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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i generally costs more than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio but offers a stronger performance for tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering due to its higher-end processor and graphics card. However, it has a slightly lower portability score and shorter battery life. The Surface Laptop Studio, meanwhile, is slightly lighter and offers longer battery usage on a single charge, which may benefit users who prioritize portability and battery life over top-tier performance capabilities. Both have high-quality displays and are touch-enabled, but the Lenovo has a higher refresh rate and resolution, which might make it more appealing for tasks that benefit from a sharper and more fluid display. 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 Slim Pro 9i
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i.
Key differences
General Use
8.5
7.4
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
618.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i outshines in general use due to its superior CPU, more RAM, a high-resolution Mini LED screen, and is lighter, enhancing portability, although its battery life is shorter than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which offers a lower resolution IPS screen, less RAM, and fewer high-end specs but compensates with longer battery life and a versatile hinged display that can be used as a drawing tablet.
Gaming and AI
7.6
6.6
6.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.9
7.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i outshines the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for engineering and design because it boasts a more potent CPU, double the RAM, and a superior GPU, enhancing its capability for demanding workloads. Additionally, the Lenovo's Mini LED display has a higher resolution and refresh rate, providing superior screen quality, which is critical for intricate design work, although the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers greater portability and a distinctive flexible hinge beneficial for design sketches and presentations.
Content Creation
8.5
7.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
7.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
9.6
8.0
14.5in
SIZE
14.4in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
618.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
491.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, a laptop like the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i stands out due to its high-resolution display and impressive brightness, providing clarity and visibility in various lighting conditions. Engineering and design professionals often prioritize color accuracy for their work, and both the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offer wide color gamuts, catering to these needs with rich and precise colors. However, neither of these laptops is ideal for gaming or 3D tasks, as they lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion and responsiveness in fast-paced visual environments.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has 6 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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.
Cost
$1,500
$1,700
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a price of $1,500 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio costs $1,700.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
14.5in
SIZE
14.4in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo Slim Pro 9i both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and Lenovo Slim Pro 9i both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Slim Pro 9i | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,500 | $1,700 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2023 | September 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.9'' x 9.6'' x 0.85'' | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.7 lbs | 4 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.9" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.64" | 8.98" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13705H | Intel i7-11370H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.5" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3072 x 1920 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 618 nits | 491 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | August 2023
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is an impressive laptop with a brilliant Mini-LED display, a powerful 100-watt version of Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and excellent connectivity. Having run the Cinebench benchmark again, we were impressed with the CPU performance. That makes the Slim Pro 9i is an easy recommendation, especially for those who care about GPU and CPU performance. It’s also a fantastic choice if you frequently view HDR movies and games on your laptop."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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 Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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