The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, being at a lower midrange price point and lightweight, is tailored for everyday use and portability. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, priced in the midrange category, excels in high-performance tasks such as gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, but is less portable due to its larger size and weight. Choose the IdeaPad Slim 5i if you prioritize portability and price over raw power or the Legion 5i Pro if you need advanced performance and are less concerned with size and mobility. 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 Pro 5i
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
8.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with its entry-level Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, is suitable for lighter gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is better equipped for gaming and 3D applications with its high-performance Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a faster 165Hz screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals and more detailed graphics.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
8.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is more suitable for engineering and design use because it features a more powerful processor and advanced Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics, which results in better performance for demanding tasks and visualization. Meanwhile, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a capable yet less powerful CPU and integrated graphics, making it better for less intensive applications and offers greater portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
8.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
368.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with its fair screen specifications, offers an acceptable display for day-to-day tasks and casual use, but its limited color range can be a drawback for precise engineering and design work that requires color accuracy. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i boasts a screen with enhanced color representation, making it better suited for professionals in engineering and design who need to rely on accurate colors for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates that may not deliver the smooth visuals necessary for an optimal gaming experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
3.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 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
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
5.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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 Pro 5i costs $999.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good for general use with a balanced CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, an IPS screen with decent color coverage, and a lighter weight for portability, along with a reasonable battery life. In comparison, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro offers a more powerful CPU and dedicated GPU, a higher resolution and brighter display for superior screen quality, and better heat management for demanding applications, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. Both have equal RAM and storage, but different priorities in their design to suit different user needs.
Content Creation
7.4/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
7.4/10
7.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 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 Slim 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 Slim 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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