If you prefer a laptop that strikes a balance between solid performance and a slightly easier impact on the wallet, with a focus on business tasks, the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i would suit you. However, if you prioritize higher performance for activities like intensive gaming or potentially more demanding applications, and don't mind investing a little more, then the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro would be the better option, keeping in mind that it may be heavier and less portable. 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 Pro 5i
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
8.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and 3D because it has a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate than the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i, which is just good for gaming and 3D. The Legion's superior graphics processing capabilities can handle more demanding gaming and 3D rendering tasks, while its faster screen refresh rate makes for smoother motion and better responsiveness.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
409.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i for gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i offers a display that is sharp, bright, and vibrant, making it suitable for daily tasks and detailed engineering work, though it may lack the extensive color range sought by design professionals. On the other hand, the Legion Pro 5i's screen, designed with creators in mind, provides a wider color gamut, essential for color-accurate tasks in engineering and design fields. However, both laptops may fall short for gaming and 3D applications, as they don't prioritize the high refresh rates that contribute to smoother visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
6.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 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
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is equipped with a capable CPU, adequate RAM, and a high-quality IPS display, all of which ensure smooth performance for general tasks; it also offers better portability and longer battery life, making it well-suited for mobile users. Conversely, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, while matching in CPU and RAM and offering a similarly high-quality display, is less portable due to its larger size and weight and has a shorter battery life but is designed for more demanding applications, such as gaming, with its advanced GPU.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
8.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
6.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Legion Pro 5i are well-equipped for engineering and design due to their powerful CPUs, ample RAM, and dedicated high-performing GPUs, which ensure smooth operation of demanding software used in these fields. While both have high-quality screens with good resolution and color accuracy, the Legion Pro 5i nudges ahead with a slightly higher refresh rate, beneficial for design tasks, but is less portable and has a louder operating noise compared to the IdeaPad Pro 5i.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.6/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
7.7/10
7.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
7.4/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$950
$999
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a price of $950 and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i costs $999.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i compare to other laptops
"Lenovo’s IdeaPad Pro 5i represents an impressive opening salvo for Meteor Lake in the ultraportable space against familiar foes from AMD and Apple. Not only does the Core Ultra 5 125H processor provide good performance across the board, but battery life remains a strong point against the Acer Swift Edge 16 with its AMD Ryzen 7 7840U processor. It can’t quite match the endurance of the 15-inch MacBook Pro, but the gap is shrinking."
"The midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i or the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
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.
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