The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) excels in portability, build quality, and battery life, making it suited for those prioritizing mobility and longevity on a single charge. Featuring the Apple M1 chip, it provides strong performance for general use, but it is not as capable in demanding 3D tasks or engineering software compared to gaming laptops. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers a larger screen, superior performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering applications due to its Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics. It's also equipped with more storage and RAM, but this comes at the cost of less portability and shorter battery life. The Legion Slim 5i can be a better choice for gaming, creative tasks, and intensive applications, whereas the MacBook Pro is ideal for everyday use and for users invested in the macOS ecosystem. 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 Slim 5i
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
8.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Slim 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is fair for 3D because its integrated Apple M1 GPU is less powerful and its screen refresh rate is standard. Additionally, the wider availability of games for Windows on the Lenovo model enhances its suitability for gaming over the MacBook Pro.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i surpasses the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) in engineering and design tasks due to its more powerful Intel i7 processor, double the RAM, and dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, which are significant for CPU and GPU-intensive tasks as well as multitasking, and its larger, higher-refresh-rate screen enhances visual precision. While the Macbook Pro offers a high-quality screen and a fanless design for silent operation, its integrated Apple GPU and lower RAM make it less suited for demanding engineering applications despite its advantages in portability and speaker quality.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.0/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen for gaming and AI, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) offers impressive resolution and brightness, with a high-quality panel type that makes it excellent for general use, and its wide color gamut supports the nuanced color work required in engineering and design. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, while also having a high-quality display for general use, lacks the wide color gamut offered by the MacBook, making it slightly less ideal for professional design work. However, both models have lower refresh rates, which limits their appeal to those working with 3D applications and gamers who look for smooth visuals and rapid on-screen movements.
Battery
20.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 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
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,249
$1,055
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i costs $1,055.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is praised for its portability and impressive battery life, supported by the efficient Apple M1 CPU that ensures smooth general usage; its high-quality IPS screen with excellent color coverage makes it a good choice for tasks that benefit from visual fidelity. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, with a powerful Intel i7 CPU and ample RAM, caters well to general use with an emphasis on more demanding applications, and its larger screen and dedicated Nvidia GPU provide a better experience for those requiring graphics performance, despite its heavier weight and shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.0/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5i to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is good.
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
7.8/10
7.8/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) 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 Slim 5i compare to other laptops
"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."
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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