The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is a wallet-friendly choice that doesn't sacrifice much on performance and is very suitable for general use. It's lighter and thus more portable than the Legion 5 15" but isn't as well-suited for demanding tasks like gaming or engineering software. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" offers significantly more power for intensive 3D, machine learning, and gaming tasks due to a more robust processor and graphics card but comes with a higher price tag and less portability due to extra weight. If battery life is a concern, you'll find the IdeaPad more fitting, while the Legion's greater performance also means it'll consume power more quickly. Choose the IdeaPad for everyday tasks and better mobility or the Legion if you require high performance and are okay with a heavier laptop and shorter battery life. 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 Pro
Good portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 15"
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is better suited for gaming and 3D tasks due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and the higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, providing smoother visuals and better performance, compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro which includes the less capable Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and a 120Hz screen refresh rate. While both have high-quality IPS displays and capable CPUs, the superior GPU and refresh rate of the Legion make it the preferred option for more demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.2/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Nvidia RTX 3050 graphics, suitable for engineering tasks and design work; however, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" features a more advanced AMD Ryzen 7 processor and superior Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics, making it better suited for these tasks due to its higher processing and graphical power. Both laptops have quality IPS displays with high resolutions that ensure clear visuals, but the Legion's superior GPU and CPU contribute to its edge in performance, although it is heavier and less portable than the IdeaPad.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.0/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
409.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro for general use, and gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a display with high resolution and brightness, making it good for general tasks and vibrant for design work, but the lower refresh rate means it won’t be as smooth for fast-paced 3D applications or games. The Lenovo Legion 5 15" offers similar benefits for general and engineering use, with a display that provides clarity and a wide color spectrum, but like the IdeaPad, it falls short for gaming and 3D due to a less than optimal refresh rate. For professionals in engineering and design, both screens cover sufficient color gamuts, ensuring accuracy in visually intensive tasks.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has 4 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
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$860
$999
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro has a price of $860 and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" costs $999.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Lenovo Legion 5 15" are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
7.5/10
7.4/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Lenovo Legion 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
7.4/10
7.3/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Lenovo Legion 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
7.6/10
7.6/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and Lenovo Legion 5 15" both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro turns out a successful all-rounder that, aside from 3D applications, always strikes a good or very good figure. This begins with the elegant metal case that isn't particularly light but fairly robust, giving a high-quality impression. The input devices are also better than those of many competitors. Both the keyboard and the touchpad are attractive and comfortable. In addition, the performance of the Ryzen 5 6600HS is easily able to keep up with the Intel competitors."
"The Lenovo Legion 5 15 is an affordable gaming laptop with a lot of power. The new AMD processor Ryzen 7 5800H offers plenty of performance and it is also very efficient. The combination with the fast 130W version of the GeForce RTX 3060 ensures high gaming performance. We also like the fast 165 Hz display with the 1080p resolution. The automatic graphics switching causes some problems with stutters, which are very annoying. If you do not need long battery runtimes, you should definitely deactivate the hybrid graphics mode in Lenovo's Vantage app. The Legion 5 15 is never silent."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro or the Lenovo Legion 5 15"
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
125,295
Recommendations made
27,148
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.