The Gateway 15.6" is priced lower, which might be appealing if budget is a primary concern, and it offers a solid choice for general use with decent performance scores across various categories. However, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, although somewhat more expensive, has a significantly higher performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks due to its more powerful main processor and dedicated graphics card. The Lenovo also offers a better screen with higher resolution and refresh rate, and scores higher in build quality, heat management, and is more suitable for intensive gaming. On the downside, its battery life is shorter, so it might not be the best pick if battery longevity is crucial for you. 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 15.6"
The Gateway 15.6" has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i.
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
7.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is considered good for gaming and 3D because it has a more advanced NVIDIA GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which provide superior graphics performance and smoother visuals compared to the Gateway 15.6", which has a less powerful Intel integrated GPU and a standard refresh rate. Additionally, the IdeaPad Pro 5i benefits from a more powerful CPU and better screen quality, enhancing overall gaming and 3D experiences, though the Gateway 15.6" offers fair capabilities in these areas for its price point.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
8.1/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" has a modest Intel i5 CPU and integrated Iris Xe graphics, which can handle engineering tasks but with limitations, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i comes with a high-end Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX graphics card, offering superior processing and graphical capabilities essential for demanding engineering and design applications. Additionally, the IdeaPad Pro 5i boasts a better quality display with higher resolution and color accuracy, enhancing the visual experience for detailed design work, though the Gateway does offer advantages like lower operation noise and more favorable qualities for portability.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.7/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is somewhat better.
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
6.7/10
7.7/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for software development, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1/10
7.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, a laptop with a very good screen quality like the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i will offer sharper images and more vibrant colors due to its higher resolution and brightness, making activities like browsing and watching videos more pleasant compared to the Gateway 15.6", which has just fair screen quality. In engineering and design, accurate color reproduction is crucial, and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i's better coverage of color gamuts will provide more precise color representation, which is important for tasks that depend on color fidelity. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the refresh rate becomes key for smooth motion; since both laptops are described as having poor screen quality for these uses, you may experience less fluid visuals, with the Lenovo still offering a slightly better experience due to somewhat better resolution and panel type.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 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.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$600
$950
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $600 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i costs $950.
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
"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 Gateway 15.6" or the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
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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