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Updated March 21, 2024·
When choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider that the Lenovo is more budget-friendly and suitable for general use, with adequate performance for everyday tasks and good portability. The MSI, on the other hand, is tailored for power users, such as those into 3D work, machine learning, or gaming, offering higher performance at a steeper price. It's also likely heavier, which may limit its portability. Battery life in performance-oriented laptops like the MSI is often shorter, so frequent travelers or those without constant access to power may prefer the Lenovo. 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio
- 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
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
315.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i offers a balance of performance and value, making it adequate for everyday tasks with its competent CPU and RAM, decent screen quality, good portability, and battery life. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with a high-end CPU and larger RAM, excels in more demanding applications, sports a superior screen, and while less portable due to its size and weight, it compensates with excellent battery life, making it better for intensive use despite being pricier.
Gaming and AI
6.3
8.9
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while offering competent performance for light gaming and basic 3D work, is equipped with a less powerful graphics card and a standard screen refresh rate, which means it won't handle demanding games and complex 3D tasks as smoothly. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-end graphics card and a faster screen refresh rate, providing a seamless and immersive experience necessary for high-end gaming and professional 3D modeling.
Engineering and Design
7.0
9.1
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with its capable CPU, ample RAM, and decent GPU, performs well for engineering and design tasks, while its high screen quality enhances visual clarity; however, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio surpasses it with a more advanced CPU, a higher amount of RAM, and a superior GPU, delivering exceptional performance for demanding engineering software, and its stellar screen enhances detailed work. The MSI's excellence in power does impact its portability and can lead to more operating noise, whereas the Lenovo offers better portability and a quieter experience but with less raw power for intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.4
8.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.4
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i provides an adequate display with respectable resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but its color range may not be wide enough for engineering and design work, and its refresh rate is too low for smooth gaming and 3D rendering. Conversely, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-resolution, bright display with a wide color gamut that excels in color accuracy for professional creative work but falls short for gaming due to a lower refresh rate. While both laptops have screens well-suited for regular use and professional design applications, neither is optimized for the high refresh rates desired in gaming or 3D content creation.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
18.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$828
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a price of $828 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.6
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$828 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.17 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
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 | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 315 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
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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