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Updated January 10, 2024·
If affordability and better battery life are a priority, and your activities revolve around general use such as web browsing, office work, or media consumption, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is an excellent choice. However, if you need a more powerful laptop for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and do not mind spending more, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" comes with a better processor and graphics card, although it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. The IdeaPad is also equipped with a higher resolution screen which can be beneficial for productivity, whereas the Legion has a higher refresh rate display which is advantageous for fast-paced gaming. 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 Slim 5i
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1200
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 Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers better performance for gaming and 3D applications primarily due to its Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i which has an integrated Intel i5-1335U Iris Xe GPU and a lower refresh rate of 60 Hz. Additionally, while both CPUs are competent, the screen quality offered by the Legion with its dedicated GPU will be more satisfying for graphics-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.6
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both good for engineering and design, though the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is suitable for engineering and design due to its high-resolution screen and efficient CPU for multitasking, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is favored for the same uses because of its more powerful CPU, higher-end GPU for demanding tasks, and a screen with a faster refresh rate which is beneficial for design applications. Although the IdeaPad Slim 5i is more portable and has a higher quality keyboard, the Legion 5 compensates with a superior gaming-grade GPU and a larger screen, which may lead to slight compromises on portability and operating noise.
Screen Quality
6.4
7.3
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 17" for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with its fair screen attributes, strikes a balance with resolution and brightness adequate for everyday tasks but falls short for specialized tasks due to limited color range and refresh rates. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a better visual experience with higher brightness and a wider color gamut appropriate for detail-oriented engineering and design work, although its refresh rate may not satisfy the demands of 3D gaming. For 3D applications, the Legion's moderate resolution and panel type don’t quite deliver the smooth visuals required for optimal gaming experiences.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$828
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a price of $828 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
315.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.4
7.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.4
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i | Lenovo Legion 5 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$828 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.17 lbs | 6.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 11.41" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56.6 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 315 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 5.8/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 4 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i
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Dig into reviews and images
HT Tech
Robin Sinha | February 2021
"The device is made for average work loads and if your work has a lot to do with online browsing, using apps that are not power-hungry and streaming videos. The looks are really good and the device in itself is not a heavy one. And with Intel 11th-gen Core processor, you might sail through most of your work without complaints."
Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i or the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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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