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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is a budget-friendly choice with a larger screen and longer battery life, making it well-suited for general use and light to moderate multitasking. However, with its larger size and slightly heavier build, it may not be as portable as the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s. The ThinkBook 13s, while more expensive, offers a higher resolution display, more RAM for better performance in demanding tasks such as engineering software, a more premium build, and superior graphics. Its more compact size and lower weight make it highly portable, ideal for professionals on the go who require a machine capable of handling more intensive computing tasks. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
6.7
7.5
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
6.5
7.2
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
341.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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 IdeaPad 5 15" has a resolution and brightness that are sufficient for tasks like web browsing and document editing, which makes it acceptable for general use. However, the ThinkBook 13s offers better color accuracy covering wider color gamuts, crucial for detailed engineering and design work. Neither laptop has the high refresh rates preferred for 3D gaming, which makes them less suitable for that purpose despite their adequate resolutions and panel types for less demanding visual tasks.
Battery
11.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has 8 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
Excellent
15.6in
SIZE
13.3in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has excellent portability, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$690
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a price of $690 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
341.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" with its larger screen is good for general use due to its substantial RAM and CPU capable of handling everyday tasks, plus a sizable battery offering reasonable battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s stands out with higher screen resolution and more compact design making it highly portable, alongside superior RAM and CPU that efficiently manage general use demands, albeit with slightly shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI.
For gaming and 3D, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" with its AMD Ryzen integrated graphics and a 60 Hz refresh rate display is on par with the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s that also sports integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics with the same 60 Hz screen refresh rate. While the IdeaPad has a slightly larger screen, both have similar processing capabilities for gaming, but dedicated gaming laptops with higher refresh rates and dedicated GPUs would offer better performance.
Content Creation
7.3
7.8
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
7.7
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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.
Build Quality
7.6
7.6
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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 ThinkBook 13s compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$690 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | 11.7'' x 8.3'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.08 lbs | 2.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 11.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.18" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 341 nits | 336 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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."
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chin | July 2021
"The best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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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