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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i, with its lighter weight and longer battery life, is more portable and better for general use, making it suited for everyday tasks, light work, and carrying around. However, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a larger screen, more powerful processor, and advanced graphics, ideal for engineering work, gaming, and intensive 3D or machine learning tasks. Keep in mind, the IdeaPad is often less expensive, which could be a deciding factor if budget is a prime concern. The Legion 5 will tend to weigh more and have shorter battery life, which could be a downside if mobility is a priority. 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 7i
- Very good portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2
7.4
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is better for gaming and 3D because it features a high-performance Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which is advantageous for visually intensive tasks and smoother gameplay. Meanwhile, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i, with its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz, is less ideal for these tasks, although it may still handle some gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.1
7.6
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i are both good for engineering and design, though the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i, with its lighter weight and smaller screen, offers portability suitable for on-the-go engineering and design tasks, while having a capable CPU and integrated graphics that ensure sufficient performance for such uses; however, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" sports a more powerful CPU and dedicated high-performance GPU, making it better suited for more demanding engineering software and offering a larger, more vibrant screen for extensive design work, albeit with significantly less portability due to its larger size and weight.
Content Creation
7.7
7.2
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.9
7.3
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
340.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 17" for software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The IdeaPad Slim 7i and Legion 5 both have panels with sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, hence their good screen quality for general use. For engineering and design, their color accuracy and range meet the requirements, making them suitable choices. However, for gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth visuals, both laptops fall short, hence their poor screen quality in this regard.
Battery
11.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has 11.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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
Very Good
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.0in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$899
$1,200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i has a price of $899 and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" costs $1,200.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.7
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
340.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
11.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i offers a balance of performance with its capable CPU and plenty of RAM for multitasking, with the added benefit of a high-quality, portable design and longer battery life, making it ideal for general use. While the Lenovo Legion 5 17" features a more powerful CPU and high-quality screen, it's less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight, and it has a shorter battery life, but it provides better heat management and is suitable for gaming or more demanding tasks.
Software Development
7.5
7.0
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.8
7.4
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i and Lenovo Legion 5 17" both have 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 7i and the Lenovo Legion 5 17" compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i | Lenovo Legion 5 17" |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$899 | $1,200 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2020 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.6'' x 8.2'' x 0.59'' | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.99 lbs | 6.57 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.62" | 15.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.2" | 11.41" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1165G7 | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60.7 Wh | 80 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 340 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 4 | |
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 | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Ted Needleman
| January 2022
"Among Lenovo's multiple laptop brands, the IdeaPad family is decidedly the one designed for consumers: people who want decent performance at a reasonable price. Consider, then, this laptop a paragon for the pickier members of that crowd. With a 14-inch touch-enabled display, a comfortable keyboard, an Evo-certified Intel Core i7 11th Generation CPU, and the latest Windows 11 operating system, the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro ultraportable ($1,199 as tested) is a slick mainstream machine at a bit of a premium price, and quite capable for everyday tasks."
Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i or the Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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.
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