The laptop market has seen a surge in affordable options boasting premium features. OLED displays, once exclusive to high-end machines, are now gracing laptops priced under $1,000. Lenovo’s Slim 7i Gen 9 exemplifies this trend, offering an OLED display and powerful Meteor Lake chipset at a compelling price point. While its performance impresses, its battery life unfortunately lags behind the competition.
Design and Build: Comfortable and Robust
alt
Lenovo has moved away from its traditional ThinkPad aesthetics, embracing a more modern design language. The Slim 7i Gen 9 features rounded edges, contributing to both comfort and a touch of elegance. The minimalist Luna Gray chassis and lighter keyboard create a clean, understated look. It stacks up well against competitors like the Asus Zenbook 14 Q425 and Apple MacBook Air.
Built with solid aluminum, the Slim 7i Gen 9 exhibits no flex or bending. The build quality is impressive for a laptop in this price range. While the Zenbook 14 Q425 and MacBook Air are also well-constructed, the Lenovo’s robustness is noteworthy.
alt
Slim display bezels, complemented by a reverse notch housing the webcam, maximize screen real estate. This design contrasts with the MacBook Air’s intrusive notch. The Slim 7i Gen 9 is comparable in size to the Zenbook 14 Q425, but slightly heavier. The MacBook Air, while thinner and lighter, has a smaller display.
Keyboard, Touchpad, and Other Features
alt
The keyboard provides a comfortable typing experience thanks to large keycaps, good spacing, and responsive switches with ample travel. While not quite matching Apple’s Magic Keyboard, it comes close in terms of long-term typing comfort. The mechanical touchpad, although not haptic like the ThinkPad Z13’s, functions efficiently.
A dedicated Microsoft Copilot key provides access to cloud-based generative AI. With the Meteor Lake chipset’s NPU, this key could potentially unlock on-device AI capabilities in the future. Microsoft Studio Effects, accessible via the 1080p webcam, currently offer limited AI functionality. The webcam also features infrared for Windows 11 Hello facial recognition.
alt
alt
Connectivity includes Thunderbolt 4 and legacy ports, but unfortunately lacks an SD card reader. The Slim 7i Gen 9 supports Wi-Fi 6E, but not the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard.
Performance: Impressive Power
alt
Powered by the 28-watt Core Ultra 7 155H, the Slim 7i Gen 9 delivers impressive performance. This 16-core processor, coupled with Intel Arc graphics, outperforms previous-generation Intel chips in benchmarks. It excels in the PCMark 10 Complete benchmark, particularly in GPU-intensive tasks.
alt
Despite its performance prowess, the Slim 7i Gen 9 remains relatively cool and quiet. Fan noise is manageable even under load, and the chassis temperature stays within comfortable limits. While not a gaming laptop, it handles demanding productivity tasks with ease. The Intel Arc graphics are capable for general use, but fall short for serious content creation.
| Geekbench 5 (Single/Multi) | Handbrake (seconds) | Cinebench R23 (Single/Multi) | PCMark 10 Complete | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo Slim 7i Gen 9 (Core Ultra 7 155H) | Bal: 1,739 / 11,870 Perf: 1,721 / 11,818 | Bal: 111 Perf: 78 | Bal: 1,764 / 11,517 Perf: 1,808 / 13,647 | 6,658 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 (Core Ultra 7 155H) | … | … | … | … |
| … | … | … | … | … |
Battery Life: A Disappointing Shortcoming
Despite the lower-resolution Full HD+ OLED display, the Slim 7i Gen 9’s 65 watt-hour battery delivers disappointing results. In our web browsing test, it lasted just six hours, considerably shorter than the eight-hour average for modern laptops. The Asus Zenbook 14 Q425 and M3 MacBook Air 13 significantly outperform it in this area. Video playback time is equally disappointing. Expect to reach for the charger frequently.
Display and Audio: OLED Quality with Lower Resolution
alt
The Slim 7i Gen 9’s FHD+ OLED display, while offering vibrant colors and deep blacks, has a lower resolution than many competitors. The sharpness of text may be a concern for some users. Color accuracy and brightness are excellent, but the 60Hz refresh rate is lower than the 120Hz seen on other laptops.
alt
The four-speaker audio system, while delivering decent sound quality, lacks volume. While mids and highs are clear, and there’s a hint of bass, the overall audio experience is underwhelming compared to other 14-inch laptops.
Conclusion: A Solid Choice, but Consider Battery Life
The Lenovo Slim 7i Gen 9 offers a compelling combination of performance, features, and affordability. Its strong performance, excellent keyboard, and vibrant OLED display are highlights. However, the subpar battery life is a significant drawback. If battery endurance is a priority, consider alternatives. If a lower price point becomes available, the Slim 7i Gen 9 could be an even more attractive option.
