Lenovo Slim Pro 9i review
The Lenovo Lenovo Slim Pro 9i ranks as the #132 laptops globally, achieving a LibraScore of 79. Across all metrics, this product stands out most for its #141-ranked performance among 552 laptops. Consider the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition or Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4, which offer higher scores while staying in the same price range.
Is it Worth it?
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is an excellent laptop for office and creative work, with a great keyboard and speakers. The 165Hz refresh rate matches well with the processor and GPU performance. However, there's one drawback: a slight yellow tint on the display, which affects web pages and documents. While adjusting color settings helps, it's still noticeable. If you're not affected by this issue, the Slim Pro 9i is one of the best laptops for content creators. Otherwise, consider other options before making a purchase decision. Worth it? Almost, but that yellow tint holds me back from giving it a full recommendation.
Build
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i boasts an exceptional design with rounded edges and metallic great color that minimizes fingerprints. The camera bar on top is a welcome feature, allowing for easy laptop opening and flat viewing angles. Unfortunately, the laptop's heft may be off-putting to some users. Additionally, the right side of the touchpad sounds hollow compared to the left side, though this might be a review unit-specific issue. The slim Pro 9i's build is solid overall, with a premium feel that makes it an excellent choice for office and creative work. Give Lenovo Legion Slim 5 a try—it’s designed to provide an unparalleled build.
Display
The display on the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is a highlight, boasting a 14.5-inch 3K resolution at 16:10 aspect ratio with a 165Hz refresh rate. This results in exceptionally smooth visuals, making it ideal for creators who work with graphics, video editing, and more. However, there's a notable caveat - the display has a slightly warm white tone, which can appear yellowish on web pages and documents. Despite adjusting color settings to default sRGB or Adobe RGB, the issue persists. This may be a specific problem with my review unit, but it's worth noting for potential buyers who value accurate color representation in their work. Get your hands on Lenovo Legion Slim 5 if you're looking for better display.
Performance
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i delivers exceptional performance for creators. Equipped with a 13CH Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 450 laptop GPU, daily tasks run smoothly, including video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro and gaming at 1080p settings. The X power feature enables overclocking the graphics card, significantly speeding up creative workflows and 3D rendering. In Ransom benchmarks, performance is top-notch, with no complaints about smooth operation whether working or creating content. While not designed for heavy gaming, casual play is possible. Consider discovering the power of Lenovo Legion Slim 5, featuring the latest advancements in performance.
Battery and Charging
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i's battery life is average, lasting around 5 hours with moderate usage. The power adapter is compact, making it easy to carry in a bag. However, when enabling X Power for GPU overclocking, the fans kick in, which can be distracting if using headphones or in quiet environments. Overall, battery life and charging performance are decent but not exceptional. A display color calibration tool might be necessary to address a slight warmth on the monitor's white balance, affecting overall image accuracy.
Connectivity
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i boasts several ports for connectivity, including an HDMI port, USB-C 3.2 Thunderbolt 4, and a full SD card reader. However, it's disappointing to see only one Thunderbolt 4 port. The keyboard is great, with spacious keys and a responsive touchpad. A notable feature is the camera bar on top of the display, housing a high-resolution 1440p webcam that outshines many competitors. For a superior connectivity, Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 could be the right choice.
Features
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i boasts a sleek design with rounded edges and a metallic color that's less prone to fingerprints. The laptop features a high-resolution webcam, spacious keyboard with great key travel and layout, and responsive touchpad. It also has multiple ports for connectivity, including an HDMI port and SD card reader. The slim Pro 9i comes with a powerful Intel Core i7 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX450 laptop GPU, 32GB RAM, and 1TB storage. A better alternative might be Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2, featuring a next-level features.
Support and Maintenance
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is a nearly perfect laptop for creators, but one thing holds it back. The display has a slightly warm white color, appearing yellow to my eyes. I've tried adjusting the color settings, but the issue persists. This may be an isolated problem with my specific model, as other reviews have not mentioned this issue. It's essential to check the monitor for this tint before purchasing, especially if you're in the market for a laptop specifically designed for content creation.
Pros
1. The laptop has a great design with rounded edges, metallic gray color, and a camera bar that makes it easy to open single-handedly.
2. The display is a 14.5 in 3K resolution at 16:10 aspect ratio with 165 HZ refresh rate, making everything look smoother.
3. The laptop has several ports for connectivity, including HDMI, USB-C, and an SD card reader, which is great for video editors.
4. The keyboard is great, with good key travel, spacing, and layout, and the function keys are well-chosen and useful.
5. The speakers on this laptop are some of the best I've heard on a laptop, with loud and clear sound.
Cons
1. The laptop has some heft to it, making it less portable than others in its class.
2. There is only one Thunderbolt 4 port, which might be limiting for some users.
3. The right side of the touchpad sounds a little hollow compared to the left side.
4. The battery life is around 5 hours, which is not great but not too bad either.
5. The display has a slightly yellow tint, especially on web pages and documents, although this might be an issue specific to my review unit.
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