Dell XPS 16 (2026) vs Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9)
58.1Performance54.1
38.4Display39.9
60Battery73.3
67.5Portability35.7
5 spec wins — Dell XPS 16 (2026)4 spec wins — Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9)
InnoReviews verdict
Dell XPS 16 (2026) wins this laptop face-off, 55.3 to 51.5, pulling ahead mainly in portability (+32) and performance (+4). Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9) still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the Dell XPS 16 (2026)
- Stronger performance score: 58 vs 54
- Stronger portability score: 68 vs 36
- 100% higher RAM: 32 GB vs 16 GB
- 43% higher Peak brightness: 500 nits vs 350 nits
- 39% lower thickness: 15.4 mm vs 25.2 mm
Reasons to pick the Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9)
- Stronger battery score: 73 vs 60
- 130% higher charging: 230 W vs 100 W
- 38% higher Refresh rate: 165 Hz vs 120 Hz
- 14% higher capacity: 80 Wh vs 70 Wh
- Lower launch price: $1,399 vs $2,200
Display
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16 ″ | 16 ″ |
| Panel type | IPS LCD (3.2K tandem OLED touchscreen optional) | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920x1200 | 2560x1600 |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 165 Hz+38% |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits+43% | 350 nits |
Performance
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra X7 358H | Intel Core i7-14650HX |
| Graphics | Intel Arc B390 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU (8GB, 140W) |
| RAM | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM type | LPDDR5X-9600 (soldered) | DDR5-5600 (2x SO-DIMM) |
| Storage | 1,024 GB | 1,024 GB |
| Storage type | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (2 slots) |
Benchmarks
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9) |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 2,903+2%Top 32% | 2,856Top 38% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,943Top 28% | 17,201+2%Top 25% |
Battery
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 70 Wh | 80 Wh+14% |
| Charging | 100 W | 230 W+130% |
Design
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1.74 kg+26% | 2.36 kg |
| Thickness | 15.4 mm+39% | 25.2 mm |
| Material | CNC machined aluminum, Gorilla Glass 3 palm rest | Aluminum lid, PC-ABS base |
Connectivity
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C, DisplayPort 2.1, Power Delivery), 3.5mm audio jack | 2x USB-C 10Gbps (both with DisplayPort 1.4, one with 140W power input), 3x USB-A 5Gbps (one always-on), HDMI 2.1, Gigabit Ethernet, microSD card reader, 3.5mm combo jack |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.2 |
| Webcam | 8MP (1440p video) + IR camera | 1080p with e-shutter |
| Biometrics | IR face (Windows Hello) | None |
Software
| Spec | Dell XPS 16 (2026) | Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 9 (16IRX9) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
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