When choosing between the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, consider that the Legion is typically designed for gaming and heavy-duty tasks with superior graphics and processing power; however, it will be heavier and may have shorter battery life, making it less ideal for travel. In contrast, the ThinkPad X13 is geared towards business users who prioritize portability, longer battery life, and durability, but it won't handle demanding games or intensive graphics tasks as well as the Legion. Select the Legion if performance in resource-intensive applications is a priority, or the ThinkPad if mobility and battery life are more important for your daily use. 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 5i
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 offers a balance of high screen quality, portability, and battery life, making it very suitable for general use on the go or in various settings with reliable performance due to its CPU and RAM. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i, while it offers similar CPU and RAM capabilities for performance, leans more towards users needing a robust system for more demanding applications, and with its gaming pedigree, it might not provide the same level of portability and battery life as the ThinkPad.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
6.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is equipped with a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are critical for smooth gaming and 3D rendering experiences, whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while still capable, has a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate, making it less optimal for those specific tasks despite its competent CPU and screen quality. Therefore, if gaming and 3D capabilities are a priority, the Legion Pro 5i would provide a better experience, but if you prefer a balance between performance and other tasks, the ThinkPad X13 is still a viable option.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.2/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
7.5/10
8.1/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i 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
8.1/10
6.9/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i's display offers vibrant colors and fine details crucial for engineering and design work due to its wide color gamut, while its higher resolution and brightness contribute to a pleasant experience in general tasks. The ThinkPad X13, while slightly less proficient in color representation, still provides a sharp and bright image that ensures clarity and comfort for both everyday activities and professional design work. However, both laptops lack the high refresh rates favored by Gaming and 3D applications, which can make them less ideal for fast-paced visual content that relies on smooth motion.
Battery
3.5 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i offers superior CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities coupled with higher screen quality which is essential for demanding engineering tasks and resource-intensive design applications. Meanwhile, the ThinkPad X13, while also suitable for engineering and design due to its capable performance hardware, additionally shines in portability, keyboard feel, and reduced operating noise, making it a more balanced option for those who value mobility and comfort alongside performance.
Cost
$1,000
$948
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a price of $1,000 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 costs $948.
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How the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 compare to other laptops
"The midpriced Lenovo Legion Pro 5i Gen 8 follows some of our favorite gaming machines, including last year's model and the higher-end Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 tested earlier this year. But pedigree doesn't count for much in the computer world, and gaming laptops require a certain level of power and graphics performance to justify their prices. The Pro 5i Gen 8 just doesn't do that, offering middling CPU and GPU performance rather than the sort of muscle that would make it a great value."
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i or the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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.
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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