This is ticking all the right boxes, from sheer performance to value for money.
TheLenovoLegion Pro 7i Gen 9 doesnt do anything too revolutionary.
Of this comparison pool, the 9th generation Legion falls in the middle of the price range.
That weight is dense, though, because the actual silhouette of the unit isnt particularly cumbersome.
Switch those RGBs off and this could be a regular office laptop.
While the Strix Scar also offers extra RGB lighting around the edge, Lenovos implementation feels far more refined.
The main deck is constructed from an aluminum base, with a thinner plastic top lid.
Thats a well-built hinge, and it has to be - the whole screen can lay 180 degrees flat.
Im not sure why youd need that on a gaming laptop, but everyone loves an extra option.
Lenovo has opted to keep its IPS display for this generation but has vastly improved its color separation.
Theres also an anti-glare covering that works particularly hard to keep reflections away from your screen.
Lenovo has paid the same level of attention to the Legion Pro 7i Gen 9s keyboard.
Instead, theres a good amount of balancing between each key, and the RGB shines through beautifully.
The trackpad is a little smaller than I was expecting, but is still comfortable and smooth to use.
Time Spy saw the best success for the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9.
However, it was in-game benchmarks that truly showcased the speed of the Legion.
Not bad for a machine that doesnt feel like a cumbersome rig.
QHD+ performance dropped slightly in some games and more drastically in others.
Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i?
That makes for excellent value for money overall, especially when youre still getting the display quality to match.
Its only real competition in the 16-inch space is the Razer Blade 16.
With its OLED panel and slimline design, the Blade 16 is the best 16-incher on the market still.
The Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 has been my favorite gaming laptop for a long time now.
This is a far more subtle gadget with an aesthetic that doesnt scream gaudy gamer quite so loudly.
It performs better across a range of tests with only slightly newer hardware under the hood.
Its also around $400 cheaper in its RTX 4080 configuration.
I also performed the same in-game benchmark tests as I do with all gaming laptops that pass my desk.
An average framerate result is taken from each set of three runs at different resolution and graphics parameters.
For more information onhow we test gaming laptops, check out the fullGamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.
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