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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 13 is more affordable, lightweight, and offers better portability with longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and carrying around. Its performance is modest, ideal for everyday tasks, but not for intensive engineering, 3D rendering, or gaming. The Lenovo Legion 9i costs more but provides substantially higher performance with robust components for engineering, 3D work, or gaming. It features a high-quality display, greater storage, and memory but is heavier and has shorter battery life, which may not be optimal for frequent travel. Choose the Dell for regular tasks and mobility, or the Lenovo if you need powerful performance and specialize in demanding applications. 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 XPS 13
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 9i
- Very good for general use
- 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
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
442.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the Dell XPS 13 is good.
The Dell XPS 13 offers decent battery life and portability which is ideal for general use, but it falls behind the Lenovo Legion 9i's very good general use capability due to the Legion's superior CPU, double the RAM, and a more vibrant high-resolution screen, albeit with a trade-off in battery life and weight. While the XPS 13 is lighter and thus more portable, the Legion 9i brings exceptional performance and screen quality at the cost of being heavier and having shorter battery life, aspects that can be crucial depending on user needs for mobility versus power.
Gaming and AI
6.2
9.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Dell XPS 13 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 9i outperforms the Dell XPS 13 in gaming and 3D tasks because it includes a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU compared to the Dell's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and it boasts a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, offering smoother visuals than the Dell's 60Hz screen. Additionally, the Legion 9i is equipped with a more capable Intel i9 processor versus the XPS 13's Intel i7, enhancing its performance for demanding software and tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.2
9.6
6.2/10
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 XPS 13 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.7
8.7
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
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 XPS 13 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
7.5
8.3
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the Dell XPS 13 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
7.2
9.7
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
442.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Dell XPS 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Dell XPS 13 offers enough resolution and brightness for most tasks, while the Lenovo Legion 9i's superior panel enhances visual clarity and detail. In engineering and design, the Lenovo Legion exceeds the Dell XPS with wider color gamuts, providing more accurate color representation which is crucial for professional work. However, both laptops fall short for 3D and gaming as they lack the high refresh rate preferred for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 13 has 10 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
Excellent
Fair
13.4in
SIZE
16.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Dell XPS 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$850
$3,420
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Dell XPS 13 has a price of $850 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Dell XPS 13 and Lenovo Legion 9i both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell XPS 13 and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 13 | Lenovo Legion 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$850 | $3,420 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.59 lbs | 5.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.63" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.86" | 10.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1250U | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.4" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 442 nits | 682 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 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 | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 13
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chen | April 2023
"In the past, the XPS 13 was a hands-down contender for the best laptop on the market. But the Apple-silicon MacBook has since barrelled onto the scene, and it wipes the floor with most of the ultraportable Windows laptops that cross my desk on a daily basis. This XPS is no exception. Compared to the M2 MacBook Air, battery life is worse."
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 XPS 13 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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