For general use, the Gateway 15.6" is more affordable and offers good value, suitable for everyday tasks with ample storage and decent performance. However, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, while pricier, is tailored for high-performance needs such as engineering applications, 3D rendering, and gaming thanks to its advanced processor and dedicated graphics card. The Lenovo also boasts a higher-resolution screen with better color coverage, essential for design and media-related work. In terms of portability, both laptops are comparable, but the Lenovo has a slightly longer battery life, which could be beneficial for on-the-go use. If budget is a concern and your tasks are more routine, go with the Gateway. If performance in demanding applications and better screen quality is crucial, the Lenovo is the better option. 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
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is somewhat better.
The Gateway 15.6" offers a balance for general use with its adequate processor and RAM, good portability due to its lightweight design, and satisfactory battery life, while its screen and speakers fall short for premium multimedia experiences.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
8.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
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 Slim 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
6.2/10
8.4/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" has a modest processor and integrated graphics, making it fair for engineering and design tasks, but the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, with a more powerful processor, dedicated graphics, and a sharper, brighter display, is considered very good for these tasks. The Gateway 15.6" is slightly lighter and rated well for portability, but the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers a superior keyboard and less operating noise, contributing to its higher suitability for demanding engineering work.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.0/10
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 Legion Slim 5i is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 15.6" 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
6.7/10
7.8/10
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
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 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
8.0/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
343.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 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 15.6" has a screen that provides adequate resolution and brightness, making it acceptable for everyday tasks like web browsing and video streaming. However, for engineering and design, where precise color representation matters, its screen falls short, lacking the breadth in color gamuts needed for professional color work. Whereas for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate compromises the ability to render fast-paced visuals smoothly, which is critical for an immersive experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 15.6" has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 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 Slim 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 Slim 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 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 15.6" or the Lenovo Legion Slim 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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