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Updated January 10, 2024·
When choosing between the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the Lenovo Legion 9i, consider your primary use cases. The Dell is a more budget-friendly option with a sufficient performance for general tasks, longer battery life, and a lighter build which makes it easier to transport. This makes the Dell suitable for everyday activities and moderate multitasking. In contrast, the Lenovo has a high-end price but offers significantly superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and intensive gaming due to a more powerful processor and graphics card. The Lenovo's premium features, including a better screen and higher build quality, cater to more demanding engineering tasks, although it is heavier and has shorter battery life, impacting its portability. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Dell Inspiron 16 5635
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 9i
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
9.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 9i excels in gaming and 3D applications, with its powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which offers a smoother visual experience. In contrast, the Dell Inspiron 16 5635, equipped with an integrated AMD Vega 8 GPU and a lower refresh rate of 60 Hz, provides only satisfactory performance for such tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.3
9.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i is deemed excellent for engineering and design due to its higher-performing Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 which comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and integrated AMD graphics. While both have high-quality screens, the Legion 9i's Mini LED display has significantly higher brightness and color coverage, enhancing details and color accuracy for design work; however, it is heavier and less portable than the lighter Inspiron, which may also be quieter with less operating noise due to its less demanding thermal management.
Content Creation
7.9
8.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for content creation, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.6
9.7
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion 9i offers a higher resolution and brighter display, enhancing readability and multimedia viewing, while the Dell Inspiron's display quality is adequate but less impressive. Engineers and designers would prefer the Lenovo Legion 9i for its wider color gamut, providing more accurate color representation which is critical for their work, whereas the Dell Inspiron's color range is more limited, affecting color-sensitive tasks. Gamers and 3D users benefit most from higher refresh rates, which the Lenovo Legion 9i lacks, while the Dell Inspiron also doesn't offer the ideal refresh rates, leading to a less smooth gaming experience for both.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0
8.5
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$700
$3,420
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 has a price of $700 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
8.4
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Dell Inspiron 16 5635 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Inspiron 16 5635 is equipped with a solid CPU and RAM, an IPS screen with good pixel density and brightness, and long battery life, making it versatile for general use with its lightweight design enhancing its portability. Conversely, the Lenovo Legion 9i offers top-tier performance with a more robust CPU and double the RAM, alongside a superior Mini LED display that's exceptionally bright with high refresh rates, albeit with compromised portability due to its heavier build and shorter battery life, though still maintaining overall suitability for general tasks.
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How the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Inspiron 16 5635 | Lenovo Legion 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$700 | $3,420 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.9'' x 0.72'' | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.19 lbs | 5.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.05" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.92" | 10.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7730U | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 54 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 265 nits | 682 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell Inspiron 16 5635
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Dig into reviews and images
UltrabookReview
Derek Sullivan | January 2023
"Compared to the previous year’s Inspiron, Dell upgraded the screen aspect ratio on this generation, but also transitioned to a more minimalistic centered keyboard flanked by up-firing speakers. The 16-inch screen is huge plus and I really appreciate the extra real estate without sacrificing the footprint much. This year’s model is a little larger than last, though, as the former model was already very small for a 15 incher."
Lenovo Legion 9i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | December 2023
"The Lenovo Legion 9i is meant as a top-end flagship showcase for enthusiasts, and on that, it delivers. You'll find flashier designs in this price tier—Razer’s all-metal build in a similarly sized laptop like the Blade 16, or monstrous 18-inch machines—but this is a well-thought-out laptop. The chassis is trim for a 16-inch powerhouse, the lid is unique, and bespoke liquid cooling takes performance to the next level."
Get a great deal on the Dell Inspiron 16 5635 or the Lenovo Legion 9i
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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