Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 Comparison

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch

14 inches | October 2020

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8

14 inches | December 2022

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8, two laptops by Lenovo. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch was introduced to market in October 2020 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 was launched in December 2022. As you can see, IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch is 2 years older than IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8. Let's see if this age difference between two laptops makes a big difference.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 are members of Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x 2-in-1 14â€³ Gen 10	September 2024	14.0"	313 x 227 x 17.5 mm	1.49 kg (3.29 lbs)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 15â€³ Gen 10	September 2024	15.3"	339.33 x 236 x 15.6 mm	1.49 kg (3.29 lbs)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 16 inch	January 2024	16.0"	356 x 251 x 16.9 mm	1.89 kg (4.17 lbs)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 16 , Gen 9	January 2024	16.0"	359.3 x 257 x 17.9 mm	1.74 kg (3.84 lbs)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 9	January 2024	14.0"	324.3 x 213.8 x 17.9 mm	1.37 kg (3.02 lbs)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 , Gen 9	January 2024	15.6"	359.3 x 235 x 17.9 mm	1.62 kg (3.57 lbs)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 14â€³ Gen 9	January 2024	14.0"	312 x 221 x 16.9 mm	1.46 kg (3.22 lbs)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8	December 2022	14.0"	324.3 x 213 x 17.9 mm	1.31 kg (2.89 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch Key Specs

Launched in October 2020
14.0" TouchScreen - IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 1135G7
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)
8GB Ram
318 x 200.9 x 13.9 mm (12.52 x 7.91 x 0.55 inches)
Weight: 1.2 kg (2.65 lbs)

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 Key Specs

Launched in December 2022
14.0" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i3 N305
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics (32 EU)
4GB Ram
324.3 x 213 x 17.9 mm (12.77 x 8.39 x 0.7 inches)
Weight: 1.31 kg (2.89 lbs)

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 was replaced by lenovo-ideapad-slim-3i-15-gen-9. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
lenovo-ideapad-slim-3i-15-gen-9 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8
lenovo-ideapad-slim-3i-15-gen-9 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch over Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 Gen 8

Weight	1.20 kg vs 1.31 kg	0.11 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~84.5% vs ~78.2%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	4.1 mm vs 7.2 mm	3.1 mm thinner bezels
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Interact with your fingers
Max Brightness	400 nits vs 250 nits	Brighter Screen
GPU FLOPS	1.41 TFLOPS vs 0.74 TFLOPS	Flexible cable positions
Charging Port Position	Left, Right vs Left	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-C Ports	3x USB 4.0 vs 1x USB 3.2	Faster USB-C connection
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No

Reasons to choose Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 Gen 8 over Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch

Screen Type	Matte vs Glossy	potentially less reflections on screen
RAM Type	LPDDR5 vs LPDDR4X	Faster RAM Type
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	Faster RAM
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Camera
HDMI Port	1x HDMI 1.4 vs No	Connect to external monitors directly via HDMI cable
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader

Common Strengths of Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 Gen 8 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch

Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Dolby Atmos Support	Yes vs Yes	3D Surround Sound Support
Wi-Fi Standard	v6 vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Bluetooth Standard	v5.1 vs v5.1	Fast and Reliable Bluetooth Connections
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 Gen 8 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch

Upgradable RAM	No vs No	No Option to increase the RAM size

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.2 kg (2.65 lbs)	1.31 kg (2.89 lbs)
Surface Area	639 cm2 (99 inches2)	691 cm2 (107.1 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~84.5%	~78.2%
Side Bezel Thickness	~4.1 mm	~7.2 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.09 kg/inch	0.09 kg/inch
	0.198 lbs/inch	0.198 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Gray, Blue

Comparison of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 External Dimensions

Weight

IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch weighs 1.2 kg (2.65 lbs), whereas the IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 weighs 1.31 kg (2.89 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. The weight difference between the two laptops is not significant.

Weight Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch 1.20 kg

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 1.31 kg

Min 0.88 kg

Average 1.42 kg

Max 2.19 kg

Thickness Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch 13.90 mm

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 17.90 mm

Min 8.40 mm

Average 17.12 mm

Max 32.50 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch is 0.09 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 is 0.09 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i5 1135G7 Intel Core i7 1165G7	Intel Core i3 N305 Intel Core i3 1305U Intel Core i3 1315U Intel Core i5 1335U Intel Core i7 1355U
Base Frequency	0.9-2.4 GHz	0 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.2 GHz
Number of Cores	4	8
Number of Threads	8	8
L3 Cache	8 MB	6 MB
Integrated GPU	Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EU	Intel UHD Graphics (32EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1324	1100
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	4633	4662
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1355	1220
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	5087	3625

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 1135G7

Laptops with: Intel Core i3 N305

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)	Intel UHD Graphics (32 EU)
Base Clock Frequency	300 MHz	300 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1100 MHz	1400 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	15 W	45 W
Type	Integrated	Integrated
FLOPS	1,408 GFLOPS	0.74 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	System Shared
Memory Type	System Shared	LPDDR5
Memory Bus	System Shared
Memory Speed	System Shared	4.8 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	640	256
TMUs	40	16
ROPs	20	8

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch has a FLOPS value of 1.41 TFLOPS whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 ' has a FLOPS value of 0.74 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB	4GB 8GB 16GB
Memory Bus	2x4 GB	1x4 GB
RAM Clock	4266 MHz	4800 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR4X	LPDDR5
Upgradable	No	No
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 3.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

With a larger RAM capacity of 8 GB, the IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8's RAM capacity of 4 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i (14”)	Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i (14", Gen 8)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✖ Not supported.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	63.5 Wh	47 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	No
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left, Right	Left
Charge Power	65 W	65 W
Full Charging Time	2:50 hr
AC Adapter Weight	270 gramm

Moreover, the IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch boasts a larger battery capacity of 64 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8's47 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch 64 Wh

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 47 Wh

Min 32.00 Wh

Average 55.79 Wh

Max 90.00 Wh

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 2 TB, the IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8's max. storage capacity of 1 TB.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Both IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 screens have the same size of 14.0".The total usable screen area of the IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch is 540cm² / 84inch² whereas the IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8's total usable screen area is 540cm² / 84inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Both IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 feature the same pixel density with 157 pixels per inch (PPI).

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch 157 ppi

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 157 ppi

Min 112 PPI

Average 173 PPI

Max 323.00 PPI

Refresh Rate
Both IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 offer the same refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Brightness
The IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch offers a higher maximum brightness of 400 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch 400 nits

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 250 nits

Min

200 nits

Average 383 nits

Max 1200.00 nits

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both laptops offer the same Wi-Fi standard (v6), ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 is equipped with 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports. IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch does not have USB-A ports.
Both IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 have USB Type-C ports. IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch has 3x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 has 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 features an HDMI port (1x HDMI 1.4) for connecting to external monitors. IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch does not have an HDMI port.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both IdeaPad Slim 9i 14-inch and IdeaPad Slim 3i 14 , Gen 8 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.1	v5.1
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	No	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	3x USB 4.0	1x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	No
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	No	1x HDMI 1.4
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	Optional
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	No
SD CardReader	No	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	No	Yes