Content material creation has undergone an enormous change over the previous decade. What as soon as could have been a pastime for somebody who wished to submit movies on a YouTube channel has instantly turn out to be a real profession, and the instruments wanted have developed since these early days. Portability and energy are a should, and Apple has been the corporate to beat for the longest time in that regard. For critical creators, nevertheless, the Lenovo Professional 9i AE Gen 11 is value maintaining a tally of, because it delivers unbelievable efficiency in a relatively transportable kind issue.
Geared up with an Intel Core Extremely 9 386H, a beautiful 16-inch 3.2K (3200×2000) OLED contact display screen show, and an NVIDIA RTX 5060, there is a cause why Lenovo determined to land on the “Aura Version” branding. Whereas the general design of this laptop computer performs it secure, relatively than leaning into the extra bombastic “gamer” centric aptitude that some could count on with the specs, the Aura that this gadget exudes comes from the within. It is an funding, for positive, but it surely’s additionally a laptop computer I might see creatives utilizing for the foreseeable future, because of its future-proofed specs and loads of punch.
9/10
Working System
Home windows 11
CPU
Intel Core Extremely 9 386H
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop computer GPU with 8GB GDDR7 and an 85W TGP
RAM
32GB of LPDDR5X-7467 dual-channel reminiscence
The Lenovo Professional 9i Aura Version is a transportable 16-inch laptop computer that includes a 3.2K Tandem OLED touchscreen show designed for skilled, color-critical work. It’s powered by an Intel Core Extremely 9 386H processor, consists of 32GB of RAM, and comes with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A ports, a full-sized SD card reader, HDMI 2.1, and a headphone jack. The Thunder Gray aluminum chassis is each sturdy and carbon-neutral licensed, and the gadget contains a distinctive haptic Pressure Pad that acts as a devoted drawing floor when used with the Yoga Pen Gen 2.
Execs & Cons
- Yoga Pen Gen 2 is included & works nice
- Stunning display screen and spectacular specs
- Surprisingly succesful for gaming
- Aura is inside, as the surface is relatively plain
- It is an funding
- Display screen does have glare in shiny rooms
Lenovo supplied a loaner Lenovo Professional 9i AE Gen 11 for the sake of assessment. The corporate had no enter on this article and didn’t see it earlier than publishing.
Lenovo Professional 9i AE Gen 11 Worth and Availability
How a lot is one thing like this going to price?
The Lenovo Professional 9i AE Gen 11 begins at $2,799 with a 2.8K show, NVIDIA GeForce 5050, and a 170W Slim energy adapter. The supplied mannequin contains a 3.2K OLED show, NVIDIA GeForce 5060 GPU, and a 245W Slim AC adapter, which might elevate the value to $3,099. All fashions embody an Intel Core Extremely 9 386H, with no choice to improve the CPU or RAM. As with most new laptops, there may be additionally a Copilot key that may be remapped, together with an NPU 5.0 AI Engine that delivers as much as 50 TOPS for AI-centric creation. Pairing a Panther Lake processor with a strong laptop computer GPU and NPU, it is able to tackling advanced AI duties whereas sustaining effectivity and energy, with out inflicting an enormous drain on the 92.5Wh Li-ion battery. You may get this laptop computer instantly from Lenovo, or from big-box shops like Finest Purchase.
The Aura comes from inside, not from the outside
The outside is relatively plain, however the innards are beastly
Credit score: Shaun Cichacki/MUO
Imitation is the sincerest type of flattery, and the Lenovo Professional 9i AE attracts closely on the MacBook line of PCs in its design philosophy. Rounded edges, an extremely skinny design, and a modest total look make it much less flashy than a few of its contemporaries, however the “Aura” moniker does not actually match how the gadget seems to be. As a substitute, the Aura it claims comes from inside, alongside further options this laptop computer helps for the extra creative-minded amongst us.
Credit score: Shaun Cichacki/MUO
If you happen to’ve used a laptop computer keyboard, you may be acquainted with what this laptop computer has to supply. It is obtained 1.5mm of journey when urgent on the keys, providing a satisfying typing really feel. Backlit keys make writing, creating, or gaming in a darker room as straightforward as you’d count on. The Pressure Pad is kind of unbelievable to expertise, ditching the extra “mechanical” really feel of earlier Yoga laptops and as a substitute changing it with haptics that will really feel proper at residence within the Apple ecosystem. Pair that with the included Lenovo Pen Gen 2, and you have got your self a 95 x 150mm pad that can be utilized as a pressure-sensitive pad for signing paperwork, drawing, or something in between.
Credit score: Shaun Cichacki/MUO
Whereas not extremely flashy, the facility inside comes from an absurdly skinny and total compact bundle. The 9i AE is roughly 14.20 x 9.80 x 0.68 inches total, making it straightforward to hold wherever you go along with an total weight of 4.19 lbs, because of the Aluminum development. It solely is available in one shade, Thunder Grey, but it surely does look admittedly very good.
It additionally options 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports with help for DP 2.1 and Energy Supply, 2 USB-A (10Gbps, one is At all times On), an HDMI 2.1 output that helps as much as 8K/60Hz, alongside an SD card reader/author and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack. Whereas this does not function the pill mode that different Lenovo laptops provide, the three.2K OLED show additionally doubles as a touchscreen. One factor to bear in mind, nevertheless, is that the display screen might be vulnerable to glare in brighter rooms, and is a little bit of a fingerprint magnet in case you plan on using contact.
Credit score: Shaun Cichacki/MUO
Whereas a 92.5Wh battery does not sound like a lot on paper, it takes rather a lot to place this laptop computer out of enterprise. Even whereas operating 3D Mark benchmarks unplugged and on battery, watching 4K movies on YouTube, it took what felt like perpetually for the battery to lastly wind right down to nothing. Much more spectacular, with the 245W charger, I used to be capable of get from 0 to 80% battery in one hour and 7 minutes. Lenovo states that the charger can present as much as 3 hours of use in quarter-hour, however that will be if I have been operating it on Energy Effectivity mode.
Working System
Home windows 11
CPU
Intel Core Extremely 9 386H
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop computer GPU with 8GB GDDR7 and an 85W TGP
RAM
32GB of LPDDR5X-7467 dual-channel reminiscence
Storage
1TB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe 4.0×4 NVMe
Battery
92.5Wh Li-ion battery
Show (Measurement, Decision)
16-inch Tandem OLED contact display screen with a 16:10 side ratio and a 120Hz most refresh fee
Digital camera
5.0MP + IR digicam
Audio system
4 2W dual-side woofers and two 2W tweeters
Colours
Thunder Gray
Ports
2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x SD card reader, 1x 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
Community
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be 2×2) and Bluetooth 5.4
Dimensions
360.8 x 248.9 x 17.3 mm
Weight
4.19 lbs
A blinding display screen and nice audio system make it nice for content material
Credit score: Shaun Cichacki/MUO
I’ve grown accustomed to utilizing an OLED show each day, as my desktop sports activities a 27-inch display screen as my fundamental show. However even after treating myself to the inky blacks and vibrant colours of my fundamental show, I used to be totally shocked at how crisp and exquisite the 16-inch 16:10 3.2K show on the Professional 9i AE is. For many who favor to work at the hours of darkness, as I do, the show can also be Eyesafe Licensed 2.0, that means it’s designed to cut back total blue gentle emissions. It is also flicker-free to keep away from further eye pressure throughout lengthy inventive classes. Pair this with Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR help, and you have got one in all, if not the most effective, shows in the marketplace presently. It is also VESA Licensed DisplayHDR True Black 1,000, making certain correct distinction and professional-level shade accuracy for picture and video enhancing.
Audio, alternatively, was simply as stunning. Perhaps it is as a result of I am not used to utilizing higher-end laptops, however the sound high quality was genuinely stunning right here. Meaty bass, nice treble and tone throughout, and a complete of 6 audio system inside this skinny chassis all sounded improbable. 4 dual-sided 2W woofers and two 2W tweeters, powered by a sensible amplifier, make the case for utilizing the system sound as a substitute of a pair of headphones, whether or not I am listening to benchmarks or pumping my favourite music by means of it. Dolby Atmos gives professional-grade audio, and a slew of customization choices through Aura Version Good Modes or Dolby Atmos profiles will permit audiophiles to tweak issues as they see match.
For the value, the digicam was a contact disappointing. It is a 5MP sensor with a fixed-focus lens, offering an image that may be summarized as “adequate”. It is not nice by any means, particularly in case you’ve used a standalone webcam previously, but it surely will get the job achieved for a fast assembly or two. A bodily slider on the aspect of the chassis allowed me to dam the digicam once I wished, which is nice for privacy-minded people who don’t need their laptop computer to all the time be watching.
Associated
OLED Burn-In Hits Laptops Exhausting—Right here’s Learn how to Keep away from It
Your beautiful laptop computer show is prone to dropping its shine.
A real gaming and content material creation beast
For one thing meant as a content material creation suite, it is no slouch for gaming
Now, once I take into consideration what a laptop computer is able to on the gaming entrance, I take into consideration RGB-infused laptops that look, sound, and really feel like a battle tank able to roll into battle. Nonetheless, the Lenovo Professional 9i AE does not match that invoice in any respect. As a substitute, this shockingly skinny laptop computer took my expectations for a 3D Mark and Geekbench benchmark and threw them in opposition to the wall. It is a small and mighty little laptop computer with a surprisingly punchy pairing of energy and portability, and one thing that may run even fashionable video games nicely sufficient to shock most potential purchasers. Whereas not as spectacular in Energy Effectivity Mode, the Professional 9i AE shines when untethered and operating in Energy modes.
I made a decision besides up Cyberpunk 2077 to run a basic benchmark, as nicely. Seeing as I wished to push the inner NVIDIA 5060 to its limits, I ran the benchmark at 3200 x 2000, windowed borderless with the Ray-tracing Low preset. Working the Transformer mannequin of DLSS upscaling, I averaged 38FPS with a minimal FPS of 33 and a max of 45. Working at roughly 4K on a laptop computer that’s not devoted to gaming, I am extremely impressed with this stage of efficiency, and dipping right down to 1440p or decrease would lead to even higher FPS. This helps solidify it as a improbable choice for creators and avid gamers alike.
Geekbench 6, 3D Mark, and CrystalDiskMark Benchmarks
The tech specs that matter to you
Credit score: Shaun Cichacki/MUO
Now, it is time for the technical jargon. If you are going to be spending this a lot cash on a laptop computer, I wished to make sure that I used to be testing it beneath any kind of stress doable. On the battery, I stored the Battery Effectivity choice to get probably the most day out of the battery as doable. Whereas plugged in, I wished it to go as arduous as doable. You will discover my outcomes beneath, and the adjustments are relatively astounding.
Geekbench 6 Benchmark
Class
On Battery (Outcomes)
Plugged In (Outcomes)
% Acquire (Plugged In)
Single-Core CPU
1,193
2,806
+135.2%
Multi-Core CPU
9,702
16,571
+70.8%
GPU (OpenCL)
25,321
112,715
+345.1%
3DMark Time Spy Outcomes
Metric
Battery (Energy Effectivity)
Plugged In (Excessive Energy)
% Change (Acquire)
General Rating
2,285
11,242
+392.0%
Graphics Rating
2,017
10,817
+436.3%
CPU Rating
9,350
14,471
+54.8%
3DMark Hearth Strike Outcomes
Metric
Battery (Energy Effectivity)
Plugged In (Excessive Energy)
% Change (Acquire)
General Rating
5,901
25,765
+336.6%
Graphics Rating
6,181
29,917
+384.0%
Physics Rating
18,447
28,553
+54.8%
Mixed Rating
2,501
11,761
+370.3%
CrystalDiskMark Benchmarks
Check Class
Metric
Battery (Outcomes)
Plugged In (Outcomes)
% Acquire (Plugged In)
SEQ1M Q8T1
Learn (MB/s)
6,514.67
6,602.83
+1.4%
(Massive File Switch)
Write (MB/s)
2,943.81
5,817.56
+97.6%
SEQ1M Q1T1
Learn (MB/s)
995.57
3,677.41
+269.4%
(Single Thread Seq)
Write (MB/s)
716.95
2,069.65
+188.7%
RND4K Q32T1
Learn (MB/s)
387.05
554.48
+43.3%
(Deep Queue Random)
Write (MB/s)
73.97
429.29
+480.4%
RND4K Q1T1
Learn (MB/s)
40.46
77.90
+92.5%
(System Snappiness)
Write (MB/s)
5.73
143.54
+2,405.1%
Is that this the laptop computer for you?
You can purchase the Lenovo Professional 9i AE Gen 11 if:
- Content material creation is part of your each day life
- You desire a sturdy, future-proofed rig for creating
- You benefit from the concept of loads of pluggable USB spots
You need to not purchase the Lenovo Professional 9i AE Gen 11 if:
-
You are primarily centered on gaming
- It does it nicely, however does content material creation/AI duties higher
- You are searching for one thing flashy
Whereas the Lenovo Professional 9i AE Gen 11 could price as a lot as a used automotive, it no less than has the oomph to again up the value that it calls for. Content material creators have typically struggled to discover a good Home windows laptop computer that may deal with advanced video enhancing and correct picture enhancing, and that battle could lastly come to an finish right here. The Lenovo Professional 9i AE Gen 11 is an unbelievable addition to the Lenovo lineup and needs to be on the radar of anybody hoping to take their content material creation desires to the following stage.
The beautiful display screen, paired with the Lenovo Pen Gen 2 and its drawing pad capabilities, makes this a compelling argument in opposition to Apple and its lineup of creation instruments. It is absurdly highly effective, transportable, but additionally absurdly costly. That being mentioned, although? It is an funding I might be completely happy to make if content material creation as a significant a part of my each day life.
Working System
Home windows 11
CPU
Intel Core Extremely 9 386H
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop computer GPU with 8GB GDDR7 and an 85W TGP
RAM
32GB of LPDDR5X-7467 dual-channel reminiscence
