Lenovo's Legion brand is home to some of the best gaming laptops on the market, and its AMD-based Pro 5 and Intel-based Pro 5i models from 2023 can deliver some incredible performance at a competitive price. I awarded both of these laptops an XDA Recommended badge in their respective reviews, noting the lack of any thermal throttling issues, stellar performance, and the slight redesign that brings rounded corners to the chassis.

Many of the same hardware options are available across the two killer laptops, including the memory. Lenovo offers either 16GB or 32GB of DDR5 RAM in these laptops, and you can save some money by opting for a lower amount of RAM and upgrading later. These laptops should have no problem supporting 64GB of RAM in a dual 32GB setup, which is likely the most that you'll want to install unless you're getting into specialized work that requires a huge amount of RAM. When it comes to gaming, 32GB and especially 64GB will be enough for most people.

Lenovo built its laptops to be accessible, and the RAM upgrade process for the Legion Pro 5 and Pro 5i should take about 15 minutes once you have collected all the hardware required. Here's everything you need to know about upgrading the RAM in Lenovo's eighth-generation Legion Pro 5 and Legion Pro 5i for 2023.

Tools and hardware you'll need for the job

Before beginning any laptop repair or modification, it's important to have all the right tools. The iFixit Essential toolkit has the screwdrivers and pry tools needed for the most popular devices, making it a crucial part of the upgrade. The anti-static wrist strap is less important if you aren't dealing with a lot of static electricity, but it's still a cheap accessory that can save your laptop from accidental damage.

Kingston's Fury Impact DDR5 5600MT/s RAM with CL40 timing is relatively affordable and comes in a bunch of different configurations. Two 32GB modules (64GB total) cost about $220. If you're just looking to upgrade from 16GB (the lowest amount of RAM that Lenovo offers from the factory), you can pick up two 16GB modules (32GB total) for about $126.

• Kingston Fury Impact DDR5 64GB RAM

  $222 at Amazon $220 at Newegg

• iFixit Essential Electronics Toolkit

  Components

  16 precision bits, Spudger, Suction cup

  $30 at Amazon

• iFixit Anti-Static Wrist Strap

  $8 at Amazon

How to upgrade RAM in the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and 5i (2023)

Now that you have all the right hardware in hand, you're ready to upgrade the RAM in your Lenovo Legion gaming laptop. As mentioned, this process will work for both the Intel-based Pro 5i (Gen 8) and AMD-based Pro 5 (Gen 8) for 2023. Set up a well-lit workspace clear of clutter and power down your laptop before proceeding with these steps.

1. Unscrew the 10 fasteners on the bottom of the laptop using a Phillips screwdriver. The screws are not captive, so keep them in a safe place.
2. Pry the bottom panel away from the chassis using a pry tool. Start at a corner or loose spot and carefully work your way around the body.
3. Remove the aluminum shielding covering the dual RAM slots. Small clips hold it in place, but it will come loose with a bit of pull.
4. Remove the metal clips on either side of a RAM module. They slide off to the side and allow the RAM module to pop up when loose.
5. Pull the RAM module out of the slot. Be sure to keep it relatively flat to avoid damage to the RAM slot.
6. Insert the new RAM module at about a 25-degree angle. The module is keyed and will only fit into the slot one way.
7. Press down on the new RAM module until the two metal clips snap back into place. You can repeat steps 4 to 7 for the other RAM module.
8. Replace the aluminum shielding over the RAM modules. It will line up with small clips on the motherboard.
9. Replace the bottom panel of the laptop. Apply pressure to the edges and work your way around the chassis until it's secure.
10. Screw in the 10 fasteners on the bottom of the laptop.

You can now power on the system to see if the RAM upgrade was a success.

1. Right-click the Windows Start button.
2. Click System.

You should be able to see the total amount of RAM installed in your Legion Pro 5/5i under the device specifications section.

Wrapping up

When I reviewed the Legion Pro 5i (2023) with 13th-generation Intel hardware, I noted, "You can rest assured that you're getting a high-performance gaming laptop that doesn't throttle and that doesn't get too hot to handle even under heavy load." The same goes for the AMD-based Legion Pro 5 (2023) I also reviewed, and I went on to say that "there's hardly any difference between the Intel Core i7-13700HX and AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX chips."

Lenovo charges about $70 to make the jump from 16GB of RAM (2x8GB) to 32GB of RAM (2x16GB) from the factory, with no option to hit 64GB. That's where the DIY RAM upgrade will be particularly useful, but you can still check out with the lowest amount and upgrade later to something like 32GB to push performance. These are some of the best laptops that Lenovo makes and should last you for years to come.