If budget is your primary concern, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" offers basic functionality at a lower cost, suitable for everyday tasks like browsing, office applications, and streaming media. On the other hand, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, with a higher price tag, delivers better performance for more demanding applications, such as intensive multitasking, photo and video editing, or light gaming. The Pro 5i will also typically have a longer battery life and more features, like a higher resolution screen or better build quality, making it a good fit for professionals or students who need a more robust machine. Remember, the IdeaPad 1's lower price comes with tradeoffs in speed, display quality, and overall performance. Choose the Pro 5i if your work requires more power and you value a better user experience over cost savings. 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 14"
Very good portability
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
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
6.1/10
7.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
239.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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
5.5/10
7.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i excels in gaming and 3D tasks with its more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU and a higher screen refresh rate (120 Hz), compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" which has a basic Intel UHD Graphics GPU suitable for less demanding tasks and a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. Additionally, the IdeaPad Pro 5i is equipped with an advanced CPU and superior screen quality, which further distinguishes its performance capabilities from the IdeaPad 1 14".
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
8.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
6.2/10
7.7/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
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
6.4/10
7.7/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" 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
5.3/10
7.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
239.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" likely suffers from a low-resolution display with dim brightness, making it less suitable for any tasks requiring visual clarity and vibrancy. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, with its very good screen quality, offers sharper images and better brightness, which enhances the experience for general use and detailed work in engineering and design, but it may lack the high refresh rate and peak color accuracy crucial for the smooth visuals and precise colors demanded by gaming and 3D applications. Buyers should weigh the importance of a high refresh rate for gaming against the Pro 5i's strengths in resolution and panel quality for their specific needs.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has 9 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.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has very good portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$153
$950
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a price of $153 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i costs $950.
"The IdeaPad 1 14 is a simple machine, but it’s well-designed and has nearly everything you’d expect from a no-nonsense laptop that allows you to check emails and get schoolwork or other light tasks done with relative ease. A "true" 128GB SSD (as opposed to an eMMC drive) and a roomy 14-inch full HD display are arguably the star attractions, with the comfortable keyboard and reasonably modern styling playing important backup roles."
"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 Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" or the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 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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