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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a larger screen and stronger performance for engineering tasks due to its higher RAM and processor, making it a solid pick if you plan on running demanding software; however, it's heavier and less portable, which may be inconvenient if you travel often. The MSI GF65 Thin, despite having a more compact form and being lighter for increased portability, has less RAM and a less powerful processor, which could limit its performance in intense engineering applications or gaming. Both laptops have similar battery life and graphics cards, offering good gaming experiences. Choose the Lenovo if you need more power and a larger screen but don't mind less portability, or the MSI if you prefer something lighter and more portable but are okay with compromising on performance and screen size. 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"
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.2
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a superior multitasking and general performance experience with a more powerful CPU and double the RAM of the MSI GF65 Thin, which is important for smooth operation in varied tasks. However, the Lenovo is larger and heavier, making it less portable than the MSI, and both laptops have similar battery life, which might not be ideal for extended use away from power outlets.
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.8
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a larger screen size and a higher capacity battery than the MSI GF65 Thin, which enhances its suitability for immersive gaming and extended playthroughs. Both laptops have the same Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and screen refresh rates, making them competent for gaming, but the larger display and battery on the Legion may offer a better gaming experience despite potentially being less portable than the thinner MSI GF65.
Engineering and Design
7.6
6.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" with a high-powered i7 processor, ample RAM, and a quality RTX 3060 GPU is well-suited for demanding engineering and design applications, further enhanced by its large, high-contrast screen. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while also equipped with an RTX 3060 GPU, has a mid-range i5 processor and less RAM, which might limit performance in intensive tasks; however, it offers better portability due to its lighter weight and smaller screen size.
Software Development
7.0
6.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you prioritize a large, bright display with crisp resolution for everyday tasks and productivity, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" may be a better fit due to its larger screen size and good brightness, enhancing your experience when browsing the web or working on documents. For engineering and design work that demands accurate color representation, the Lenovo stands out with better coverage of color gamuts, ensuring that the colors in your projects will be more vivid and true to life. However, if fast-paced gaming or 3D rendering is a priority, neither laptop excels, but you'll find the MSI GF65 Thin's slightly higher refresh rate to be more conducive to a smoother visual experience, albeit not top-tier for this specific purpose.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF65 Thin has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.7
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Content Creation
7.2
6.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion 5 17" to be good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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.
Battery
4.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion 5 17" and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 17" | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.57 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.7" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.41" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 5 17" or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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