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Updated March 22, 2024·
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option that's easier to carry around and has decent performance for everyday tasks like browsing the internet, watching videos, and using office applications, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i would suit your needs. On the other hand, if you require a laptop with top-tier performance for gaming, 3D modeling, machine learning, or demanding engineering software, and you're not as concerned with portability or price, the MSI Titan 18 HX is built for those purposes. Just keep in mind that the MSI model will likely have a heavier weight and shorter battery life due to its powerful hardware. 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 Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.8
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
315.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with sufficient CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, offers a balance between screen quality, portability, and battery life, making it a solid choice for general use at an affordable price. In contrast, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while boasting superior CPU and RAM for high-performance needs, sacrifices portability and battery life due to its focus on power and a higher-quality screen, making it less practical for on-the-go use but excellent for demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
6.3
9.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, while suitable for casual gaming, has limitations due to its less powerful graphics card and lower screen refresh rate, which can hinder performance and visual fluidity in demanding 3D applications. Meanwhile, the MSI Titan 18 HX excels in gaming and 3D tasks with a top-tier graphics card and high refresh rate display, providing a smoother and more immersive experience; however, this comes at the cost of a higher price and reduced portability.
Engineering and Design
7.0
9.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, with adequate processing power and memory, serves well for engineering and design, but may struggle with highly demanding tasks where the MSI Titan 18 HX excels due to its more powerful CPU, RAM, and superior GPU, ensuring smoother performance in complex software. However, the MSI Titan 18 HX is less portable and could be noisier under load, which is a tradeoff for its higher capabilities in processing and graphics, especially noted in screen quality for detailed work.
Content Creation
7.4
9.0
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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
8.9
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
9.2
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
315.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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, with fair screen quality across the board, may not deliver the high resolution and brightness favored for general use, nor does it likely offer the wide color gamuts necessary for precise engineering and design work. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX's superior screen quality ensures vivid images and accurate colors which are essential for both general usage and professional design tasks that demand adherence to specific color standards. However, for gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate is crucial to smooth motion and gameplay, neither laptop excels, likely due to more moderate refresh rates that don't match the needs of fast-paced visual content.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
18.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,800
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i has a price of $828 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$828 | $4,800 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.9'' x 0.7'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.17 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.02" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.88" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1335U | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 56.6 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 315 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 10/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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."
MSI Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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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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