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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is often significantly less expensive and offers a balance suitable for general use with good battery life, making it portable and versatile for everyday tasks. It includes a touchscreen and a backlit keyboard with a number pad, which may be beneficial for productivity. The MSI GF65 Thin, although often significantly more expensive, has a more powerful graphics card suitable for gaming and 3D-related tasks, and a higher refresh rate screen advantageous for fast-paced games. However, the MSI has shorter battery life and is slightly heavier, which could affect portability if you travel often. 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"
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15".
Key differences
General Use
7.4
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
341.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" offers a longer battery life and a higher brightness screen, making it more suitable for general use and portable activities, whereas the MSI GF65 Thin, while having a powerful CPU and high refresh rate screen for gaming performance, falls short in battery life and display brightness, which are more crucial for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI GF65 Thin is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" with an integrated AMD Ryzen Vega 8 GPU and a standard refresh rate screen is less suited for fast-paced gaming than the MSI GF65 Thin, which boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a higher refresh rate display, offering smoother visuals for gaming and 3D applications.
Software Development
7.3
6.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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
6.5
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
341.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, both the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 and MSI GF65 Thin have adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but their panel types might not deliver the most vivid colors or viewing angles. Engineering and design professionals would find their color gamut coverage lacking, as neither excels in displaying the full spectrum of colors required for precision work. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the refresh rates on these laptops may not keep up with the demand for smooth motion and rapid frame changes, which could detract from the immersive experience and responsiveness.
Battery
11.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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
7.6
6.7
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$690
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a price of $690 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
6.7
6.7
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and MSI GF65 Thin are both only fair for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has an integrated GPU and a processor that's less suited for demanding engineering software, while its screen offers mediocre color coverage, limiting design work. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin is equipped with a more powerful dedicated GPU and a higher performance CPU, along with a significantly better contrast ratio on its screen, enhancing the detail and precision required for engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
7.3
6.8
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" to be good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and MSI GF65 Thin both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$690 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.08 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.18" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 341 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | August 2021
"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."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" or the MSI GF65 Thin
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.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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