If budget is a major factor for you and you're looking for a balance between performance and cost, the Lenovo Legion 5 17" could be the right choice, offering solid gaming or general use at a more affordable price point. On the other hand, if you need top-tier performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or high-end gaming and are willing to invest more, the MSI Titan 18 HX would suit you better, albeit with a likely increase in weight and size, which may affect portability. Additionally, the larger and more powerful system may lead to shorter battery life compared to a less powerful, more cost-effective option. 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 Titan 18 HX.
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
7.2/10
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 offers an adequate CPU and RAM for typical tasks with a decent screen, but its larger size and modest battery life make it less portable, although it has good heat management for sustained use. The MSI Titan, on the other hand, boasts superior CPU and RAM performance, exceptional screen quality, and premium speakers, but it is much less portable due to its size and weight, with battery life that may not support long periods away from power outlets.
Gaming and AI
7.4/10
9.4/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a capable GPU and a high screen refresh rate that ensures smooth gameplay and decent 3D performance, but the MSI Titan 18 HX offers a top-tier GPU and even higher screen refresh rate, providing exceptional gaming and 3D rendering capabilities. While both have strong CPUs and good screen quality, the Titan's leading-edge specs in these areas give it the edge for the most demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
9.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
7.5/10
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 Legion 5 17" is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 offers a strong balance of CPU, RAM, and GPU performance suitable for engineering and design tasks, along with a high-quality screen, but may fall behind the MSI Titan 18 HX which has superior components enhancing its ability to handle the most demanding engineering software. Although the Legion is easier to carry around and has a comfortable keyboard, the Titan stands out with its exceptional screen, cooling system for lower operating noise, and better speakers, albeit being less portable due to its larger size and heavier weight.
Content Creation
7.2/10
9.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
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 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
7.0/10
8.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" 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
7.3/10
9.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the MSI Titan's superior resolution and brightness provide a clearer and more vibrant visual experience, while the Lenovo Legion, although satisfactory, doesn't match the MSI's display capabilities. In engineering and design, the MSI Titan again stands out with its wide color gamuts, offering precise color accuracy crucial for professional work, whereas the Lenovo Legion offers a decent but less color-accurate display. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which doesn't provide the smooth visuals preferred in fast-paced gaming environments despite their adequate resolution and panel types.
Portability
Poor
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" and MSI Titan 18 HX both have poor portability, though the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$4,800
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a price of $1,200 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
"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."
"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 Legion 5 17" 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.
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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