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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choose the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 if you prioritize better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering, as it has a more powerful processor and graphics card. Its battery also lasts longer, which is convenient if you're often away from power outlets. However, keep in mind that it is heavier, and it typically costs more. The MSI GF63 Thin, on the other hand, is more affordable and lighter, making it easier to carry around, but it has less storage, memory, and a less capable processor and graphics card, leading to lower performance in demanding applications. 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 for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.6
6.0
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 outperforms the MSI GF63 Thin in general use due to its stronger CPU, higher amount of RAM, and superior screen quality, all of which contribute to better overall performance and user experience. However, the MSI GF63 Thin is more portable and lighter, albeit with reduced battery life and screen quality, which suits users who prioritize ease of carrying over raw performance and display fidelity.
Gaming and AI
7.7
6.0
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
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 Slim 5 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is equipped with a newer Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and has a higher screen refresh rate of 144hz, making it more suitable for gaming and 3D applications compared to the MSI GF63 Thin, which comes with an older Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU and a standard 60hz screen refresh rate. Both processors and screen qualities are decent, but the better GPU and higher refresh rate of the Lenovo give it an edge for these specific tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.0
6.0
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 boasts stronger CPU and GPU combinations, more RAM, and a higher quality screen than the MSI GF63 Thin, making it more suitable for resource-intensive engineering and design tasks. Despite the MSI GF63 Thin being lighter and thus more portable, its hardware and screen quality fall short compared to the Legion, compromising its effectiveness for demanding software applications found in engineering and design scenarios.
Content Creation
7.5
6.0
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
7.4
6.0
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
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 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
7.2
6.1
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers superior visuals suitable for general tasks and design work due to its higher resolution and brightness, providing clear and vivid images, and its color gamut supports detailed color work necessary for engineering and design. In comparison, the MSI GF63 Thin provides adequate display quality for everyday tasks and professional design but may not be as sharp or vibrant due to lower brightness and a narrower color range. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications as they lack the high refresh rates required for smooth, responsive visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF63 Thin 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
6.5
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 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
$1,000
$599
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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How the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 51 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 | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
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 | 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 | 1 | |
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 GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"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 Slim 5 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.
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