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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If you require a laptop primarily for gaming or resource-intensive tasks, the Lenovo Legion 5 with its larger screen and robust performance may serve you well, but be aware it's heavier and may not be as travel-friendly. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14, while possibly more costly, is designed with creative professionals in mind, offering a balance of performance and portability, making it suitable if you're into design work or content creation and also prefer a laptop that's easier to carry around. Each choice has its own advantages, so consider what your top priorities are in a laptop. 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 Legion 5 17"
- The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has no clear advantages over the MSI Creator M14.
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.2
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 offers a larger screen and better performance for tasks like gaming or engineering due to its powerful CPU and ample RAM, which can handle demanding software, but its size and battery life make it less portable for on-the-go use. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator M14, while also having a capable CPU and sufficient RAM for smooth multitasking, emphasizes portability with a smaller screen and longer battery life, alongside a high-quality display that benefits creative professionals, but it may not match the Legion in raw performance for more intensive applications.
Engineering and Design
7.6
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good.
The MSI Creator M14 offers superior CPU, RAM, and GPU performance, which are critical for demanding engineering software and provide a higher screen quality for detailed design work. While the Lenovo Legion 5 17" delivers robust performance with ample CPU, RAM, and a capable GPU, its larger screen size might reduce portability compared to the more compact MSI, potentially affecting convenience for users on the move.
Content Creation
7.2
8.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.0
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator M14 is somewhat better.
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
7.3
7.5
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator M14 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" and MSI Creator M14 both provide panels with resolution and brightness suitable for comfortable everyday tasks and work involving documents or web browsing. For engineering and design applications, these laptops' displays cover a wide color spectrum, aiding in color-sensitive tasks. However, their lower refresh rates limit the smoothness and responsiveness required for playing games or working with 3D applications that benefit from quick on-screen action.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Creator M14 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,200
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
7.4
7.3
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" and MSI Creator M14 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Legion 5 with its high refresh rate and formidable GPU offers a smooth visual experience essential for immersive gaming and seamless 3D rendering, while the MSI Creator M14, while still providing sufficient graphics capabilities, focuses on screen quality for sharp and vibrant visuals that benefit creative work like video editing or graphic design. Both laptops balance CPU performance to support their graphical strengths, but gamers and 3D modelers may lean towards the Legion for fluid gameplay, and content creators towards the MSI for color accuracy and clarity.
Battery
4.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The MSI Creator M14 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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How the Lenovo Legion 5 17" and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 17" | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.57 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.7" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.41" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
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 Legion 5 17" or the MSI Creator M14
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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