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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is less expensive, more portable, and has sufficient performance for general use with a lighter weight and a longer battery life. It also boasts a backlit keyboard and a number pad, making it suitable for day-to-day tasks and light multimedia activities. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16, however, offers significantly higher performance for engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks, due to its more powerful processor and dedicated graphics card. It has a higher quality build, a better keyboard, and superior screen resolution, but is heavier and less portable, which might be less convenient for frequent travel. Choose the IdeaPad Slim 5i if you prioritize portability and cost savings or the ThinkPad P16 if you require higher performance and better display for professional or creative work. 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
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
6.9
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is merely fair for gaming and 3D because it has an integrated GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is better suited for these tasks due to its more powerful dedicated Nvidia GPU and similarly standard screen refresh rate, yet with the advantage of a more robust CPU and superior screen quality.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.3
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, designed with mid-range internals like an Intel i5 processor and integrated graphics, suits regular engineering and design tasks whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, with a higher-end Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX A1000 graphics, excels in demanding engineering scenarios due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, alongside superior screen quality. However, the Slim 5i is lighter and thus more portable, while the ThinkPad P16, being heavier and larger, is less convenient to carry but offers better performance for intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.4
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
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
8.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
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.
Screen Quality
6.4
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ThinkPad P16 offers a brighter, sharper display with better color accuracy compared to the IdeaPad Slim 5i, making text clearer and multimedia more vibrant. When it comes to engineering and design, the P16's screen covers a wider range of colors, essential for precise color work, while the IdeaPad provides an adequate but less accurate color display. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops lack high refresh rate screens that offer smoother motion, but their resolutions and panel types may still deliver satisfactory image quality for less demanding users.
Battery
8.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$828
$1,449
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a price of $828 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
8.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
315.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is ideal for general use with its balanced lightweight design, adequate battery life, and a decent display, yet it lacks the advanced CPU and graphics capabilities found in the Lenovo ThinkPad P16. On the other hand, the ThinkPad P16 offers superior performance with a high-end CPU and GPU, a much higher resolution and brighter display, and longer battery life, but this comes at the expense of greater weight and reduced portability.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$828 | $1,449 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.17 lbs | 6.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 10.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-12800HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56.6 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 315 nits | 569 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
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 ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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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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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