For a balance of performance and portability with a high-quality screen suitable for engineering tasks and intensive gaming, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is a strong choice, despite its higher price. It offers a more powerful GPU and CPU, a higher resolution and PPI screen with better color accuracy, and more RAM and storage. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which might not be ideal if you need a laptop for extended periods away from a power outlet.
On the other hand, the MSI Thin GF63 is a more budget-friendly option that's lighter and offers longer battery life, making it a good choice for general use and moderate gaming or 3D tasks. Its performance is lower compared to the Lenovo, and the screen isn't as advanced, but it's a solid pick if you prioritize portability and battery life over raw power and a high-end display. 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
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Thin GF63
Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
6.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
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 Thin GF63 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
7.5/10
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Thin GF63 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.
Content Creation
7.9/10
7.4/10
9.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
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 Thin GF63 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is somewhat better.
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
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) and MSI Thin GF63 are both good for software development, though the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) is somewhat better.
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
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
368.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has a better screen than the MSI Thin GF63 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
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i has 3.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 has 4.5 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Thin GF63 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 Thin GF63 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
$1,150
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) has a price of $1,500 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,150.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) and MSI Thin GF63 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) and the MSI Thin GF63 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 GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024) or the MSI Thin GF63
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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Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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