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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 suits users needing solid performance for demanding tasks and appreciates a quality keyboard and better heat management. It's equipped with ample RAM for multitasking and has a high-quality display with a higher resolution suitable for a range of tasks including engineering and gaming. However, it's heavier and more expensive. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15 is more affordable and lightweight, making it more portable. It has a decent processor for general use but comes with less RAM, which might limit performance during intensive work and multitasking. Its display has standard resolution and lower color accuracy, making it sufficient for general use but less ideal for color-sensitive work. Both laptops are capable of gaming but prioritize the Legion Slim 5 if performance and screen quality are vital, whereas the Cyborg 15 is for those prioritizing portability and cost savings. 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
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.7
7.2
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
7.2
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
If you prioritize vibrant colors and sharp details for tasks like web browsing or document editing, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 with its higher resolution and brightness could be your preferred choice over the MSI Cyborg 15, which offers adequate but less impressive visuals for everyday tasks. For engineering and design work where color accuracy is crucial, the Lenovo offers better coverage of professional color gamuts, ensuring that your designs will look consistent across different devices and media. However, when it comes to gaming or creating and viewing 3D content, neither laptop is ideal due to their lower refresh rates, but the Lenovo still has a slight edge in screen quality with its better panel type and resolution.
Portability
Fair
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.7
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.3
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is well-suited for general use due to its higher RAM capacity which aids in multitasking, and superior screen quality with higher resolution and color coverage, whereas the MSI Cyborg 15 offers slightly better portability with its lighter weight and marginally longer battery life, but with less RAM which may impact performance during heavy multitasking. Both laptops have efficient CPUs and quality IPS displays, but the Legion's additional RAM and screen attributes make it a strong choice for general use, though the Cyborg 15's portability and longer battery life are advantageous for users on the go.
Engineering and Design
8.0
7.5
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5 to be very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is rated higher for engineering and design chiefly due to its superior RAM capacity, which is crucial for complex tasks and software typical in these fields, and the higher-quality display panel that enhances visual clarity and color accuracy. In contrast, the MSI Cyborg 15, while also equipped with a powerful CPU and capable GPU, has less RAM, which may limit performance in demanding applications, and a lower quality display which may not be as suitable for detailed design work. Both laptops offer reasonable portability and decent keyboards, but their screen quality and RAM make the Legion Slim 5 stand out for professional use.
Content Creation
7.5
7.5
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and MSI Cyborg 15 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
7.4
7.2
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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.
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How the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5 | MSI Cyborg 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 4.37 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 9.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Cyborg 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | April 2023
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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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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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