Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i

For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 and IdeaPad Slim 5i both offer screens that provide adequate resolution and brightness, which means they produce clear images and are easy to view in various lighting conditions, but they may not have the highest quality panels that provide the most vibrant colors or widest viewing angles. In the field of engineering and design, these laptops offer fair screen quality, as they cover basic color gamut requirements, yet they may lack the wide color accuracy professionals need for precise color work, such as full DCI-P3 or Adobe RGB coverage. When it comes to gaming and 3D work, both models fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth visuals, although they still manage to deliver acceptable resolution and panel quality for casual use.

Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" with an AMD Ryzen CPU and Vega GPU, standard FHD touchscreen, ample battery life, and solid build is a reliable option for everyday tasks. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, though slightly heavier, offers more RAM, a slightly larger and higher resolution screen, better thermal management, and a recent Intel CPU with Iris Xe graphics, making it an equally good choice for general use with a slight edge in multitasking performance and display quality.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are fair for gaming and 3D because they both have integrated GPUs, which are less powerful than dedicated gaming GPUs, and standard screen refresh rates of 60 Hz, which are lower than the higher refresh rates preferred for smooth gaming experiences. While both have decent CPUs and screen quality that contribute to overall performance, their integrated graphics and lower refresh rates limit their potential for more demanding gaming and 3D tasks.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is better suited for engineering and design due to its higher RAM and more powerful processor, which are very important for such tasks, although its integrated GPU is good but not designed for intensive gaming or heavy 3D tasks. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15", while fair in this regard, has less RAM and a slightly less powerful processor, affecting performance in demanding applications, but it is still capable of handling moderate design tasks with an adequate integrated GPU.

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.

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.

PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.