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What we think
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Updated March 22, 2024·
If you prioritize customization and repairability, the Framework Laptop offers unique modular components allowing for easy upgrades and maintenance, which can be a cost-saving in the long term despite its higher initial price. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion is typically more budget-friendly with a focus on gaming performance, boasting a larger screen for immersive experiences but at the expense of portability and battery life. So, for heavy gaming or a desire for a larger display, consider the Legion 5, but if future-proofing and portability are key, the Framework could be a worthwhile investment. 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 Framework Laptop 16 (2023)
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
490.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good.
The Framework Laptop 16 offers a balance of high CPU performance, ample RAM, and a quality screen, making it versatile for various tasks, while its design prioritizes portability and battery life. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" provides solid general performance with a focus on larger screen size, which might reduce portability and battery life, but accommodates more demanding applications and media consumption.
Gaming and AI
6.8
7.4
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for gaming and AI, while the Framework Laptop 16 (2023) is only fair.
The Framework Laptop 16 offers a balance between upgradeability and performance with its more modest GPU and quality screen suitable for casual gaming and 3D tasks, but the Lenovo Legion 5 17" comes with a more powerful GPU and a higher refresh rate display, providing a smoother and more immersive experience for demanding games and 3D applications. While both have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the Legion's emphasis on gaming means it's tailored to deliver superior graphics performance for more serious gamers and professionals in 3D fields.
Content Creation
8.1
7.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
8.0
7.0
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
8.4
7.3
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
490.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Framework Laptop 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Framework Laptop 16's higher resolution and brighter display provide clearer images and more comfortable viewing, whereas the Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a good balance of clarity and brightness but may lack some of the crispness and vibrancy. In the context of engineering and design, the Framework excels with a wide range of colors, making it highly suitable for tasks requiring color accuracy, while the Lenovo still performs adequately but may not represent colors with the same precision. For gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can result in less smooth visuals during fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Framework Laptop 16 has 9 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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
Good
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
7.4
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,699
$1,200
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Framework Laptop 16 (2023) has a price of $1,699 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.1
7.6
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Framework Laptop 16 (2023) to be very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good.
The Framework Laptop 16 excels in engineering and design due to its high-quality screen and a robust combination of CPU, RAM, and GPU that ensures smooth performance on demanding tasks; however, its modularity might affect portability slightly. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a powerful CPU and GPU combo for similar tasks, with a focus on gaming, and while it's less portable due to its size, it compensates with a high-quality keyboard and quieter operation under load.
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How the Framework Laptop 16 (2023) and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Framework Laptop 16 (2023) | Lenovo Legion 5 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,699 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.6'' x 0.71'' | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 6.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.04" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.63" | 11.41" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 85 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 490 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Framework Laptop 16 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"The trend towards thinner and lighter laptops is made possible by fusing more and more components onto the mainboard. The main drawback to this approach is that it limits repairability as even a small fault may require replacing entire boards. Framework is one of the only manufacturers looking the other way in an attempt to improve end-user customization and servicing. There's no question that the Laptop 16 is more user-friendly to service than any alternative, but this lucrative feature comes at the cost of size and weight as individual components must be easily replaceable."
Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
Get a great deal on the Framework Laptop 16 (2023) or the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
About Framework
Framework is a new American laptop manufacturer, specializing in modular and repairable laptops with the goals of promoting longevity and reducing electronic waste. They are a strong proponent of the right to repair movement. Framework laptops have replaceable RAM, storage, ports, keyboards, display bezels, mainboards, and more, making them a great choice for repairability-oriented individuals.
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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