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Updated January 10, 2024·
If your priority is gaming or graphics-intensive tasks such as video editing or 3D rendering, the MSI Stealth GS66, with its powerful graphics card and high-performance processor, would be a better fit, though it comes at a higher cost and has lower battery life. On the other hand, if you're looking for a laptop that is more affordable, offers longer battery life, and is adequate for general use, media consumption, and lighter productivity tasks, consider the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i. Both have the same amount of storage and memory, but the Lenovo is slightly lighter and therefore more portable, whereas the MSI has superior build quality, heat management, and a higher refresh-rate display, which is advantageous for fast-paced games. 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 battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3
7.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
The MSI Stealth GS66 outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i in gaming and 3D because it includes a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and boasts a higher screen refresh rate of 360Hz compared to the IdeaPad's integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and 60Hz refresh rate. While the IdeaPad offers sufficient capabilities for casual gaming, the MSI's superior GPU and refresh rate make it a stronger candidate for intensive gaming and smoother frame rates in 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.0
8.2
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i offers a decent CPU and integrated graphics suitable for entry-level engineering and design tasks, with relatively longer battery life and lower speaker quality compared to the MSI Stealth GS66, which boasts a more powerful CPU and discrete high-end GPU for more demanding engineering applications, but has shorter battery life and is slightly heavier, indicating a tradeoff between performance and portability.
Screen Quality
6.4
8.1
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS66 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 offers satisfactory display characteristics like resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but its coverage of professional color spaces may not be ideal for precision tasks like engineering and design. The MSI Stealth GS66, with its superior panel, delivers vivid colors and crisp visuals that benefit both general use and technical applications; however, its lower refresh rate may not suit the fast-paced visuals expected in high-end gaming and 3D work. For gamers and professionals in animation or modeling, a laptop boasting a high refresh rate, in addition to resolution and advanced panel technology, would result in smoother and more immersive experiences.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 has 5.5 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.
Cost
$828
$1,799
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a price of $828 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,799.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.5
7.7
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
315.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i stands out for general use due to its lighter weight, longer battery life, and good build quality, making it more portable and suitable for everyday tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth GS66, while also good for general use, leans towards higher performance with a better processor and graphics card, at the expense of shorter battery life and slightly more weight, which might be overkill for non-intensive tasks.
Content Creation
7.4
7.7
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS66 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
7.5
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and MSI Stealth GS66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth GS66 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 GS66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i | MSI Stealth GS66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$828 | $1,799 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 14.2'' x 9.7'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.17 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 9.65" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56.6 Wh | 99.9 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 | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 315 nits | 280 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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 Stealth GS66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2022
"The MSI Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i or the MSI Stealth GS66
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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