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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 9i provides exceptional gaming performance and a high refresh rate display, ideal for fast-paced games and engineering tasks; however, it is heavier, making it less portable. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers a touchscreen, higher portability and longer battery life, suitable for on-the-go use and sketching or note-taking directly on the screen, but it has lower performance compared to the Legion 9i. Both are high-end and similarly priced, so if gaming or intensive tasks are your priority, the Legion 9i is preferable, while for versatility and mobility, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 stands out. 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
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Best in class overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.2
7.7
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for gaming and 3D tasks with its higher refresh rate display and a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, which translates to smoother visuals and better handling of graphics-intensive applications compared to the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, which has a lower refresh rate screen and a slightly less capable Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU. While both laptops have high-quality screens and capable CPUs, the Legion 9i's superior GPU and refresh rate give it the edge for gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
9.6
8.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is very good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for engineering and design due to its superior CPU and GPU, providing top-notch performance for demanding engineering software and tasks, while its mini LED screen ensures a high-quality display for detailed design work.
Screen Quality
9.7
7.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion 9i stands out with its superior display clarity and brightness, making everyday tasks and media consumption a visually pleasing experience. When it comes to engineering and design, the Legion 9i offers vibrant and accurate colors, essential for professionals who require precise color representation for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate hinders its ability to provide the smooth visuals that are crucial for fast-paced and detail-oriented visuals, unlike laptops designed specifically with gaming-grade screens.
Battery
3.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$3,420
$2,900
$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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.3
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a high-quality Mini LED screen and an Intel i9 processor coupled with a significant amount of RAM, which makes it ideal for demanding tasks and ensures smooth general use, but its weight and size slightly compromise portability. Meanwhile, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, with its versatile hinge design, touch-enabled IPS display, and powerful i7 processor with abundant RAM, is also excellent for general use, offering a high degree of portability and longer battery life, although it has a less bright screen than the Legion 9i.
Content Creation
8.7
8.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
8.3
8.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Lenovo Legion 9i and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo Legion 9i and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 9i | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,420 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.64 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.93" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13980HX | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 682 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 9i or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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