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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is typically designed for general use, which includes tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption. It will likely offer better battery life and greater portability due to its slimmer design. On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" is tailored more for gaming, 3D rendering, and more intense engineering software due to its more powerful hardware. This means it will usually offer better performance for these specific tasks at the expense of shorter battery life and less portability due to its larger size and weight. If you value performance for more demanding tasks and don't mind a bulkier device, the Legion 5 should be your choice, while if you prioritize portability and longer battery life for everyday tasks and are looking to save money, the Slim 5i is the more appropriate option. 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 15"
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.9
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
3.7/10
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 Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" outshines the IdeaPad Slim 5i in engineering and design tasks primarily because of its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and dedicated Nvidia RTX GPU, delivering better performance necessary for resource-intensive applications. Additionally, the Legion 5 has a higher-resolution screen with better color accuracy, but it's heavier and less portable than the Slim 5i, which may be a consideration for those who need to move around frequently.
Screen Quality
6.4
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize a crisp and clear display for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" stands out with a higher resolution and brightness, making it suitable for daily use, whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i offers an adequate display not as vibrant or sharp. For users engaged in engineering and design work, where precision and color accuracy are crucial, the Legion's superior color range better supports professional visual tasks, but the IdeaPad Slim 5i still provides an acceptable color spectrum for less demanding design work. However, if gaming or 3D rendering is a top priority for you, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, but keep in mind that the Legion would offer a modest advantage due to its slightly better resolution and panel quality.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 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
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$828
$999
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a price of $828 and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" costs $999.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
315.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo Legion 5 15" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with its efficient CPU and significant RAM, offers a balance for everyday tasks and longer battery life, complemented by its lightweight design for better portability. Conversely, the Lenovo Legion 5 offers high performance suitable for more demanding applications, thanks to its powerful CPU and dedicated graphics card, although this contributes to its heavier weight and shorter battery life, making it less portable.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 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
7.4
7.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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
7.6
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the Lenovo Legion 5 15" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i | Lenovo Legion 5 15" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$828 | $999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.3'' x 0.95'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.17 lbs | 5.3 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 10.33" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56.6 Wh | 60 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 315 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | September 2021
"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 Slim 5i 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.
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