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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
Let's consider the Apple MacBook Pro 14 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i. The MacBook Pro generally offers higher performance and is better suited for demanding tasks such as video editing or 3D design. However, it comes at a higher price point. On the other hand, the IdeaPad Slim 5i is more affordable, but its performance may be sufficient for general use like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. If portability is important, the MacBook Pro's build quality and battery life tend to be superior, but the IdeaPad will usually be lighter and hence, easier to carry around. For gamers or those interested in machine learning, the MacBook Pro's graphics capabilities are typically more advanced, yet the IdeaPad may still handle light gaming and basic computational tasks. In essence, choose the MacBook Pro if budget is less of a concern and high performance is needed; opt for the IdeaPad Slim 5i if you're looking for something more economical for everyday tasks. 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 14 (Late 2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
- The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.5
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its Mini LED screen, Apple M3 processor, and thin, lightweight design offers a high-quality, portable option with excellent battery life for general use. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with more RAM and a larger screen, provides a cost-effective choice for users needing more multitasking capabilities and screen real estate, albeit with reduced battery life and portability.
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is preferred for engineering and design due to its powerful in-house M3 CPU and GPU, combined with a superior Mini LED screen, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i offers more RAM which can be beneficial for multitasking in design software, but falls short with its less powerful Intel CPU and standard IPS display. The MacBook Pro also excels with higher screen brightness and color accuracy, enhancing visual work, whereas the IdeaPad Slim 5i is slightly heavier and has a lesser screen quality, but it compensates with a larger screen and an additional RAM slot for future upgrades.
Content Creation
8.4
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
8.2
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
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.
Screen Quality
9.2
6.4
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's display boasts higher resolution and brightness, providing crisp visuals and good readability in various lighting conditions, important for general use. For engineering and design, its screen covers a wide array of colors, satisfying industry standards like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, ensuring accurate color representation. However, its refresh rate is lower, which is less ideal for 3D applications where smoother motion and quicker screen updates are crucial for a better experience.
Battery
17.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 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
Good
14.2in
SIZE
16.0in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.6
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,499
$828
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i costs $828.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.3
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its dedicated Apple M3 GPU, excels at 3D tasks due to higher graphical capabilities and a superior screen refresh rate suitable for smooth visuals. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while fair for gaming with its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, lacks the more powerful GPU and high screen refresh rate, and though it has Windows 11 which supports a wider range of games, it may not match the MacBook's performance in 3D applications.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) | Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,499 | $828 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.4 lbs | 4.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 14.02" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.88" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M3 | Intel i5-1335U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 56.6 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 489 nits | 315 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
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 14 (Late 2023)
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NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
HT Tech
Robin Sinha | February 2021
"The device is made for average work loads and if your work has a lot to do with online browsing, using apps that are not power-hungry and streaming videos. The looks are really good and the device in itself is not a heavy one. And with Intel 11th-gen Core processor, you might sail through most of your work without complaints."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) or the Lenovo IdeaPad 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.
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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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About the laptop team
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CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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