The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i offers superior performance for demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and high-performance Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, making it an excellent choice for engineering tasks. It also boasts a stunning Mini LED display with a high resolution and refresh rate, ideal for fast-motion content and color-critical work. The laptop's premium build quality, advanced connectivity options with Thunderbolt 4 ports, and robust battery life contribute to its versatility for both professional and personal use. However, it comes with a higher price tag and is less portable due to its larger size and weight.
In contrast, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is more budget-friendly and highly portable, perfect for everyday tasks and general use with its compact design and lightweight build. It has a responsive touchscreen with a practical 3:2 aspect ratio, suitable for note-taking and reading. While it may not excel in intensive tasks or high-end gaming due to its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, it still delivers a reliable performance for everyday computing needs. The laptop's excellent keyboard quality and long battery life make it a strong contender for users prioritizing portability and productivity on the go. 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 Yoga 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 Go 3
Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.1/10
7.2/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is very good for general use, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
6.1/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is good for gaming and AI, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
8.7/10
6.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is very good for engineering and design, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
8.3/10
7.3/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is very good for content creation, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
8.1/10
7.1/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is very good for software development, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 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
9.8/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
3200 x 2000
RESOLUTION
1536 x 1024
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
337.0 nits
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
12.4in
4.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.4 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,450
$788
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i has a price of $1,450 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 costs $788.
"When it comes to affordably priced laptops, the numbers after the dollar sign are crucially important—more so than in any other price category. By increasing the starting price of its Laptop Go line by $200 and not changing much else, Microsoft irrevocably altered the calculus surrounding the decision of whether to buy the Surface Laptop Go 3. Sure, it has a newer processor and longer battery life, but don’t think for a second you’re not paying dearly for that extra RAM and SSD capacity at that new price."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3
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.
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.
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