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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If you're focusing on gaming or performance-heavy applications, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5, being a gaming laptop, typically offers better graphic capabilities and faster processing suited for such tasks, albeit with a tradeoff in battery life and potentially higher weight. Conversely, the MSI Creator M14 is tailored for content creators, valuing color accuracy and a more portable design, which could benefit you if portability and screen quality are priorities over raw performance. Keep in mind, though, that investing in the MSI might demand a higher budget for its creator-focused features. 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 Slim 5
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for content creation
- Good portability
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.2
7.5
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator M14 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and the MSI Creator M14 offer clear, high-resolution displays with ample brightness, making text, images, and videos look sharp and vibrant for everyday tasks. Both have wide color gamuts, satisfying the precise color requirements essential for engineering and design work, where color accuracy can be critical. However, their lower refresh rates limit the smoothness and responsiveness expected for 3D gaming, making them less ideal for fast-paced gaming experiences where higher refresh rates provide a competitive edge.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 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
14.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Creator M14 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,000
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
8.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers a balance of performance with its CPU and RAM for efficient multitasking and general activities, coupled with a quality screen and reasonable battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks. The MSI Creator M14, on the other hand, excels with a higher-quality display and superior processing power that's beneficial for more demanding applications, while still maintaining a focus on portability and battery life, yet it comes at a higher price point.
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.3
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and MSI Creator M14 are both good for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers a robust GPU and high screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth gameplay and 3D rendering, providing a seamless visual experience. While the MSI Creator M14 also boasts a capable GPU and fine screen quality, its focus on content creation might mean a tradeoff in the highest possible gaming refresh rates compared to the Legion Slim 5, which prioritizes gaming performance.
Engineering and Design
8.0
8.4
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers powerful CPU and GPU options suited for demanding engineering software, paired with ample RAM and a high-quality screen which is crucial for design precision, while the MSI Creator M14 also provides robust CPU and GPU performance, abundant RAM, and excellent screen quality for detailed work, though both prioritize power over portability and may have louder operating noise and less emphasis on speaker and keyboard quality.
Content Creation
7.5
8.0
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
7.4
7.8
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The MSI Creator M14 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion Slim 5
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Mark Knapp | August 2023
"The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 Gen 8 acknowledges that a gaming laptop doesn’t have to be as thick as possible and can still ensure adequate cooling when the muscles need flexing. To this end, in the Slim 5 Gen 8, it finds a neat balance of refined, trimmed-down design that still lets its internals cruise (even above their max power ratings). Lenovo then added in some high-end build quality with an altogether excellent keyboard that’s useful for both work and play."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 or the MSI Creator M14
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.
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