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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is a budget-friendly choice, good for general use with moderate battery life and a comfortable keyboard, but it has modest performance which may not handle intensive tasks well. The MSI GP66 Leopard, although more expensive, offers significantly higher performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering work, but at the cost of portability and shorter battery life. The MSI also has features like hardware ray tracing and a high refresh rate screen, making it well-suited for modern games and demanding graphics tasks. If portability and cost are priorities, go for the Lenovo; for higher performance and gaming, the MSI is preferable. 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 portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.8
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is equipped with an integrated GPU that is less capable than the dedicated and more powerful Nvidia graphics card found in the MSI GP66 Leopard, which notably also offers a higher screen refresh rate, enhancing visual fluidity and gaming responsiveness. Additionally, the MSI laptop's superior GPU and screen refresh rate contribute to its better overall performance in gaming and 3D tasks compared to the Lenovo laptop.
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.9
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The MSI GP66 Leopard is better suited for engineering and design due to its more robust Intel i7 processor, twice the RAM, and a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU, which outperform the Lenovo IdeaPad 5's AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, less RAM, and integrated Vega 8 graphics.
Screen Quality
6.5
7.5
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
341.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" likely has a display that offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and productivity software, which is why it suffices for general use, but for engineering and design purposes, the color accuracy and range may be lacking. The MSI GP66 Leopard probably has a higher quality display featuring better color gamut coverage necessary for detailed engineering and design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications which demand higher refresh rates for smoother visuals, both laptops fall short, indicating that neither is optimized for these high-motion scenarios.
Battery
11.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$690
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a price of $690 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
341.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 with its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, 8GB RAM, quality IPS screen, and long battery life is versatile for general use; it's lightweight and thus more portable, suiting users who prioritize mobility and battery over raw performance. Although heavier with a shorter battery life, the MSI GP66 Leopard excels in performance with its Intel Core i7 CPU, double the RAM, and a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU, making it suitable for demanding tasks and users who can compromise on portability for power.
Content Creation
7.3
7.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Build Quality
7.6
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GP66 Leopard to have very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 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 MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$690 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | May 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.08 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.18" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 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 | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57 Wh | 65 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 | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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 GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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