jack x 2
- Dimensions with Stand(WxHxD): 21.9” x 19.44” x 10.13”
- Weight: 11.7 lbs
Design and Features
The Lenovo Legion Y25-30 has a newer aesthetic, which uses a truss-shaped base compared to the 360Hz version. The display has a matte black finish with blue accents and a gunmetal garnish on the base, so it doesn’t look cheap like other budget models. The display is bezel-free on three sides, but you will still see some inner borders.
It’s a 25-inch model, but it’s slightly larger than most because of its large base. The device needs over 10 inches of depth, but at least it has a built-in phone holder on the base’s garnish. The whole thing is lightweight at 11.7 pounds, so it’s something we’d consider bringing to a gaming event outside the home or office.
One of the characteristics we love about Lenovo monitors is their amazing build quality. The plastics used are thick and very sturdy, plus there were no cosmetic defects on any of the parts. The stand is very firm and stable, so you won’t be disturbed by wobbling or sagging while in the middle of an intense battle.
The Lenovo Legion Y25-30 has an OSD joystick at the back along with two control keys and a power button. We like that you have quick access to the brightness and volume settings, so you won’t have to dig deep into the submenus to adjust them. The monitor is also compatible with Lenovo Artery, so you get even more flexibility and convenient functionality if you decide to install it.
The includes stand offers tilt, swivel, pivot, and height adjustments for your convenience. Some 240Hz+ monitors in the same price range only have tilt and height adjustment, so this is already a big advantage if we calculate its value per dollar spent. You can also use VESA mounts, but those are unnecessary unless you have a very small desk or multiple monitors on deck.
The Lenovo Legion Y25-30’s connectivity layout includes DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0 slots for video inputs. You also get a four-port USB 3.2 hub and a 3.5mm jack for headphones. A 3-watt pair of speakers is also included, but they are only meant for basic use and not the monitor’s main purpose.
Display and Performance
The Lenovo Legion Y25-30 sports a 25-inch IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 280Hz overclocked refresh rate, and a 0.5ms MPRT response time. The backlight has a 400 cd/m2 output and a 500 cd/m2 peak, while the contras are listed at 1000:1. The monitor is HDR 400 compatible, but we all know that’s not the focus here.
1080p monitors are still being churned out because they are the primary competitive gaming choice. They are easy on the eyes and do not need a lot of resources for higher framerates. You won’t need a top-end card to get high FPS, so you save more money by going with a model like this.
The Lenovo Legion Y25-30 covers 100% sRGB and 86% DCI-P3, making it more vibrant than the higher-tiered Lenovo Legion Y25g-30. Its default accuracy, on the other hand, isn’t as good since it had a dE average of 2.79. That’s still fine in most cases since it’s hard to distinguish color errors below dE 3.0.
Calibrating it reduced the dE average to 0.91, making it usable for some editing work and content creation. However, you will need a colorimeter to achieve similar results since copying settings or ICC profiles are not reliable due to differences in each panel. We can only recommend it for those who are into color-critical work aside from gaming, but a better monitor should take precedence.
The Lenovo Legion Y25-30’s backlight reached 389 cd/m2 in SDR, and it peaked at 481 cd/m2 when its HDR mode was active. Its contrast only reached 977:1 at 30% brightness, so it is incapable of deep blacks like VA panels are. Its HDR performance is also underwhelming, but we all know that you need mini-LEDs or OLEDs for that sort of thing.
Panel uniformity for the test sample did not have any major issues like backlight leaks. There is some tiny bleeding on the top edge along with imbalances with the backlight’s spread, but the screen still looks good overall. Note that this can vary with every unit made due to tolerances, so there are worse units out there.
One of the biggest strengths of the Lenovo Legion Y25-30 is its excellent pixel response time. You don’t have to use its strobing or max out its overdrive to avoid getting noticeable blurring, even if your FPS fluctuates between 144Hz and 280Hz. The monitor works great for its intended purpose due to this result.
It is also compatible with both FreeSync and G-Sync for tear and stutter-free gaming. It doesn’t have the Y25g-30’s native G-Sync functionality, so you can’t use Reflex Latency Analyzer on it. Its input lag sits at 3ms at 280Hz, making it one of the fastest monitors in its category.
Thoughts on the Lenovo Legion Y25-30
The Lenovo Legion Y25-30 is an excellent monitor due to its price and capabilities. It is fast and responsive, and it has decent imaging qualities that aren’t usually found on a lower-priced model. It’s built very well, like many of Lenovo’s offerings, so it shouldn’t fail or break on you even after a while.
It has some limitations, but most of them, like the low contrast and poor HDR performance, are expected. Lenovo could tune this monitor for better default accuracy, but it’s all understandable since it’s a budget model. It’s still a fantastic buy unless you come across the faster variant when it’s on sale.
Pros:
- Excellent Design
- Great Price
- FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible
- Fast and Responsive
Cons:
- Poor Contrast and HDR Performance
- Dismal Default Accuracy
- Priced too Close to 360Hz Option
About the Author: 
Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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