If you prioritize a more budget-friendly option with longer battery life and a lighter build, the MSI Cyborg 15 fits those criteria well and is also suitable for tasks such as gaming. However, if you are looking for higher performance, particularly in 3D or machine learning applications, and don't mind investing more for a larger storage capacity, more RAM, and a more powerful GPU and CPU, then the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro would be a better choice, albeit at the expense of battery life and portability due to its heavier weight. Both models offer colorful, backlit keyboards and a range of modern ports, though the Lenovo provides additional available RAM and storage slots, which could be beneficial for future upgrades. 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 Pro 5
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
Good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
7.2/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
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 Pro 5 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.5/10
7.5/10
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5, with a high-performing CPU, double the RAM, and a more powerful GPU, outperforms the MSI Cyborg 15, making it better suited for demanding engineering and design tasks; it also boasts superior screen quality with better resolution and color accuracy for precision work. However, the Cyborg 15 is more portable due to its lower weight, and with quieter operating noise, it could be more comfortable for extended use despite its lesser performance for engineering tasks.
Screen Quality
8.0/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
340.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5's screen boasts a high resolution and brightness, coupled with a panel type that delivers sharp and vibrant colors, which makes it excellent for general use and engineering tasks that require accurate color representation. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial. The MSI Cyborg 15, with moderate resolution and brightness, provides an adequate display for everyday tasks and professional design work, but its similar limitations in refresh rate mean it won't be optimal for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming and 3D environments.
Battery
3.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
6.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro suits general use with a robust CPU, ample RAM, superior screen quality, sufficient storage, but with moderate portability and battery life; it has a solid keyboard and manages heat effectively, though has fairly noticeable operating noise. In contrast, the MSI Cyborg 15 is more portable with longer battery life, a decent CPU, and sufficient RAM for general tasks, along with good screen quality and storage, but it has lesser heat management and the speakers, as well as the build quality, are not as good as the Legion's.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.5/10
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for content creation.
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
7.6/10
7.2/10
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Cost
$1,120
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
"It doesn't quite match its Legion Pro 7i sibling as an Editors' Choice winner, but Lenovo's AMD-powered Legion Pro 5 Gen 8 is a stylish, well-built gaming laptop with solid performance at both 1080p and its sharper native resolution. It's cheaper than some comparably equipped machines and better than some similarly priced ones. That's a recipe for success, even without its frequent availability of discounts or sales. A brighter screen and longer battery life would be nice, but even as is the Legion Pro 5 earns a solid recommendation."
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
116,295
Recommendations made
25,198
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.