If you prioritize affordability and decent performance for everyday tasks, the Gateway 15.6" laptop offers lower cost and sufficient specs for general use. However, if you need a machine for heavy-duty applications like gaming or complex engineering software, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, while more expensive, provides a significant performance boost, a better display with higher resolution and refresh rate, and enhanced graphics capabilities. Keep in mind, the Lenovo also comes with a larger battery, but it is slightly heavier, making it somewhat less portable than the 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 15.6"
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.6/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is somewhat better.
The Gateway 15.6" laptop's adequate RAM and CPU are suitable for everyday tasks, and its lighter weight makes it more portable for users on the go, although its screen is less vivid and its battery life is shorter than some may prefer. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro boasts a high-performance CPU and superior screen quality, ideal for users needing power for more demanding applications, but it is heavier and not as portable, with battery life that may not last through extended use without charging.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
8.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" laptop's performance in gaming and 3D is limited due to the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics card and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, which is adequate for casual gaming but less suited for fast-paced games. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i excels due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and higher 165Hz screen refresh rate, ensuring smoother visuals and better handling of graphically demanding games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
8.4/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" has a weaker CPU and integrated graphics which are fair for lighter engineering and design tasks, while its screen offers basic quality suitable for everyday use. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro boasts a much stronger CPU and a dedicated high-end graphics card, coupled with a superior screen, making it very good for demanding engineering and design applications, albeit at the cost of being less portable and having a somewhat bulkier design.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Legion 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
7.5/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 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
8.1/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 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, the Gateway offers sufficient clarity and brightness, but the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i stands out with sharper images due to its higher resolution and improved panel technology, making it superior for everyday tasks and professional applications. In engineering and design contexts, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i's display supports a wider range of colors, essential for precision in visual work, whereas the Gateway's color range is more limited, possibly leading to less accurate color representation. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, although both systems fall short on refresh rate for the smoothest experience, the Lenovo's superior resolution and panel type still provide an advantage over the Gateway for detail and visual quality.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 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
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 15.6" has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion 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
$380
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i costs $1,000.
"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."
"The midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 15.6" or the Lenovo Legion 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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