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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you want a device that is light on the wallet and will be used for basic tasks like web browsing, document editing, and watching videos, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is a suitable choice; however, its performance is limited, especially for more demanding activities. On the other hand, if you are looking for top-of-the-line performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or intensive engineering software, the Lenovo Legion 9i, despite its higher cost, offers significantly more power, a better display, and superior graphics capabilities. Bear in mind that the Legion 9i is heavier and not as portable as the IdeaPad, which may be a consideration if you often carry your laptop around. Additionally, the Legion 9i's higher performance may also impact its battery life, making it less ideal for long periods away from a power source compared to the IdeaPad. 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 IdeaPad 1 14"
- Very good portability
- 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
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.1
8.4
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
239.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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.
Gaming and AI
5.5
9.2
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1366 x 768
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
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
5.5
9.6
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a basic CPU and integrated graphics, which along with its limited RAM and lower-quality screen, makes it poorly suited for demanding engineering and design work, while the Lenovo Legion 9i with its high-end CPU, powerful GPU, and ample RAM excels in those tasks and boasts a superior screen for detailed visuals. However, the IdeaPad is lighter and quieter, advantageous for portability and in noise-sensitive environments, unlike the Legion 9i, which is bulkier and may produce more operating noise due to its higher performance components.
Content Creation
6.2
8.7
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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
6.4
8.3
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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
5.3
9.7
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
239.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a screen that may seem dull and less sharp, making it less ideal for any use due to its lower resolution and brightness. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 9i offers a vibrant and clear display with high resolution and brightness, perfect for general use and engineering tasks that require accurate color representation. However, for gaming and 3D, the Legion 9i's lower refresh rate could make fast-moving visuals less smooth compared to displays optimized for those activities.
Battery
9.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has 9 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
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0
8.5
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$153
$3,420
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a price of $153 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" | Lenovo Legion 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$153 | $3,420 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2022 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.09 lbs | 5.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.88" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 10.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 64 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 32 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 239 nits | 682 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 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 | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | 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 | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14"
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | August 2021
"The IdeaPad 1 14 is a simple machine, but it’s well-designed and has nearly everything you’d expect from a no-nonsense laptop that allows you to check emails and get schoolwork or other light tasks done with relative ease. A "true" 128GB SSD (as opposed to an eMMC drive) and a roomy 14-inch full HD display are arguably the star attractions, with the comfortable keyboard and reasonably modern styling playing important backup roles."
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" 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.
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