For a balance of performance and portability with a high-quality display suited for engineering tasks and intensive gaming, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is the superior choice. It offers a powerful Intel i7 processor and an advanced Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, ensuring top-tier performance for demanding applications. The higher resolution and refresh rate, along with better color accuracy, make it ideal for professionals and gamers alike. However, it comes with a higher price tag and weighs more, which might be a consideration if budget and portability are your primary concerns.
On the other hand, the MSI GF63 Thin is a more budget-friendly option that's lighter and more suitable for general use and casual gaming. It has a decent Intel i5 processor and a Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, which will handle everyday tasks and less demanding games well. The tradeoff is a lower resolution screen with standard color reproduction and a 60Hz refresh rate, which may not satisfy users looking for a high-end visual experience. Additionally, its battery life is shorter, and it lacks some of the premium features found in the Legion Pro 5i, such as Thunderbolt ports and advanced security options like facial recognition.
Ultimately, if you prioritize performance, display quality, and advanced features for tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or engineering work, and you're willing to carry a slightly heavier laptop and pay a premium, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is the way to go. If you're looking for an affordable, lightweight laptop for general use with some gaming capabilities, the MSI GF63 Thin would be a suitable 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 (2024)
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
7.8/10
6.0/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
368.0 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 5i (2024) is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
6.0/10
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 5i (2024) 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
8.7/10
6.0/10
9.8/10
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 5i (2024) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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.
Content Creation
7.9/10
6.0/10
9.8/10
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 5i (2024) 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
7.7/10
6.0/10
9.8/10
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 5i (2024) 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
8.1/10
6.1/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
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 5i (2024) has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) 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
$1,500
$599
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) has a price of $1,500 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
"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."
"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 5i (2024) 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.
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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