Lenovo Pro 9 16 G11 Aura runs much quieter on Balanced mode for only a small hit to graphics performance

Owners of high performance laptops will obviously want all the performance that their systems can offer. However, OEMs often lock these maximum performance levels behind power profiles with the loudest fan settings. Depending on how loud the fans can be, lower power profiles may be worth considering for the quieter user experience.

The recent Lenovo Pro 9i 16IPH11 is a perfect example. The model ships with a 100 W GeForce RTX GPU that averages 91 W when gaming on Performance mode, but it otherwise averages just 67 W when gaming on Balanced mode for a 10 percent performance deficit. The fans, however, would run significantly quieter in the 40 to 42 dB(A) range if on Balanced mode compared to 50 dB(A) if on Performance mode. In this case, the massive difference in fan noise may be worth the small hit to frame rates as the 50 dB(A) range can be distracting without a good pair of headphones in our experience.

The low 40 dB(A) range is generally quieter than many dedicated gaming laptops as well. The Alienware 16 Area-51, for example, hovers in the high 40 dB(A) range when set to Performance mode to be noticeably louder than the Lenovo on the same power profile setting. Of course, the larger Alienware system is also the much faster machine.

More benchmarks and comparisons can be found on our full review of the Lenovo Pro 9i 16IPH11.