The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is a strong choice for those who prioritize performance and screen quality for tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, thanks to its newer i7-14700HX processor and RTX 4070 GPU, which also supports hardware ray tracing and DLSS. Its higher resolution 16:10 display with superior color accuracy and brightness is ideal for detailed work and immersive gaming, though it comes with a slightly higher price tag. However, its battery life is shorter, and it's less portable due to its size and weight.
On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard offers a balance of performance and value with its capable i7-11800H and RTX 3080, making it suitable for gaming and general use, though it may not handle future-generation games and applications as efficiently as the Lenovo. The MSI's 144Hz refresh rate is excellent for fast-motion content, and it has a slightly better port selection, including an HDMI port. It's also more portable and has a longer battery life, but its screen, while still good, isn't as advanced as the Lenovo's.
If you need cutting-edge performance and a top-tier display for intensive tasks and are willing to compromise on portability and battery life, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is the way to go. However, if you're looking for a more versatile and portable machine with a solid gaming and general use experience at a better value, the MSI GP66 Leopard is a great option. 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)
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
7.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
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
7.9/10
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GP66 Leopard is good.
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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
7.5/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Battery
3.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,500
$1,400
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) has a price of $1,500 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.4/10
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for content creation.
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
7.2/10
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for software development.
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.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) and the MSI GP66 Leopard 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 GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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