The Lenovo Legion 9i is a high-end, more expensive option that offers superior performance for intensive tasks such as gaming and engineering. If you require top-notch performance for demanding applications, the Legion 9i is the better choice, but for general use with some occasional gaming without spending as much, the LOQ 16 would be more appropriate. 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
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo LOQ 16
Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.6/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.3/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out in general use due to its superior CPU, RAM, and Mini LED display which contribute to top-notch performance, vivid screen quality, and is balanced with a fair battery life, though it's less portable. On the other hand, the Lenovo LOQ 16, with a capable CPU, sufficient RAM, and standard IPS screen, offers a longer battery life and better portability, but its performance and screen quality don't match the Legion 9i's standards.
Gaming and AI
9.2/10
7.5/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for gaming and 3D due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics and a high refresh rate of 165 Hz, which enables smoother gameplay and better 3D performance than the Lenovo LOQ 16 which has a Nvidia RTX 4050 and a refresh rate of 144 Hz. Although the Legion 9i also features a higher resolution display, both laptops have quality CPUs and screens that are quite good, but the Legion's criteria give it the edge for the most demanding activities.
Engineering and Design
9.6/10
7.9/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for engineering and design with a high-performance CPU and GPU, substantial RAM, and an advanced Mini LED screen with high resolution and brightness. In contrast, the Lenovo LOQ 16, while still capable, has a less powerful CPU and GPU combination, less RAM, and a screen that doesn't match the Legion 9i's standards in terms of clarity and color representation.
Content Creation
8.7/10
7.6/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 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
8.3/10
7.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 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
9.7/10
7.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
329.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Lenovo LOQ 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion 9i likely offers a high-resolution display with great brightness and an excellent panel type, providing vivid imagery and comfortable viewing, but for gaming and 3D applications, it falls short due to a lower refresh rate, making fast-moving images less smooth. The Lenovo LOQ 16, while still providing good resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, may not have the same level of color accuracy or panel quality as the Legion 9i, although it's adequate for most users. In terms of engineering and design, both laptops seem capable with good color gamut coverage, but for tasks demanding high frame rates like gaming and 3D rendering, neither would be ideal due to their poor refresh rates.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life. The Lenovo LOQ 16 has 6 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
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the Lenovo LOQ 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,420
$740
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a price of $3,420 and the Lenovo LOQ 16 costs $740.
"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."
"Gaming laptops with an RTX 4060 are available starting from about 1,000 Euros (~$1,060), even in 16-inch format. For the supposedly affordable Lenovo LOQ 16 (1,500 Euros, ~$1,591), the manufacturer particularly saves in the equipment and materials compared to the more expensive Legion series. In addition, the LOQ is slightly heavier and more bulky. What remains is anything but a laptop full of difficult compromises. Instead, this is a more than solid gaming laptop that focusses on the 3D performance.Q is slightly heavier and more bulky."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 9i or the Lenovo LOQ 16
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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