For a balance of performance and value, the Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) is a strong contender. It offers a robust Intel i9-14900HX processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics, delivering solid performance for general use, gaming, and engineering tasks, at a midrange price point. Its 16-inch IPS display with a 2560 x 1600 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate is excellent for fast-moving visuals, though it lacks touch capability. With a weight of 5.6 pounds, it's relatively portable for its class, and its battery life is decent for typical usage.
On the other hand, if budget isn't a concern and you seek top-tier performance, the Lenovo Legion 9i stands out with its superior Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics and a more advanced Mini LED display, boasting a higher resolution of 3200 x 2000 and a 165Hz refresh rate. This laptop is built for the most demanding tasks, including intensive gaming and professional-grade engineering work. It also features a backlit keyboard with number pad and advanced security options like facial recognition. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the Legion 5, which might impact its portability.
In summary, choose the Legion 5 16 (2024) for a more cost-effective solution with excellent all-around performance and better battery life, or opt for the Legion 9i if you require the ultimate in graphics performance and display quality, and are willing to compromise on portability and 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 Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024)
The Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Legion 9i.
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 9i
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Best in class overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
9.2/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) is very good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
9.0/10
9.6/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) is excellent.
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.
Screen Quality
8.7/10
9.7/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
500.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,600
$3,420
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) has a price of $1,600 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.2/10
8.7/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) are both very good for content creation.
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
8.0/10
8.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) are both very good for software development.
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.
Battery
3.5 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 5 16 has 3.5 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
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) and Lenovo Legion 9i both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
"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 Lenovo Legion 5 16 (2024) or the Lenovo Legion 9i
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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