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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is a more affordable and portable option with longer battery life and a higher resolution 16:10 display, suitable for general use and work tasks. However, the MSI GP66 Leopard, while heavier and more expensive with a shorter battery life, offers superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming due to its higher-end processor and powerful RTX 3080 graphics card. If on-the-go usage and saving money are priorities, go for the IdeaPad Slim 5i, but if performance in intensive engineering or gaming tasks is crucial, the GP66 Leopard is the better choice. 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 MSI GP66 Leopard
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
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 MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
The MSI GP66 Leopard is considered good for gaming and 3D because it has a more capable Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate at 144Hz, which provides smoother visuals in fast-paced games. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while fair for these tasks, falls short with its less powerful integrated Iris Xe graphics and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate, limiting the fluidity of gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.0
7.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI GP66 Leopard is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i caters to engineering and design with a solid CPU and integrated graphics suitable for less demanding tasks, and its high-resolution screen enhances visual clarity and detail, but it may struggle with intensive 3D tasks due to its less powerful GPU compared to gaming-grade laptops. On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard boasts a high-performance CPU and a top-tier dedicated GPU, making it excellent for demanding engineering applications and design work that require advanced graphics processing, but it's heavier and has a lower battery life, making it less portable.
Screen Quality
6.4
7.5
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i provides a comfortable viewing experience with sufficient resolution and brightness, but may lack vibrancy compared to higher-end displays. The MSI GP66 Leopard excels with brighter and sharper visuals, making it a better choice for engineering and design tasks that require accurate color representation, as it covers wider color gamuts ensuring precise hues in projects. However, both laptops fall short for 3D applications and gaming due to lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth motion and slower response times during fast-paced scenes.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 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
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 GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$828
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a price of $828 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
315.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is lightweight, has a longer battery life, and a larger, higher-resolution screen, making it suitable for general use that involves carrying it around and frequent off-charge use. On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard offers a powerful CPU and advanced graphics suitable for demanding software, but these contribute to heavier weight, shorter battery life, and a lower portability score, which might not be ideal for users often on-the-move.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
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 MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.2
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
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and MSI GP66 Leopard 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
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GP66 Leopard to have 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i | MSI GP66 Leopard |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$828 | $1,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2021 | |
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 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 | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56.6 Wh | 65 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
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 | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
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 | 0 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
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."
MSI GP66 Leopard
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | December 2021
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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