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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is a better fit if high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive engineering is important, as well as if gaming capabilities are critical due to its superior processor and graphics card. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less suited for frequent travel. Conversely, the MSI GF63 Thin is more portable and budget-friendly, recommended for general use with reasonable battery life, but it has a lower-quality display and significantly less power for demanding tasks and modern games. Both have solid build quality, but the Lenovo has a larger, higher-resolution screen, beneficial for multitasking and more immersive gaming or media experiences. 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
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.8
6.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
340.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is rated higher for general use because it has a more powerful CPU, larger RAM, and higher-quality screen, though it is not as portable and has shorter battery life compared to the MSI GF63 Thin. While the MSI GF63 Thin is more portable with a longer battery life and good screen quality, its CPU and RAM are less capable, which makes it less suited for more demanding tasks and multitasking.
Gaming and AI
8.4
6.0
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 stands out for engineering and design use due to its superior CPU, increased RAM, more powerful GPU, and higher-quality screen, catering to the demanding performance and visual precision these fields require. While the MSI GF63 Thin offers better portability and a quieter operation, its lower-tier hardware and screen quality limit performance and detail in intensive tasks, indicating a compromise between mobility and high-end functionality.
Content Creation
7.8
6.0
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 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.
Software Development
7.6
6.0
9.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
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 is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 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
8.0
6.1
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
340.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness that suits everyday tasks and detailed engineering or design work well, due to its wide color gamut. However, its lower refresh rate affects its suitability for gaming and 3D work, where a high refresh rate is crucial for a smoother visual experience. The MSI GF63 Thin provides adequate resolution and color reproduction for standard and professional tasks, but its overall screen performance is not optimized for the high refresh rate demands of gaming and rendering 3D graphics.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF63 Thin 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
6.5
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,120
$599
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Battery
3.5 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5 has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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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How the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Pro 5 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.3'' x 0.97'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.6 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.31" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 3.5 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 340 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.6/10 | 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 | 8/10 | |
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 | 1080p | 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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion Pro 5
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | July 2023
"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."
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 or the MSI GF63 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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