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Updated January 12, 2024·
If you're looking for a cost-effective option for general use, the Lenovo Legion 5 15" is a solid choice that offers good performance for everyday tasks at a lower price. If you require top-tier performance for gaming, 3D work, machine learning, or other intensive tasks, the MSI Raider GE78 excels but comes at a premium. It generally has a more powerful graphics card and processor, but this also impacts battery life and portability. The Raider is heavier and drains the battery faster, making the Legion more suitable for those needing to travel with their laptop without frequent recharging. 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 15"
- The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has no clear advantages over the MSI Raider GE78.
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5
8.7
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
350.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
6.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is solid for general use with a balance of performance from its CPU and RAM, respectable screen quality, and fair portability, but its battery life is modest and it's less premium in build quality compared to the MSI Raider GE78.
Gaming and AI
7.9
9.5
9.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" is good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" delivers dependable gaming and 3D performance with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a commendable refresh rate of 165Hz, balancing affordability with capability for users. In comparison, the MSI Raider GE78 escalates gaming and 3D performance to the highest level thanks to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a top-tier 240Hz screen refresh rate, accommodating users with professional or enthusiast needs who prioritize peak performance over cost.
Engineering and Design
8.2
9.4
8.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" is very good.
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" is well-suited for engineering and design thanks to its capable AMD Ryzen 7 processor, Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics, and high-quality IPS display, yet it is more portable, has a quieter operating noise, and offers a very good keyboard.
Content Creation
7.4
8.8
8.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" 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
7.3
8.5
8.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" 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
8.0
8.6
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
350.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 5 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion 5's screen offers clear images and comfortable viewing, though it lags behind in refresh rate, which is less critical for everyday tasks. The MSI Raider GE78 provides sharp visuals and vibrant colors due to its higher resolution and brightness, enhancing the experience for engineering and design professionals who depend on accurate color representation. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications as their screens don't have the high refresh rates required for smooth motion rendering, which could detract from fast-paced visual performance.
Battery
4.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has 4 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
5.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has only fair portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion 5 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$999
$4,386
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion 5 15" has a price of $999 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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How the Lenovo Legion 5 15" and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 15" | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$999 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.3'' x 0.95'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.3 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.13" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.33" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1440 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 350 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.8/10 | 5.6/10 | |
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 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | September 2021
"The Lenovo Legion 5 15 is an affordable gaming laptop with a lot of power. The new AMD processor Ryzen 7 5800H offers plenty of performance and it is also very efficient. The combination with the fast 130W version of the GeForce RTX 3060 ensures high gaming performance. We also like the fast 165 Hz display with the 1080p resolution. The automatic graphics switching causes some problems with stutters, which are very annoying. If you do not need long battery runtimes, you should definitely deactivate the hybrid graphics mode in Lenovo's Vantage app. The Legion 5 15 is never silent."
MSI Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 5 15" or the MSI Raider GE78
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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