PROS:
- Distinctive cowl design
- Efficient liquid-cooling system
- Desktop-grade efficiency
- Comes with two energy adapters (330W GaN, 140W USB-C)
CONS:
- Small, cramped trackpad
- Mediocre battery life
- A bit dear
EDITOR’S QUOTE:
With an efficient liquid cooling system and spectacular efficiency, the Lenovo Legion 9i delivers a formidable desktop substitute wrapped in a recent new aesthetic.
Laptops have come a great distance and can be found in a wider vary of choices. Whereas there are nonetheless some designs that prioritize further slim profiles, others goal efficiency to match and even rival that of a desktop PC. These desktop replacements, largely within the guise of gaming laptops, must make a couple of compromises to strike a steadiness between portability, efficiency, and warmth administration. There’s no excellent combine, at the very least none that may match nearly all of the wants of virtually all varieties of laptop computer customers. The Lenovo Legion 9i, although primarily a gaming laptop computer, guarantees to come back fairly near that very best. Higher but, it comes with a novel and memorable design which may even enchantment to these outdoors of gaming circles. Learn on for a deeper dive into this visually distinctive laptop computer to see whether it is actually in a position to ship on these guarantees.
Designer: Lenovo
Aesthetics
Proper off the bat, the Lenovo Legion 9i is clearly not your common laptop computer, gaming or in any other case. The highest cowl has this unconventional sample of polygons in several shades of grey. These are literally solid carbon chips, chosen not only for their distinctive look but additionally for the fabric’s light-weight sturdiness. Lenovo says that no two Legion 9i items have the identical sample, so it’s nearly like getting an unique version for every buy. Admittedly, it’s going to be a divisive subject, because the design isn’t one thing you may activate or off as you would like, in contrast to RGB lights. On the identical time, it’s like a breath of recent air, deviating from the usual gaming aesthetic. Suffice it to say, it’s going to be a head-turner, regardless of the way you take a look at it.
The remainder of the laptop computer’s chassis eschews the same old plastic affair and is made with 90% recycled magnesium die-cast in an aesthetic Carbon Black end. Not solely does it afford elevated sturdiness, it additionally provides the laptop computer an fascinating sustainability story. The chassis has a matte end that provides a little bit of texture, interesting not solely to your sight but additionally to your sense of contact.
Talking of these RGB lights, there’s nonetheless lots to go round, although not within the ordinary locations. On the A canopy, you’ll solely see it behind the big “LEGION” branding within the nook, whereas they’re just about beneath every key inside. There’s additionally a strip of sunshine that runs across the edges of the laptop computer, wrapping it in a considerably delicate rainbow of colours of your selecting. The ports themselves aren’t illuminated, however indicators for the again connectors do get a bit of sunshine to assist information your hand at the hours of darkness. As all the time, you may have full management of those lights, so you may configure them to match your temper or surroundings.
As a 16-inch laptop computer, the Lenovo Legion 9i is certainly on the bigger finish of the dimensions spectrum, and even amongst its friends remains to be on the bulkier facet. It’s certainly not excessively huge, particularly contemplating all the pieces it’s packing inside, however these anticipating MacBook Professional-like profiles are positively trying on the unsuitable class of laptops. All in all, this moveable desktop substitute strikes a fantastic steadiness in relation to dimension and options, and it carries a novel visible character wherever you’re taking it.
Ergonomics
As talked about, the Legion 9i is certainly not a skinny and light-weight laptop computer, which may be anticipated from gaming-focused desktop replacements prefer it. Actually, it sits someplace in the course of different 16-inch laptops like a smaller ASUS ROG Strix G16 and a behemoth Alienware x16 R1. Sure, it’s thick, but it surely might have really been worse if not for the headlining liquid-cooling characteristic. It’s surprisingly moveable in comparison with different 16-inch gaming laptops, however you’ll nonetheless wish to put together your shoulders or fingers each time it’s important to carry this powerhouse. And no matter that cooling system, you continue to wouldn’t wish to put it in your lap besides in essentially the most dire circumstances.
In the case of laptops, consolation and value elements focus totally on the keyboard and the trackpad. Avid gamers are particularly choosy concerning the former, because the efficiency of keyboards can imply the distinction between wonderful victory and devastating defeat. The Lenovo Legion 9i’s keyboard is, to place it merely, ok. It’s not mechanical, in fact, but it surely does have ample journey to make it really feel snappy and cozy on the identical time, a uncommon deal with for membrane-based keys. The keyboard is pushed additional down in comparison with most laptops, however not as a result of there’s some fancy show or interface on the high. As an alternative, that space is yielded to the aforementioned cooling system, together with the air flow grilles that sit there on high.
Sadly, that shift in place impacts the trackpad in a detrimental method. Whereas the trackpad itself is responsive and easy, its small dimension makes it really feel cramped and tough to make use of, significantly for vertical motion. Whereas most avid gamers could have their favourite gaming mouse after they’re within the zone, it’s nonetheless a disappointing sacrifice that you’ll positively really feel each time it’s important to use that trackpad to do some work shortly.
Efficiency
As a result of want for pace and energy, gaming laptops naturally attempt to match the efficiency of their stationary desktop cousins. They’re, nevertheless, extra affected by the legal guidelines of physics, significantly in relation to the warmth generated by all that {hardware}, which in flip causes throttling and efficiency hits with lethal penalties for avid gamers. There was no scarcity of cooling improvements within the laptop computer phase through the years, and Lenovo lastly brings a kind of to its Legion laptop computer phase for the primary time.
Co-engineered with the famed Cooler Grasp, the branded Legion ColdFront liquid cooling system runs over the GPU’s VRAM to assist maintain temperatures down, kicking into gear as soon as the GPU hits the 84°C mark. There are additionally three followers that assist ferry chilly air away from these parts and out the perimeters. The liquid cooling system is just not a panacea and also you’ll nonetheless hear the followers spin, although not at an uncomfortable excessive pace. It’s fairly efficient in preserving efficiency secure whereas, on the identical time, providing an alternative choice to cumbersome cooling options which might be a part of the rationale why some gaming laptops are bigger than they have to be.
On the other facet of that particular solid carbon A canopy is an equally eye-catching 16-inch 3200×2000 mini-LED display screen, a show expertise that outpaces IPS LCDs when it comes to black ranges but additionally surpasses OLEDs in brightness. And the display screen is certainly very, very shiny, particularly if you present HDR content material. It has an odd decision, granted, however additionally it is greater than a few of its rivals within the 16-inch laptop computer phase. Operating video games at QHD or QHD+ resolutions provides essentially the most balanced efficiency, however “3.2K” as Legion calls it’s positively an excellent choice for content material that doesn’t require extraordinarily excessive refresh charges.
As with every laptop computer available in the market at the moment, there are completely different configurations to select from, however the base begins with a Thirteenth-gen Intel Core i9-13980HX, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080, and 32GB of DDR5 reminiscence. These are fairly mighty specs with matching hefty costs, however they positively present their price in relation to precise use. Artificial benchmarks don’t inform the entire story, in fact, however there may be just about nothing the Lenovo Legion 9i can’t deal with, whether or not it’s graphics-intensive video games or video rendering. Granted, it’s not going to outperform a hulking desktop tower with the most recent cooling options, but it surely positively comes near offering you with a desktop that you should utilize and carry anyplace.
Given all the pieces that’s occurring inside, it’s most likely no shock that the Legion 9i’s battery life is so-so. With reasonable use, you may squeeze out just a little over two and a half hours, however you’ll simply see that point lower right down to an hour or so on extra intensive video games. Lenovo tries to make up for it with a super-fast 330W GaN charger, but it surely isn’t an understatement to name {that a} brick. Apparently, Lenovo does one thing out of the peculiar and ships a second and considerably slimmer 140W PD charger that connects by way of USB-C. That is the one you’ll most likely wish to all the time carry with you, however you’ll even have to recollect the way it will restrict the laptop computer’s total throughput.
Sustainability
Because the world’s largest PC maker, it’s fairly encouraging that Lenovo takes its environmental duty fairly significantly. Particularly with gaming laptops that chug loads of electrical energy, Lenovo has to search for different areas the place it might offset its damaging influence on the planet. It’s not 100%, however using recycled magnesium on Legion 9i positively helps lower down reliance on plastic, whereas giving the laptop computer each sturdiness and appears.
Laptops have additionally fortunately develop into much less restricted, at the very least in relation to upgrading sure components. You continue to can’t simply restore most industrial laptops like these, however upgrading storage and reminiscence can normally be executed with ease. For the Lenovo Legion 9i, nevertheless, that’s solely true for the storage, which is straight away accessible after eradicating the underside cowl. RAM is sadly hidden beneath the motherboard, so you’ll have to take away different components earlier than you may double your reminiscence. Meaning it’s extra sensible to purpose for the configuration with the biggest RAM capability, although that’s simpler mentioned than executed contemplating the value.
Worth
Contemplating all of the options talked about above, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the value tag on the Legion 9i begins with a excessive determine. Relying on gross sales, it begins at round $3,200 to $3,400 with 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and an NVIDIA RTX 4080. The utmost configuration pushes you again $3,800 to $4,000, once more relying on any promos or the present SRP. It’s simply dearer than the competitors, however the excellent news is that you simply’re getting precisely what you pay for.
The Lenovo Legion 9i makes only a few compromises, besides what you may anticipate when it comes to its dimension and weight. The built-in liquid cooling system, whereas not mind-blowing, is spectacular and efficient in preserving each temperatures and thickness down. Excessive-performance {hardware} makes brief work of gaming and content material creation duties, and loads of connectivity choices broaden the laptop computer’s capabilities to desktop ranges. And that shiny mini-LED makes any kind of content material a pleasure to see. Plus you get a smart-looking distinctive piece of kit that’s going to pique the curiosity of individuals round you. Taking all these into consideration, that hefty price ticket turns into extra of an funding on a desktop that empowers you to do something you want or need anyplace you go.
Verdict
Gaming laptops are historically massive and ponderous due to {hardware} necessities, however fortunately they don’t have to be unattractive as nicely. Developments in engineering and design are revealing methods to slim down these moveable powerhouses with out sacrificing an excessive amount of efficiency. It’s nonetheless a matter of constructing compromises, however the Lenovo Legion 9i fortunately makes only a few of these.
The distinctive solid carbon lid and delicate RGB edge lighting instantly draw your consideration, whereas the spectacular efficiency retains you glued to that lovely display screen. Liquid cooling and AI-tuned followers assist maintain that efficiency from fluctuating an excessive amount of, and two charging choices allow you to go huge or pack gentle, relying in your wants. Sure, the trackpad is uninspiring, the battery life is simply too brief for consolation, and the value tag is a bit robust to swallow, however you might be positively getting your cash’s price for a desktop substitute with a sizzling look and a cool persona.
