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What we think
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Updated March 13, 2024·
If you need a laptop for heavy-duty tasks like gaming or complex engineering software, the Lenovo Legion 9i, despite its higher price, offers superior performance, but it's heavier and may not have as long battery life. However, if you prioritize portability, everyday use, and longer battery life, and you don't require advanced graphics or processing power, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo provides a balance of decent performance and convenience at a lower 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
- 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 MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.2
6.8
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 9i, with its high-end GPU and fast screen refresh rate, delivers the graphics performance and smooth visuals crucial for gaming and 3D tasks, outshining the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo. While the MSI has a capable CPU and good screen quality, its GPU and refresh rate don't match the Legion's, making it less suited for demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
9.6
8.0
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i, with its superior CPU, RAM, and GPU, offers robust performance for demanding engineering software, and its high-quality screen enhances detailed design work, although it's heavier and could be louder under load. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, while still capable for engineering tasks and boasting a high-quality keyboard and speakers, trades off some performance for increased portability and quieter operation.
Content Creation
8.7
8.1
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 9i and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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.
Screen Quality
9.7
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
13.0in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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, providing crisp visuals and vibrant colors, essential for detailed design work, plus wide color coverage that benefits precision tasks. On the other hand, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offers very good screen quality for both general and engineering purposes with similar attributes but falls short in gaming and 3D for the same reason—its screen refresh rate isn't optimized for the high-speed rendering these activities demand.
Battery
3.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
13.0in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
7.4
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,420
$1,280
$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 Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.0
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo are both very good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion 9i, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, excels in tasks demanding high performance, and its high-quality screen enhances visual experiences, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life, which is a consideration for on-the-go users. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offers great portability and longer battery life, making it ideal for users who prioritize mobility and all-day use, though it might not match the Legion in pure performance or screen size; still it maintains a balance with a good enough display, performance, and quieter operation for routine tasks.
Software Development
8.3
7.9
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion 9i to be very good for software development, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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.
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How the Lenovo Legion 9i and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 9i | MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,420 | $1,280 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | 11.8'' x 8.3'' x 0.67'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.64 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 11.77" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.93" | 8.27" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13980HX | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 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 | 73 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 682 nits | 415 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 8.6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
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 | 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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 9i or the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
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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