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Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance for gaming or engineering software is a priority and you are willing to invest more, the Lenovo Legion 9i with its advanced graphics card provides powerful capabilities for these tasks. It offers a larger, higher-resolution screen which enhances gaming and creative work, though it is heavier and thus less portable than the MSI Modern 14. On the other hand, if affordability and portability are more important to you and your computing needs revolve around general use like web browsing, document editing, and less demanding applications, then the MSI Modern 14 is a lightweight, cost-effective option. However, its performance in demanding tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning is limited compared to the Legion 9i. 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 Modern 14
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.2
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for general use due to its higher-end CPU and RAM, providing superior performance, a more vivid Mini LED display with greater brightness and color coverage for an enhanced visual experience, but its larger size and heavier weight affect portability and it has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 offers good enough performance for typical tasks with its mid-tier CPU, still decent screen quality with an IPS panel, and better portability thanks to its lighter weight and thinner form factor, along with a longer battery life which may appeal to users who prioritize mobility.
Gaming and AI
9.2
6.0
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 9i outperforms the MSI Modern 14 in gaming and 3D tasks due to its superior Nvidia RTX 4080 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165 Hz, enhancing gameplay fluidity and visual effects. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 is equipped with an integrated AMD Ryzen Vega 7 GPU and offers a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz, which is adequate for less demanding tasks but falls short for intense gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
9.6
6.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
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
5.6/10
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 Modern 14 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
7.1
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is very good for software development, while the MSI Modern 14 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
6.4
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a high-resolution display with exceptional brightness and panel quality, enhancing the visual experience for general use and detailed engineering work where clarity and color accuracy are vital. However, its lower refresh rate might detract from the immersive experience in gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and professional design, but its limited color range and refresh rate may not suffice for color-critical engineering projects or the fast-paced action in gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
3.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 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.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the MSI Modern 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,420
$525
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a price of $3,420 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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How the Lenovo Legion 9i and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 9i | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,420 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.64 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.93" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13980HX | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 682 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 8.7/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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 Modern 14
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Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 9i or the MSI Modern 14
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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