The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is more affordable and offers a solid balance of performance with its AMD processor, ideal for daily tasks and moderate multitasking; however, the screen might not be as sharp for certain engineering applications. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while slightly less affordable, provides better performance with its latest Intel processor and increased RAM, which is beneficial for more intensive engineering work, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. The Slim 5i also has a slightly better screen resolution and aspect ratio, making it more suitable for productivity and entertainment. If battery life is crucial, the IdeaPad 1 has an edge, but the Slim 5i is a bit heavier, which could impact portability. Both laptops are not ideal for intensive gaming but can handle general use well. 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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15"
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
Good for engineering and design
Good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.4/10
6.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
315.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i have similar screen quality.
For general use, a laptop with fair screen quality may offer adequate resolution and brightness, providing a satisfactory visual experience for daily tasks like browsing or office applications. In engineering and design, the same fair screen quality may lack the wide color gamuts needed for precise color work, but can still handle less color-critical tasks. With gaming and 3D applications, the importance of a high refresh rate becomes paramount for smooth visuals, and if a laptop has poor screen quality in this context, it may lead to less immersive and potentially laggy experiences.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 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
6.0/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$741
$828
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a price of $741 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i costs $828.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offers ample performance for general use with its Ryzen processor, 12GB RAM, and an IPS screen with good brightness and color coverage, while being lighter for better portability and having a decent battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, on the other hand, has a slightly more powerful Intel processor and 16GB RAM, a higher resolution display that's better for productivity with a taller aspect ratio and marginally better brightness, but it's slightly heavier and has a somewhat shorter battery life, albeit with a higher quality keyboard and quieter heat management.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
6.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
6.6/10
7.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i to be good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i offers better performance for engineering and design due to its higher-quality CPU and GPU, more RAM, and a sharper screen resolution with a taller aspect ratio, which can enhance productivity and detail in design work. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a less powerful CPU and GPU, less RAM, and a lower screen resolution, making it fair for engineering and design but less capable in handling intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.4/10
7.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both good for content creation.
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
7.3/10
7.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.9/10
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for software development.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
"The device is made for average work loads and if your work has a lot to do with online browsing, using apps that are not power-hungry and streaming videos. The looks are really good and the device in itself is not a heavy one. And with Intel 11th-gen Core processor, you might sail through most of your work without complaints."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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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