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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
For top-notch performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, and engineering tasks, the Lenovo Legion 9i with its more powerful processor and graphics card is a superior choice. It's pricier but offers a larger and high-quality Mini LED display, which excels in color reproduction and brightness, beneficial for professionals needing color accuracy. However, it's heavier and has lower battery life, making it less ideal for frequent travelers. The MSI Pulse GL66, on the other hand, is more affordable with decent performance that suits general use and some gaming. It's lighter, which makes it more portable and it offers better battery life, but it does have a lower-quality display and less powerful components. 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 MSI Pulse GL66
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.3
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i earns the 'very good' designation for general use largely due to its superior processor, generous RAM, and high-quality mini LED screen, but its portability and battery life are just fair, making it less ideal for on-the-go use. The MSI Pulse GL66, while 'good' for general use, offers lesser performance with its CPU and RAM, and a lower-resolution IPS screen, but gains points for better portability and battery life, proving a more balanced option for mobile users.
Gaming and AI
9.2
7.2
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for gaming and 3D due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, which means smoother visuals in fast-paced games. In contrast, the MSI Pulse GL66 comes with a capable but less powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a lower refresh rate of 144 Hz, which may not be as fluid but still provides a solid gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
9.6
7.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.7
7.2
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for content creation, while the MSI Pulse GL66 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
7.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the MSI Pulse GL66 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
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
245.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion 9i's superior screen with high resolution and brightness offers crisp and vibrant visuals, while the MSI Pulse GL66's decent display provides a satisfactory yet less striking experience. In engineering and design, the Legion 9i's wide color gamuts allow for more accurate color representation, essential for precision work, unlike the MSI Pulse GL66 which has fair color coverage but may not be as precise for professional color work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rate on the Legion 9i could result in less fluid motion, while the MSI Pulse GL66, despite lower overall quality, may still not offer the optimal refresh rate gamers typically look for.
Battery
3.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Pulse GL66 has 4 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
15.6in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Pulse GL66 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,420
$1,399
$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 MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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How the Lenovo Legion 9i and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 9i | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,420 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.64 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.93" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13980HX | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 53 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 682 nits | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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."
MSI Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"The MSI Pulse GL66 has a lot of potential for improvement. Although the RTX 3060 is only able to use 105 watts, we still liked the gaming performance, particularly since this also makes the Pulse comfortably efficient but not slow by any means. Neither the dark display with its lame response times, nor USB 2.0 or the lack of Thunderbolt will please real gamers. The use of a sticker factory seal, which is at least questionable, also won't inspire any enthusiasm. It is obvious that the laptop is really designed for price-conscious gamers."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 9i or the MSI Pulse GL66
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 MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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