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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're on a budget and need a laptop for general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is much less expensive and should serve well for everyday tasks. However, if you require top performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and are okay with a higher price and less portability, the Lenovo Legion 9i offers far superior processing power and graphics capability. 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 Slim 3
- Good 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
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 offers a decent level of performance suitable for basic tasks with its modest processor and RAM, along with a good screen size and portability; however, its screen quality and battery life are only sufficient for light use. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a high-end CPU, ample RAM, a superior mini LED display, and excellent battery capacity, making it a better fit for more demanding tasks and prolonged use, albeit with a heavier build and less portability.
Gaming and AI
5.9
9.2
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is less suited for gaming and 3D applications because it has an integrated AMD GPU and a display with a lower refresh rate of 60Hz. The Legion's superior GPU and display capabilities make it more capable of handling the demands of modern games and 3D software.
Engineering and Design
6.1
9.6
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has adequate capabilities for engineering and design with a moderate processor, graphics, and screen quality but it has less memory and storage, making it suitable for less demanding tasks. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a superior processor and graphics card, more memory and storage, and a higher quality display which makes it excellent for more intensive engineering and design applications, although it's heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
7.2
8.7
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
7.1
8.3
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
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 Slim 3 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
6.4
9.7
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3200 x 2000
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
682.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3's screen quality suffices for tasks like browsing and watching videos, as it provides the necessary resolution and brightness, but it lags in color accuracy and vibrancy, which are critical for engineering and design tasks. The Lenovo Legion 9i, on the other hand, offers a vibrant and precise display with a wide color gamut that serves the demands of design and engineering professionals requiring true-to-life color representation. However, both models fall short for gamers and 3D designers who prioritize a high refresh rate for smooth visuals, which neither of these models emphasizes.
Battery
10.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
8.5
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$390
$3,420
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a price of $390 and the Lenovo Legion 9i costs $3,420.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and the Lenovo Legion 9i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | Lenovo Legion 9i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$390 | $3,420 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.52 lbs | 5.64 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 14.08" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 10.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 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 | 47 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3200 x 2000 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 682 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 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 | 9.5/10 | 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 | Yes | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3
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Rtings
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
Lenovo Legion 9i
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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 Slim 3 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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