Lenovo Legion 9i review: Excessive-ruin HDR gaming goodness
At a take into consideration
Educated’s Rating
Experts
- Most possible the greatest CPU and GPU
- Vivid and elegant reveal with HDR
- Liquid cooling works successfully
- Hundreds successfully-positioned ports
Cons
- Dear
- Low battery existence
- No Wi-Fi 7
- No facial recognition
Our Verdict
The Lenovo Legion 9i is all the pieces a excessive-ruin gaming notebook computer wants to be, pairing excessive-ruin hardware with liquid cooling and a shimmering and elegant reveal for HDR gaming. Nonetheless it has a imprint to match.
Label When Reviewed
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Simplest Pricing This day
Label When Reviewed
$4,059
Simplest Prices This day: Lenovo Legion 9i
$3699.95
The Lenovo Legion 9i is a gaming notebook computer that goes above and past. A doubtless the greatest CPU and GPU are desk stakes for a excessive-ruin gaming notebook computer. Beyond that, this 16-proceed gaming notebook computer uses liquid cooling to lift excessive performance with surprisingly cool surfaces. And, while many gaming laptops skimp by formula of the reveal, Lenovo integrated a mini-LED reveal with an incredibly excessive 1200 nits of maximum brightness, enabling HDR gaming on the shuffle.
It’s a large package deal, and it’s even extra impressive in a notebook computer that weighs appropriate 5.51 kilos. Nonetheless, as with all excessive-ruin gaming laptops, this impressive hardware doesn’t near cheap.
Extra studying: Simplest gaming laptops 2024: What to explore and perfect-rated items
Lenovo Legion 9i: Specs
The Lenovo Legion 9i (Gen 9) is a excessive-ruin gaming notebook computer with a excessive-ruin Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU. It became the fastest cell CPU we ever tested attend in January, and it’s segment of Intel’s 14th-generation “Raptor Lake refresh.”
Our machine had a doubtless the greatest Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, nonetheless you would possibly perchance perchance presumably perchance also additionally earn this machine with an RTX 4080. Our review unit also integrated 32GB of RAM, even supposing Lenovo also offers this machine with up to 64GB of RAM. Within the ruin, no costs had been spared with the storage: Lenovo integrated two 1 TB solid-order drives order up in a RAID 0 configuration. That ends in a total of two TB of usable storage with sooner storage speeds than you’d earn with a single 2 TB force.
It is a ways value noting that this machine doesn’t include a neural processing unit — mighty less one who meets Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC requirements — so it won’t earn the future AI facets Microsoft is releasing for Windows. It also doesn’t include Wi-Fi 7 give a boost to. There’s no formula around it: These would be good future-proof facets to include ought to you’re spending over $4,000 on a notebook computer. Nonetheless, this machine does include a Copilot key on the keyboard.
While the specced-out machine Lenovo loaned us retails for $4059, Lenovo’s starting designate for this machine is $3,499. Upgrading to an RTX 4090 accounts for $430 of that price inequity, so it ought to keep you some money in case you’re fully elated with an RTX 4080.
- Mannequin number: Lenovo Legion 9 16IRX9
- CPU: Intel Core i9-14900HX
- Memory: 32GB DDR5 RAM
- Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
- Repeat: 16-proceed 3200×2000 mini-LED reveal with HDR, 1,200 nits of brightness, and 165Hz refresh rate
- Storage: Two 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSDs order up in a RAID 0 configuration for 2 TB of storage
- Webcam: 1080p webcam
- Connectivity: 2x USB Form-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x USB Form-C (USB-C 3.2 Gen 1), 2x USB Form-A (USB-A 3.2 Gen 1), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x combo headphone jack, 1x SD card reader, 1x DC vitality in, 1x Ethernet (RJ45)
- Networking: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1
- Biometrics: Fingerprint reader
- Battery means: 99.9 Watt-hour battery
- Dimensions: 0.75 x 14.08 x 10.93 inches
- Weight: 5.51 kilos
- MSRP: $4,059 as tested
Lenovo Legion 9i: Invent and build quality
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo Legion 9i is a in actual fact successfully-designed 16-proceed gaming notebook computer. At 5.51 kilos and zero.75 inches thick, it’s on the sunshine and thin aspect for a gaming notebook computer with such excessive-ruin internals.
The “Carbon Dark” manufacture, mostly fabricated from magnesium, appears enormous — significantly with all the RGB lighting fixtures. This machine has RGB lighting fixtures on the keyboard, the sunshine bar under the palm relaxation, and the sunshine bar in the attend of the notebook computer. The “carbon sample” manufacture on the is a particular manufacture replace. It appears enormous in person — and the “Legion” designate on the lid cycles between varied RGB colors while the machine is on, too.
This notebook computer has constructed-in liquid cooling, and the cooling machine works very successfully. The keyboard stays barely cool to the touch. There aren’t proper followers blowing sizzling air out of the aspect onto your mouse hand. This machine does blow a lawful quantity of air out of the attend of the notebook computer, nonetheless I became stunned by appropriate how cool that blowing air essentially became while gaming.
For a gaming notebook computer, this machine runs surprisingly cool and aloof. Yes, it generates warmth, and also you’ll hear the followers blow. Nonetheless this machine doesn’t include the extraordinarily loud followers and uncomfortably sizzling ingredients that you’ll obtain on many gaming laptops.
The build quality also feels enormous. The palm relaxation is successfully relaxed and rubbery to the touch. The hinge opens without articulate with one hand and doesn’t hurry.
Lenovo also comprises some thoughtful extras here. There’s a switchable keycap equipment in case you’d resolve to customize the keyboard extra. Plus, Lenovo comprises two chargers with this machine. You’ve bought the upper one — a good 330W charging brick — for maximum performance at your desk. Then, you’ve bought a smaller, extra transportable USB-C charger to vitality this notebook computer on the shuffle when maximum gaming performance isn’t your priority. It’s a large formula to fabricate this machine extra transportable.
Lenovo Legion 9i: Keyboard and trackpad
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo Legion 9i incorporates a stout-size keyboard that has a stout number pad on the lawful. On a 16-proceed notebook computer like this one where there’s region, I in actual fact like having that number pad. Nonetheless, some of us enact resolve to steer sure of the number pad and include the rest of the keyboard fabricate better to occupy the region. Which you resolve is up to you.
The chiclet-vogue keyboard feels perfect to model on. The most necessary scoot is 1.5mm, that will presumably perchance also very successfully be deeper, nonetheless I didn’t include a self-discipline with it — and this notebook computer is also thinner than a form of these beefy gaming laptops. It’s not as quick as a mechanical keyboard, nonetheless it absolutely isn’t mushy, and I had no articulate typing at a hastily trail on it.
The keyboard has shiny per-key RGB lighting fixtures. The integrated tool makes lawful use of this out of the box, with animations that cycle between diversified colors over the keyboard. Also, in case you preserve shut the Fn key, a total lot of the backlighting turns off and most effective the characteristic row keys are lit up. It’s a amazing backlighting setup.
While the trackpad would possibly perchance be very responsive and relaxed to use, it’s on the small aspect — significantly for a notebook computer of this size. If truth be told, the keyboard is a small bit on the small aspect, too, because the notebook computer has a large region reserved for cooling above the keyboard. You most definitely can earn laptops with extra gigantic keyboards and trackpads, nonetheless there are advantages to this configuration. The keyboard stays incredibly cool for a gaming notebook computer for the length of prolonged play lessons, which is partially thanks to that keyboard being pushed lower down than it would possibly perchance perhaps presumably perchance be on many laptops. The palm relaxation gets a small bit warm, nonetheless it absolutely’s not tainted the least bit.
Lenovo Legion 9i: Repeat and speakers
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo Legion 9i’s 16-proceed reveal is amazing. I’ve reviewed many gaming laptops — even excessive-ruin ones — that skimp on the reveal, significantly on the brightness. The Lenovo Legion 9i’s 3200×2000 reveal delivers up to 1200 nits of brightness, and that ends in a amazing HDR ride in games like Cyberpunk 2077. The 165 Hz refresh rate is also good and quick.
That brightness in actual fact is value highlighting. I’ve reviewed a form of gaming laptops with 400 nits of top brightness, which scheme they can’t lift HDR in games. This notebook computer can.
The mini-LED reveal appears enormous in games, and I became incredibly proud of it. It’s not all issues to all of us: Some of us will favor the extra shining colors of an OLED reveal — even supposing you’ll possible earn less brightness with an OLED reveal than a mini-LED reveal. Others will favor an perfect elevated refresh rate — while the 165Hz refresh rate on this machine is lawful, some gaming laptops include displays with a 240Hz refresh rate. Some of us would possibly perchance presumably perchance also honest even favor a splash hide — there’s no touch hide here! Nonetheless it’s an awesome reveal.
The Lenovo Legion 9i also has an surprisingly lawful constructed-in speaker setup for a notebook computer — as it will for the designate! The sound is lawful and loud, the bass would possibly perchance be very cheap — even supposing it’s not so booming that it shakes the chassis of the notebook computer, because the speakers enact on some other excessive-ruin gaming laptops I’ve reviewed. Nonetheless they’re very lawful for constructed-in speakers.
Lenovo Legion 9i: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
The Lenovo Legion 9i incorporates a 1080p webcam. The image quality appears comely, which scheme this webcam appears enormous for a gaming notebook computer. While gaming laptops essentially embody more inexpensive webcams with worse image quality, this webcam retains scuttle with many productiveness laptops.
The microphone also sounds barely sure, doing a lawful job of picking up my express. Neither the webcam or microphone feels as doubtless the greatest as a total lot of the opposite hardware on this machine, nonetheless here is perfectly ample for on-line meetings and video calls and aggressive with many productiveness-focused laptops.
There’s also a bodily “e-shutter swap” to disable the webcam on the lawful aspect of the notebook computer. That’s a large privateness characteristic to include.
The Lenovo Legion 9i incorporates a fingerprint reader for Windows Hi there, which lets you free up your PC along with your fingerprint. It’s constructed-in into the spherical vitality button above the keyboard. The fingerprint reader works successfully, even supposing I enact favor Lenovo had also integrated an IR digicam so that you would possibly perchance perchance presumably perchance free up this PC with facial recognition.
Lenovo Legion 9i: Connectivity
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo Legion 9i has a healthy series of ports positioned in vivid places. On the left aspect, you’ll obtain a combo audio jack and a stout-size SD card reader.
On the lawful aspect, you’ll obtain a USB Form-C port and a USB Form-A port — these are both USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Loads of the ports are on the attend. There, you’ll obtain a DC vitality in port, but every other USB Form-A port (USB 3.2 Gen 1), two USB Form-C ports (Thunderbolt 4 / USB4), HDMI 2.1 out, and an Ethernet (RJ45) port.
Realistically, all the ports you’ll favor are here. Most of them are also successfully-positioned in the attend of the notebook computer where they’ll put out of your formula, with ports just like the headphone jack, a few USB ports, and the SD card reader on the facets where they’re shut at hand.
Wi-fi connectivity alternate solutions are rather disappointing, which is anticipated. Lenovo has integrated Killer Wi-Fi 6E hardware with Bluetooth 5.1 give a boost to here. Intel’s Raptor Lake refresh is getting a small bit long in the teeth — most of Intel’s consideration is going in direction of extra vitality-atmosphere pleasant notebook computer CPUs like Lunar Lake now — nonetheless it absolutely would be good to peek Wi-Fi 7 give a boost to on a excessive-ruin gaming notebook computer at this level. Most of us don’t include Wi-Fi 7 networks but, nonetheless avid gamers who own this extra or less excessive-ruin hardware would possibly perchance presumably perchance presumably successfully be early adopters.
Lenovo Legion 9i: Efficiency
The Lenovo Legion 9i delivered perfect gaming performance. I performed Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty cranked up to maximum settings with ray tracing enabled. It became very playable, and it also regarded shiny — significantly thanks to the hide’s excessive brightness and most attention-grabbing HDR give a boost to.
For sure, we ran the Lenovo Legion 9i thru our fashioned benchmarks to earn a extra detailed image of the machine’s performance. With the liquid cooling Lenovo is talking up, I’d question to peek some enormous numbers.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
First, we trail PCMark 10 to earn an notion of overall machine performance. This benchmark is designed to benchmark overall PC performance, nonetheless the CPU is a mighty better factor than the GPU here.
With an overall PCMark 10 score of 8719, the Legion 9i is available in sooner than the long-established gaming notebook computer. That’s an awesome result.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Next, we trail Cinebench R20. Right here is a carefully multithreaded benchmark that specializes in overall CPU performance. It’s a hastily benchmark, so cooling under prolonged workloads isn’t a factor. Nonetheless, since it’s carefully multithreaded, CPUs with extra cores include a huge profit.
The multi-threaded score of 12078 blows most other PCs out of the water. This benchmark demonstrates this machine’s impressive CPU horsepower.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
We also trail an encode with Handbrake. Right here is but every other carefully multithreaded benchmark, nonetheless it absolutely runs over an prolonged duration. This requires the notebook computer’s cooling kick in, and loads laptops will throttle and dreary down under load.
The Legion 9i completed the encode route of in an moderate of 581 seconds. That’s under 10 minutes, and it’s but every other very impressive result. This benchmark displays that this machine’s cooling works very successfully over prolonged CPU-heavy workloads.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
Next, we trail graphical benchmarks. Right here is a gaming notebook computer, so graphical benchmarks are extraordinarily necessary. First, we trail 3Dmark Time Peek, a graphical benchmark that specializes in GPU performance.
The Legion 9i delivered a good Time Peek score of 20,428. While that’s a amazing result, it’s value noting that this machine is no longer outpacing the Alienware m18 R2, as it did in the CPU benchmarks above. If truth be told, that Alienware machine beat the Lenovo on this benchmark.
After that, we trail the benchmarks constructed into some games. First, we use the constructed-in benchmark in Shadow of the Tomb Raider to take a look at all the gaming laptops we review. It’s an older sport, nonetheless it absolutely’s a large formula to overview graphical performance across varied PCs.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo Legion 9i came in at 220 frames per second with our fashioned Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark settings. Over but again, it’s attend on top of even the Alienware m18 R2 machine. I would own that, as a sport and never a valid 3D benchmark, Shadow of the Tomb Raider uses extra CPU assets than the 3Dmark Time Peek benchmark.
Within the ruin, we trail the constructed-in benchmark in Metro Exodus. Right here is a extra demanding sport, and we order the benchmark to 1080p determination on the Indecent part setting.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
The Lenovo Legion 9i scored 95 frames per second on this demanding benchmark. That’s a large result. While it’s in actual fact two frames per second slower than the competing Alienware m18 R2 machine, here is successfully contained in the margin of error. For many games, GPU performance is the perfect factor, so these incredibly CPU performance numbers won’t continuously fabricate a huge inequity in games.
Overall, the Lenovo Legion 9i delivers amazing performance. It’s significantly impressive by formula of uncooked CPU performance, nonetheless the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 delivers doubtless the greatest graphical performance as successfully. While the Alienware m18 R2 did beat it on a few benchmarks, the Lenovo Legion 9i beat that machine.
That’s extra impressive than it sounds: That Alienware m18 R2 is an 18-proceed notebook computer that weighs 9.32 kilos. This Lenovo Legion 9i is a 16-proceed gaming notebook computer that weighs 5.51 — and it essentially outclasses that machine on performance!
Lenovo Legion 9i: Battery existence
The Lenovo Legion 9i contains a massive 99.9 Watt-hour battery. The maximum battery size the U.S. Transportation Security Administration permits on an airplane Is 100 Watt-hours, so Lenovo has long past lawful up to the highway here. For sure, gaming laptops aren’t identified for their long battery existence.
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
IDG / Chris Hoffman
To benchmark the battery existence, we play a 4K reproduction of Tears of Steel on repeat in the Motion photos & TV app on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the notebook computer suspends itself. We order the hide to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks. Right here is a most effective-case scenario for any notebook computer since local video playback is so atmosphere pleasant, and precise battery existence in day-to-day use is continuously going to be lower than this.
The Lenovo Legion 9i lasted an moderate of 281 minutes, or appropriate over 5 and a half of hours. And that’s in an most attention-grabbing scenario — you’re going to earn lower than that as you employ applications. That battery existence is on the low aspect, even for a gaming notebook computer. You most definitely can use this notebook computer a ways from an outlet for a few hours — nonetheless that’s it.
Clearly, battery existence isn’t essentially a huge articulate with laptops like this one. And Lenovo does bundle that extra, extra transportable charger with this machine, so that you don’t have to articulate your gigantic charging brick on the shuffle. Nonetheless, if battery existence is a huge articulate to you, you would possibly perchance perchance presumably perchance have to explore a special gaming notebook computer.
Lenovo Legion 9i: Conclusion
Overall, the Lenovo Legion 9i is a excessive-performance gaming PC with an surprisingly lawful reveal — one with an awesome quantity of brightness that will presumably perchance lift a excessive-quality HDR gaming ride. It’s surprisingly gentle and compact while final cool to the touch.
The reveal is an exact standout characteristic. I essentially obtain myself noting that even many excessive-ruin gaming laptops include barely shadowy displays — ones which would possibly perchance perchance presumably perchance presumably be too shadowy to lift HDR in games. The Lenovo Legion 9i delivers HDR gaming while many other gaming laptops don’t. And it’s bought a large package deal of excessive-ruin hardware with perfect cooling.
The major design back is the excessive designate. You most definitely can include a large PC gaming ride without spending wherever shut to this mighty money. Nonetheless here’s a gaming notebook computer that spares no expense to lift excessive-ruin hardware. In mumble so that you can spend that mighty money on a gaming notebook computer, you won’t be upset.