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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, the Lenovo Legion 9i with its more powerful processor and graphics card may be the preferred option, although it comes at a higher price and is heavier, which affects portability. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, on the other hand, is better suited for general use and offers a balance between performance and portability at a more affordable price. It also has a longer battery life, making it ideal for those who need to work on the go and prefer a lighter and thinner laptop. Both laptops are similar in screen size and type, but the 9i boasts a higher quality display. Choose the Legion 9i for the top-tier gaming or intensive tasks, and the Slim 5i for a balance of portability, battery life, and cost. 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 9i
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.9
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i shines in general use due to its superior CPU and RAM, high brightness and color coverage of its Mini LED screen, but its heavier weight and lower battery life somewhat hinder its portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, while still performing well with a decent processor and ample RAM, offers better portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life, however, the screen quality doesn't match the vibrance and contrast of the Legion 9i.
Gaming and AI
9.2
8.0
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
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 Slim 5i is very good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i offers exceptional gaming and 3D performance with its more advanced Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and Mini LED display for higher quality visuals, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, though very competent with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and IPS screen, is slightly less powerful and has a lower screen quality.
Engineering and Design
9.6
8.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for engineering and design with its top-tier Intel i9 processor, 32GB of RAM, and superior RTX 4080 GPU, coupled with an exceptional Mini LED screen displaying sharper and brighter images, making it excellent for demanding tasks. Whereas the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, while also powerful, has a slightly less robust i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and RTX 4060 GPU, with an IPS display that offers quality visuals but less brilliance than the 9i, classifying it as very good for engineering and design applications.
Content Creation
8.7
8.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Lenovo Legion Slim 5i are both very good for content creation, though the Lenovo Legion 9i is somewhat better.
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
8.3
7.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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
9.7
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion 9i excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high resolution and brightness, along with a wide color gamut ensuring vibrant and accurate colors crucial for design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion is key, its screen falls short as it lacks a high refresh rate, which is vital for reducing motion blur and providing a more fluid visual experience. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i balances very good screen attributes for everyday tasks and decent color range for engineering, but like the 9i, it doesn’t prioritize the fast refresh rates gamers seek for that seamless, responsive gameplay.
Battery
3.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 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.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,420
$1,055
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a price of $3,420 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i costs $1,055.
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Key similarities
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Lenovo Legion 9i both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo Legion 9i and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 9i | Lenovo Legion Slim 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,420 | $1,055 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.64 lbs | 5.29 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.16" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.93" | 10.25" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13980HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 682 nits | 343 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 9i or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
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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