If you prioritize battery life, portability, and a touchscreen for general usage, the HP Dragonfly Pro 14", being more affordable and lighter, would be a suitable choice. Yet, for high-performance activities like gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering work, despite being heavier and more expensive, the Lenovo Legion 9i would be superior due to its more powerful processor and GPU. Keep in mind, the Legion 9i also has a better screen with higher resolution and refresh rate suitable for fast-paced visuals but at the cost of much shorter battery life. 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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14"
Very good portability
Very 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
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
9.2/10
3.9/10
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
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is only fair.
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a less capable GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, making it fair for gaming and 3D, while the Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a high-end GPU and a much higher screen refresh rate, enhancing its gaming and 3D performance to excellent levels.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
9.6/10
7.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.9/10
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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for engineering and design use due to its more robust Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, contributing to significantly higher performance in compute and graphics-intensive tasks than the HP Dragonfly Pro 14", whose AMD Ryzen 7 and Radeon 680M are capable but less powerful. Additionally, the Legion 9i's screen is superior with a higher resolution and Mini LED technology for better color accuracy and contrast, beneficial for detailed design work, whereas the Dragonfly's portability and quieter operation may appeal to those frequently on the go or in shared workspaces.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.7/10
7.7/10
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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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.
Screen Quality
7.1/10
9.7/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
405.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
In general use, the vibrancy and clarity provided by the higher resolution and brightness of the Lenovo Legion 9i make for a superior viewing experience compared to the HP Dragonfly Pro. For engineering and design, the Legion's wider color gamuts ensure more accurate color representation which is crucial for detailed work, outshining the Dragonfly Pro's capabilities. However, for gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate is key for smooth motion, both the HP and Lenovo's lower refresh rates fall short, not delivering the optimal experience despite their otherwise impressive screen quality features.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,400
$3,420
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" has a price of $1,400 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
The Lenovo Legion 9i and HP Dragonfly Pro 14" are both very good for general use.
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" is great for general use due to its adequate CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, high-resolution IPS screen that's easy on the eyes, lightweight design enhancing portability, and a battery life that can sustain a day's work. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 9i, with its superior processing power and larger amount of RAM, caters to more demanding applications, and its Mini LED display offers stunning visuals, but it is heavier and might be less comfortable to carry around, with a tradeoff in shorter battery life.
Software Development
7.8/10
8.3/10
7.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion 9i to be very good for software development, while the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.5/10
The HP Dragonfly Pro 14" 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.
Give feedback
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How the HP Dragonfly Pro 14" and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
"I’d say that the HP Dragonfly Pro checks off most of the boxes for this freelancer. It feels nice to use, is zippy and responsive, has great speakers, and even has a relatively sane price. Although it’s an unorthodox choice to pick AMD for this kind of machine, it’s clear that when Ryzen is given a chance to shine, it can kick a lot of butt."
"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 HP Dragonfly Pro 14" or the Lenovo Legion 9i
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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