A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Legion 9i
Company ProductName Specs











Raider 18 HX
Company ProductName Specs











What we think

Chevron down
PerfectRec Logo
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·

The Lenovo Legion 9i offers a balance of performance and portability with its high-performance Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, making it suitable for demanding tasks like gaming and engineering. Its Mini LED display with a resolution of 3200 x 2000 provides excellent color accuracy and brightness, though it lacks a touchscreen. The Legion 9i is also more compact and slightly lighter than the MSI Raider 18 HX, contributing to better portability. However, its battery life is shorter, which might be a drawback for users who need longer unplugged sessions. On the other hand, the MSI Raider 18 HX boasts a larger 18-inch Mini LED display with a higher resolution of 3840 x 2400 and touchscreen capability, which is ideal for detailed visual work. It's equipped with a newer Intel i9-14900HX processor and the same Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU, ensuring top-tier performance for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. The Raider 18 HX also has a more extensive array of USB-C and Thunderbolt ports, which could be beneficial for connecting multiple devices. However, it's bulkier and heavier, making it less portable than the Legion 9i. Additionally, it comes with Windows 11 Pro, which may be preferable for business users who require the advanced features of the Pro version. In summary, if you prioritize a more compact and portable design with still exceptional performance, the Lenovo Legion 9i is the way to go. However, if you desire a larger, touch-enabled display with the latest processor and don't mind a heavier, less portable laptop, the MSI Raider 18 HX would be a better fit for your needs. 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 overall display quality
  • Very good overall build quality
  • Best in class speakers
  • Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Raider 18 HX
  • Excellent for content creation
  • Good battery life

Key differences

Chevron down

Software Development

8.3
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
8.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX and Lenovo Legion 9i are both very good for software development, though the MSI Raider 18 HX is somewhat better.

Screen Quality

9.7
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
9.4
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
682.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a better screen than the MSI Raider 18 HX for general use, and gaming and AI, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has a better screen for content creation, and software development.

Battery

3.0 Hours
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
9.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 9i has 3 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider 18 HX has 9 hours of battery life.

Portability

Fair
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo Legion 9i has only fair portability, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.

Build Quality

8.5
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
7.4
The Lenovo Legion 9i has very good build quality, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has good build quality.

Cost

$3,420
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
$3,999
Product image
Product image

$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 Raider 18 HX costs $3,999.
Image of Laptops
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop

Key similarities

Chevron down

General Use

8.4
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
8.8
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
682.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
3.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX and Lenovo Legion 9i are both very good for general use.

Gaming and AI

9.2
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
9.0
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 9i and MSI Raider 18 HX are both excellent for gaming and AI.

Engineering and Design

9.6
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
9.6
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 9i and MSI Raider 18 HX are both best in class for engineering and design.

Content Creation

8.7
Legion 9i
Raider 18 HX
9.1
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider 18 HX to be excellent for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 9i is very good.

Give feedback

We’re constantly working to improve.

How the Lenovo Legion 9i and the MSI Raider 18 HX compare to other laptops

Chevron down

Spec Comparison

Chevron down
Lenovo Legion 9iMSI Raider 18 HX
Lenovo Legion 9iMSI Raider 18 HX

GENERAL

Price
$3,420
$3,999
Release Date
October 1, 2023March 1, 2024
Overall Dimensions
14.1'' x 10.9'' x 1.01''15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26''
Weight
5.64 lbs7.94 lbs
Width
14.08"15.91"
Depth
10.93"12.09"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i9-13980HXIntel i9-14900HX
RAM
32 GB32 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
24
Storage
1024 GB1024 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
3 Hours9 Hours
Battery Capacity
99.9 Wh99.9 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
16"18"
Display Technology
Mini LEDMini LED
Resolution
3200 x 20003840 x 2400
Refresh Rate
165Hz120Hz
Display Brightness
682 nits1000 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
8.5/107.4/10
Portability Score
6.4/105.1/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
YesYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
6.5/108/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
9/107/10
Speaker Quality Score
9.8/108/10
Webcam
1080p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
YesNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
YesYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
23
USB-C ports
32
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
33
Thunderbolt Version
44

Shopping

Chevron down

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."

Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 9i or the MSI Raider 18 HX

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

Chevron down

FAQs

Chevron down

FAQs about laptops

Questions about PerfectRec >

Why trust us

Chevron down
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
125,295
Recommendations made
27,148
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

Color LTT LogoGeekwire logo9to5 Mac logoPhone Arena LogoColor Daring Fireball logo