The Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, with its powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, is well-suited for gaming and engineering software, but it's also heavier and thicker, making it less portable. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo features a more vibrant OLED screen and a lighter, thinner build that enhances portability, however, it sacrifices gaming and engineering performance due to its Intel processor and integrated Arc graphics. If your priority is performance and you're okay with a bulkier laptop, go with the Lenovo; if portability and screen quality are more important, the MSI is a better choice. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.5/10
8.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
368.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
3.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo provides a superior experience for general use due to its higher RAM, which enhances multitasking performance, and its OLED screen with higher resolution and color coverage, leading to better visual quality. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro, while still adequate for general use with a capable CPU and quality IPS screen, trails behind primarily in screen quality and also has less RAM, making it less optimal for heavy multitasking. Both laptops offer considerable battery capacities and similar portability, but the MSI's larger battery provides longer unplugged usage.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
6.7/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i excels in gaming and 3D due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and high screen refresh rate, which provide smooth and detailed visuals crucial for these tasks. Meanwhile, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, with its Intel Arc GPU and lower screen refresh rate, still offers good performance and screen quality for gaming and 3D applications, but is less optimized for the highest-end gaming experiences.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.6/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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
8.5/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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
8.4/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo both have screens with resolutions and brightness that provide clear and vibrant displays, with panel types conducive to crisp images and wide viewing angles. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo stands out in engineering and design because it likely covers a broader color gamut, with higher representation of DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB which are crucial for color accuracy needed in professional creative work. However, for gaming and 3D, both fall short as their screens likely have lower refresh rates, which means less fluid motion and responsiveness that avid gamers and 3D professionals look for.
Battery
3.5 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
16.0in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,369
$1,399
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a price of $1,369 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,399.
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How the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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 MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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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