The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i outperforms the ASUS Zenbook 13 for engineering and design primarily because it has a stronger CPU, double the RAM, and a more advanced GPU which are crucial for such tasks, along with a higher resolution and larger screen that provides a better visual workspace. While the Zenbook 13 offers excellent portability and a high-quality OLED screen, its less powerful integrated graphics and smaller amount of RAM make it less suitable for demanding engineering software and multitasking compared to the Pro 5i.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
7.8/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i for general use, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen for gaming and AI, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high resolution and panel type that provide sharp images and vibrant colors, ensuring that text is crisp and visuals are clear. This laptop also offers a wide color gamut, which is essential for engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is critical. However, its lower refresh rate is less suited for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion and quick screen updates are key to an optimal experience.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has 6 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
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$920
$836
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $920 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i costs $836.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is highly portable with a long battery life, making it ideal for general use where mobility and unplugged usage are key, and its OLED screen offers vibrant colors and deep contrasts. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, while less portable due to its size and weight, offers a larger, high-resolution IPS display, superior processing power with more RAM for demanding tasks, and better keyboard and speaker quality, which is beneficial for extended use in a fixed location.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.3/10
7.7/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and ASUS Zenbook 13 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and ASUS Zenbook 13 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
"Lenovo’s IdeaPad Pro 5i represents an impressive opening salvo for Meteor Lake in the ultraportable space against familiar foes from AMD and Apple. Not only does the Core Ultra 5 125H processor provide good performance across the board, but battery life remains a strong point against the Acer Swift Edge 16 with its AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor. It can’t quite match the endurance of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but the gap is shrinking."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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 Golden, Ph.D
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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
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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Laptops Expert
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.