The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is a budget-friendly option that offers solid general performance and good battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and casual use. If you prioritize higher performance for tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, or machine learning, and don't mind spending more, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, with its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card, could be the better choice. The Pro 5i also offers a larger and higher resolution screen with a higher refresh rate which is better for more demanding visual tasks, however, it comes with tradeoffs in terms of less battery life and slightly increased weight. 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 5 15"
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
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
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i tops the IdeaPad 5 15" in gaming and 3D tasks because it features a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 120, compared to the less capable integrated AMD Vega 8 graphics and a basic 60 refresh rate in the IdeaPad 5 15". While the IdeaPad Pro 5i also boasts a superior CPU and higher quality screen, these factors are of secondary importance to GPU and refresh rate for gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
6.7/10
8.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is deemed fair for engineering and design because it has standard performance with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 8GB of RAM, integrated Vega 8 graphics, and a 1080p screen, which may not be sufficient for demanding tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is rated very good, as it boasts a high-end Intel i7 processor, double the RAM at 16GB, a dedicated Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, and a higher-resolution 1600p display, providing significantly better performance and visuals for intensive engineering and design workflows.
Screen Quality
6.5/10
7.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
341.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
409.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" offers a display that's sufficient for everyday tasks with its resolution and brightness, making it suitable for browsing, video streaming and document work which are common in general use. With the IdeaPad Pro 5i, the enhanced color accuracy and wider color gamuts cater to professionals in engineering and design, ensuring that the colors they work with are represented more precisely for critical tasks. However, both laptops lack high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced games and 3D rendering, leading to a less optimal experience for gaming and intensive 3D applications.
Battery
11.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 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.
Cost
$690
$950
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a price of $690 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i costs $950.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is well-suited for general use due to its solid processor, sufficient RAM for everyday tasks, and a good balance of screen quality, portability, and battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i also fits general use with a robust CPU and increased RAM enhancing multitasking, while its higher screen resolution and color accuracy come with a tradeoff of reduced battery life and a slightly heavier build.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
7.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 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
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
"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 5 15" 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.
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