The Gateway 11.6" is not suitable for intensive gaming and is less expensive. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers much better performance for gaming, engineering, and 3D/machine learning projects thanks to a powerful processor and graphics, albeit at a higher price. The Legion also provides a better screen with higher resolution and refresh rates, but it is heavier and therefore less portable than the lightweight Gateway. 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 Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has less RAM and a weaker CPU than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5, which can slow down performance in daily tasks, while its smaller screen size and resolution offer a less enjoyable viewing experience. The Legion Slim 5, on the other hand, boasts a more powerful processor and more RAM for smoother multitasking, coupled with a higher quality screen, enhancing overall user experience for general use.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.7/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.4/10
8.0/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" falls short for engineering and design due to its basic Intel Celeron processor, minimal RAM, and lower-tier integrated graphics, combined with a modest screen resolution and color coverage that is less suited for detail-oriented work. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 delivers robust performance with its advanced AMD Ryzen processor, ample RAM, and high-performance Nvidia RTX graphics, plus a higher-resolution screen that provides better clarity and color accuracy for intricate design tasks.
Content Creation
5.7/10
7.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.3/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
7.2/10
11.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway's smaller size and lower resolution contribute to its poor screen quality, making it less suitable for tasks that require fine detail, such as engineering or enjoying rich multimedia content. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5, with its higher resolution and better brightness, offers clearer and more vibrant visuals, catering well to general use and professional design needs; however, its possible lower refresh rate may not deliver the smoothness desired for high-speed gaming and fluid 3D rendering. For creative professionals, the Legion's likely superior color coverage ensures more accurate color representation, crucial for precision in design and engineering projects.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
Excellent
Fair
11.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 costs $1,000.
"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 Gateway 11.6" or the Lenovo Legion Slim 5
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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