A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If you are looking for a laptop mainly for gaming or other graphics-intensive tasks and are willing to invest more, the Lenovo Legion 9i offers powerful performance but comes at a higher price and is less portable due to its size and battery life. On the other hand, if you require a machine that is easier to carry around, offers decent performance for everyday tasks, and creative work like photo editing or light video production, and is more budget-friendly, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo might be the right choice, though it won't match the Legion's performance in demanding applications. 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
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
- Good portability
- Very good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
9.2
6.7
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 9i is excellent for gaming and 3D applications largely because of its high-end Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and a screen with a high refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth visuals and rendering performance. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, while equipped with a capable Intel Arc 8-Cores GPU and an OLED display for high screen quality, offers a lower screen refresh rate which may not be as optimal for the most demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
9.6
8.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i is best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good.
The Lenovo Legion 9i stands out for engineering and design tasks with its high-performance CPU, abundant RAM, and powerful Nvidia RTX GPU, complemented by a high-quality Mini LED screen, which is excellent for such intensive applications; however, it's heavier and less portable. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo offers similar CPU and RAM capabilities with a lighter build for better portability and an OLED screen that produces vivid colors and deep blacks, but its Intel Arc GPU is less suited for highly demanding graphics tasks compared to the Legion's offering.
Screen Quality
9.7
8.4
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a screen well-suited for general use and engineering tasks due to its high resolution and brightness, which enhance visual clarity and detail, along with impressive color accuracy that benefits design work; however, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D work where smoother motion is critical. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo presents a similar scenario, offering a fine display for everyday tasks and professional design because of its excellent color representation and sufficient resolution, but falls short for gaming and 3D modeling due to its less optimal refresh rate. For gamers and 3D artists looking to avoid screen tearing and enjoy fluid graphics, laptops with higher refresh rates would be preferable, regardless of the screen’s resolution and color range.
Battery
3.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
16.0in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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 Prestige 16 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
$1,349
$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 16 AI Evo costs $1,349.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.6
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Lenovo Legion 9i are both very good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion 9i boasts a robust CPU and GPU, making it very capable for a variety of general use applications, but its greater weight and shorter battery life make it less portable than the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo. The MSI Prestige, meanwhile, offers an excellent screen and longer battery life, ensuring quality visual experience and usability on the go, though its lower-powered graphics may limit performance in graphically intensive tasks.
Content Creation
8.7
8.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Lenovo Legion 9i and MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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
8.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Lenovo Legion 9i 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion 9i and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 9i | MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,420 | $1,349 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.64 lbs | 3.31 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.08" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.93" | 10.02" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13980HX | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 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 | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3200 x 2000 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 682 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
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
See more
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 Prestige 16 AI Evo
See more
Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Mark Anthony Ramirez | December 2023
"The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 9i or the MSI Prestige 16 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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Lenovo Legion 9i vs. Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
VS
Compare Lenovo Legion 9i vs. Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D
VS
Compare Lenovo Legion 9i vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2024)
VS
Compare MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo vs. Dell G15 5520
VS
Compare MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo vs. ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
VS
Compare MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo vs. Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16"
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
131,295
Recommendations made
28,448
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
