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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is known for its sleek design, high-quality Retina display, solid build quality, and a reliable operating system suited for professionals in creative fields, programmers, and general users who prefer macOS. It offers good battery life and portability but comes with a premium price tag. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" leans towards gamers and users needing higher processing power for tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, with its superior graphics card and larger screen size. However, it's generally heavier and may not have as long battery life as the MacBook Pro, making it less portable. If your priority is portability and you are embedded in the Apple ecosystem or prefer macOS, the MacBook Pro may be worth the extra cost. If you're looking for performance, particularly for gaming or intensive tasks, and don't mind a bulkier laptop with possibly shorter battery life, the Lenovo Legion 5 would be the better economic choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Best in class battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 15"
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.9
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 with its M1 GPU is equipped for modest 3D tasks and benefits from a silent, fanless design but is limited by lower GPU power and a 60Hz refresh rate, making it less suitable for high-end gaming or intensive 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.3
8.2
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5, with a more advanced CPU and double the RAM, offers superior performance for engineering and design tasks compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 13 that uses its in-house CPU and GPU, which, while competent, fall short for very intensive tasks. Additionally, the Lenovo's dedicated Nvidia GPU and higher RAM complement engineering software better, but the MacBook Pro provides a higher quality screen and portability, with its lightweight design and silent operation.
Screen Quality
7.6
8.0
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 15" for engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is sought after for general use because it combines a high-resolution Retina display with great brightness and color accuracy. Its appeal for engineering and design lies in its wide color gamut, offering precise hues that professionals need. However, for 3D applications, its standard refresh rate limits the smoothness of fast-moving visuals, which is less ideal compared to laptops with higher refresh rates designed for such tasks.
Battery
20.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has 4 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.6
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$999
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" costs $999.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
20.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Legion 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its Apple M1 processor, high screen quality, and long battery life is highly suitable for general use, boasting great portability due to its low weight and sleek form factor. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" offers a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, which is advantageous for heavier tasks, along with better heat management and a higher refresh rate screen, yet it's less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.8
7.4
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Legion 5 15" are both good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.8
7.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and Lenovo Legion 5 15" are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) | Lenovo Legion 5 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,249 | $999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.61'' | 14.1'' x 10.3'' x 0.95'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3 lbs | 5.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 10.33" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 20 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58.2 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | N/A | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | June 2022
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
Lenovo Legion 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | September 2021
"The Lenovo Legion 5 15 is an affordable gaming laptop with a lot of power. The new AMD processor Ryzen 7 5800H offers plenty of performance and it is also very efficient. The combination with the fast 130W version of the GeForce RTX 3060 ensures high gaming performance. We also like the fast 165 Hz display with the 1080p resolution. The automatic graphics switching causes some problems with stutters, which are very annoying. If you do not need long battery runtimes, you should definitely deactivate the hybrid graphics mode in Lenovo's Vantage app. The Legion 5 15 is never silent."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the Lenovo Legion 5 15"
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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