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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you need a laptop primarily for general use and value portability and battery life, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is a more affordable choice with a good balance of performance for everyday tasks and longer battery life. However, if you require top-notch performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering applications, the MSI GE66 Raider, while more expensive and heavier, offers significantly higher processing power, more RAM, and a more powerful graphics card, along with a higher resolution and refresh rate display that will excel in these intensive tasks but with shorter battery life and less portability. 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 MSI GE66 Raider
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
315.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with portability in mind, offers efficient general use with a lighter weight and longer battery life, but its performance is more modest due to an Intel i5 processor and integrated graphics. In contrast, the MSI GE66 Raider boasts a powerful Intel i9 processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics for superior performance, making it suitable for more demanding tasks, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.3
8.6
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI GE66 Raider is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has an integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, which supports casual gaming but can struggle with high-end games and 3D applications, while the MSI GE66 Raider boasts a much more powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti dedicated graphics card, enabling top-notch gaming and 3D performance. Additionally, the GE66 Raider has a higher screen refresh rate, contributing to smoother visuals important for fast-paced games, whereas the IdeaPad Slim 5i has a standard refresh rate that is less optimal for such scenarios.
Engineering and Design
7.0
9.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The MSI GE66 Raider is excellent for engineering and design due to its powerful Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a high-end Nvidia RTX graphics card, paired with a 4K display ensuring great screen quality for detailed tasks. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while suitable for engineering and design activities, has a less powerful Intel i5 CPU, less RAM, and an integrated GPU, which may not perform as well with highly demanding applications, despite its good screen quality and higher portability.
Content Creation
7.4
8.4
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GE66 Raider 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
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider 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
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The MSI GE66 Raider has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
Choosing the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with its respectable screen brightness and resolution, ensures comfortable viewing for day-to-day tasks and is wallet-friendly. However, the MSI GE66 Raider, with its superior color accuracy and broader color gamuts, offers a distinct advantage for professionals in engineering and design who need precise color representation. For gaming and 3D applications, despite both laptops having lower refresh rates, the MSI's overall screen quality remains higher due to better resolution and panel technology, offering a smoother visual experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider has 6 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
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability, while the MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The MSI GE66 Raider 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
$3,199
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a price of $828 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the MSI GE66 Raider compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i | MSI GE66 Raider |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$828 | $3,199 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.17 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i9-12900HK | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56.6 Wh | 99 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3840 x 2160 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 315 nits | 347 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6.9/10 | |
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 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
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."
MSI GE66 Raider
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i or the MSI GE66 Raider
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.
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