The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is better suited for high-performance tasks like engineering due to its superior CPU and RAM, making it an excellent choice for professionals who need strong performance. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15, with its more powerful GPU, is more tailored for gaming and 3D work, and it also has a slightly better battery life. Both have similar storage and are closely priced, but note that the Lenovo has a larger and higher resolution display, albeit with a lower maximum refresh rate than the MSI. The choice between the two depends on whether you prioritize performance for professional tasks or gaming, and whether you value screen real estate over a higher refresh rate for fast-paced visuals. 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
Very good for engineering and design
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
The MSI Cyborg 15 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
7.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
6.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
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
7.8/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
409.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i likely has a display with higher resolution and brightness, making it sharp and vivid for tasks like web browsing or document editing, which boosts its quality for general use. However, it may not have the color coverage that engineering and design work require for accurate color reproduction. For gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion is critical, the Lenovo falls short if it doesn't have a fast refresh rate, despite potentially moderate resolution and panel quality, which are also important but not as critical as refresh rate in this context.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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
7.6/10
6.7/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$950
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i has a price of $950 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i is equipped with higher RAM capacity and a richer screen quality that boasts better color coverage and pixel density, making it an excellent choice for general use that demands multitasking and crisp visuals. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15, while it has slightly lower RAM and screen specs, offers a more extended battery life and excellent heat management, which are desirable for users who need their laptop to perform reliably during longer sessions away from a power source.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
7.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and the MSI Cyborg 15 are geared towards gaming and 3D because they both feature dedicated Nvidia RTX GPUs and high refresh rate displays, which are crucial for smooth and visually detailed gaming experiences. While the IdeaPad Pro 5i has a higher screen resolution and a slightly better GPU, the Cyborg 15 excels with a faster screen refresh rate that can provide a more fluid visual in fast-paced games.
Content Creation
7.7/10
7.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and MSI Cyborg 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
7.7/10
7.2/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and MSI Cyborg 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and MSI Cyborg 15 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i and the MSI Cyborg 15 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 focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i or the MSI Cyborg 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.
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.
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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