Dell Alienware X16 vs Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 Comparison

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Dell Alienware X16

16 inches | January 2023

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Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8

16 inches | September 2023

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Dell Alienware X16 vs Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 Comparison Overview

Dell Alienware X16

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Lenovo Legion 9i Gen...

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Dell Alienware X16

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Lenovo Legion 9i Gen...

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In this review, we will be comparing Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8, two laptops from Dell and Lenovo. Dell Alienware X16 was introduced to market in January 2023 and Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 was launched in September 2023. There is only 8 months difference between Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of Dell Alienware X16 and Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Dell Alienware X16 Key Specs

Launched in January 2023
16.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 13620H
GPU: GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
364.74 x 289.81 x 18.57 mm (14.36 x 11.41 x 0.73 inches)
Weight: 2.72 kg (6 lbs)

Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 Key Specs

Launched in September 2023
16.0" Mini LED, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i9 13980HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile 12GB
32GB Ram
357.7 x 277.7 x 18.99-22.7 mm (14.08 x 10.93 x 0.75-0.89 inches)
Weight: 2.55 kg (5.62 lbs)

Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 was replaced by Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 9 2024. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 9 2024 vs Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8
Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 9 2024 vs Dell Alienware X16

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Alienware X16 and Legion 9i 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 Dell Alienware X16 over Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8

Refresh Rate	480 Hz vs 165 Hz	Smoother media experience
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Faster USB-C connection
Display Port	Yes vs No	Option to use Display port to connect to external monitors
Key Travel	1.8 mm vs 1.5 mm	Better typing feel

Reasons to choose Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 over Dell Alienware X16

Weight	2.55 kg vs 2.72 kg	0.17 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~74.7% vs ~70.2%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	6.5 mm vs 10.1 mm	3.6 mm thinner bezels
Screen PPI	236 ppi vs 142 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	3200 x 2000 pixels vs 1920 x 1200 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
DCI-P3 Color Gamut	100% vs 99%	Wider DCI-P3 Color Gamut
Max Brightness	1200 nits vs 300 nits	Brighter Screen
GPU FLOPS	24.7 TFLOPS vs 9.5 TFLOPS	More RAM Options
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs No	More advanced Wi-fi connectivity
WiFi Standard	v7 vs v6E	Connects to the local network via Ethernet RJ45
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs No	Fast way to input numbers
Numeric Pad	Yes vs No

Common Strengths of Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 and Dell Alienware X16

Launch Dates	January 2023 vs September 2023	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
HDR Support	Yes, Dolby Vision vs Yes, Dolby Vision	Watch HDR Clips
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 4.0 (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
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Built-in SD Card Reader	Yes vs Yes	Read & Write SD Cards
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 and Dell Alienware X16

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability

Dell Alienware X16 vs Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Dell Alienware X16 and the Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.72 kg (6 lbs)	2.55 kg (5.62 lbs)
Surface Area	1057 cm2 (163.8 inches2)	993 cm2 (153.9 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~70.2%	~74.7%
Side Bezel Thickness	~10.1 mm	~6.5 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.17 kg/inch	0.16 kg/inch
	0.374 lbs/inch	0.352 lbs/inch
Colors	Black, Silver	Black

Comparison of the Dell Alienware X16 and the Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 External Dimensions

Weight

Alienware X16 weighs 2.72 kg (6 lbs), whereas the Legion 9i Gen 8 weighs 2.55 kg (5.62 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 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell Alienware X16 2.72 kg

Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 2.55 kg

Min 1.17 kg

Average 2.07 kg

Max 3.00 kg

Thickness Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell Alienware X16 18.57 mm

Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 22.70 mm

Min 12.30 mm

Average 20.35 mm

Max 30.80 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 Dell Alienware X16 is 0.17 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 is 0.16 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

Dell Alienware X16 vs Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i7 13620H Intel Core i7 13700H Intel Core i9 13900HK	Intel Core i9 13980HX
Base Frequency	2.4 GHz	2.2 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.9 GHz	5.6 GHz
Number of Cores	10	24
Number of Threads	16	32
L3 Cache	24 MB	36 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (64EU)	Intel UHD Graphics (32EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1796	2103
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	11376	20352
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1816	2199
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	15497	31359

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 Dell Alienware X16 and Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8.

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

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 13620H

Laptops with: Intel Core i9 13980HX

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile 12GB GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 16GB	GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile 12GB GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 16GB
Base Clock Frequency	1455 MHz	1290 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1755 MHz	1665 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	50 W	110 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes, Advanced Optimus	MUX
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	8.986 TFLOPS	24.72 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	12 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	96 bit	192 bit
Memory Speed	2000 MHz 16 Gbps effective	2250 MHz 18 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	2560	7424
TMUs	80	232
ROPs	48	80

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. Dell Alienware X16 has a FLOPS value of 9.5 TFLOPS whereas the Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 ' has a FLOPS value of 24.7 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Dell Alienware X16 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB	32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x16 GB
RAM Clock	6400 MHz	6400 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR5	DDR5
Upgradable	No	Yes
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

The Legion 9i Gen 8 provides a larger RAM capacity of 32 GB, which allows for smoother multitasking and improved performance in memory-demanding tasks compared to the Alienware X16's RAM capacity of 16 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	Dell Alienware X16	Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✔ Good performance.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	⚠ Can run using CPU + RAM fallback. Expect slower performance.
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	90 Wh	99.9 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Ion	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	Yes
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Bottom	Bottom
Charge Power	240 / 330 W	330 W
Full Charging Time	2:00 hr	1:20 hr
Cable Length	1 meters

On the other hand, the Legion 9i Gen 8 features a higher battery capacity of 100 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the Alienware X16's 90 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell Alienware X16 90 Wh

Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 100 Wh

Min 38.00 Wh

Average 74.15 Wh

Max 100.00 Wh

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 4 TB, the Alienware X16 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Legion 9i Gen 8's max. storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	2
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.

Dell Alienware X16 vs Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Dell Alienware X16 and Lenovo Legion 9i 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 Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8 screens have the same size of 16.0".The total usable screen area of the Alienware X16 is 742cm² / 115inch² whereas the Legion 9i Gen 8's total usable screen area is 742cm² / 115inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Legion 9i Gen 8 features a higher pixel density with 236 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell Alienware X16 142 ppi

Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 236 ppi

Min 137 PPI

Average 169 PPI

Max 283.00 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Alienware X16 offers a higher refresh rate of 480 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Both Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8 boast the same response time of 3.0 ms.

Brightness
The Legion 9i Gen 8 offers a higher maximum brightness of 1200 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Displays size 16.0-16.9 inches

Dell Alienware X16 300 nits

Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 1200 nits

Min

40 nits

Average 413 nits

Max 1250.00 nits

Dell Alienware X16 vs Lenovo Legion 9i Gen 8 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Legion 9i Gen 8 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v7, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Alienware X16 (v6E).

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
Both Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8 feature 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8 have USB Type-C ports. Alienware X16 has 3x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while Legion 9i Gen 8 has 3x 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
Both Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8 are equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports.

HDMI
Both Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8 feature an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors.

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
Both Alienware X16 and Legion 9i Gen 8 come with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards.

Audio Jack
Both Alienware X16 and Legion 9i 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)	v6E	v7
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.3	v5.3
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	3x USB 4.0	3x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	1x v1.4	No
VGA	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes