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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 21, 2024·
If cost is a primary concern and your computing needs are moderate, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers good value. It's also lighter, making it more convenient for travel. However, if your work involves complex tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or demanding games, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, despite its higher price, provides stronger performance. The MSI has a longer battery life, which might be crucial if you frequently work on the go. The Lenovo may suffice for general use, but for power users who require top-tier capabilities, the MSI could be a worthwhile investment. Remember, though, the MSI's advanced features come at the cost of heavier weight and a higher price. 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
- The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has no clear advantages over the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio.
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.6
8.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is 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 capable CPU and sufficient RAM, making it good for everyday tasks, along with decent screen quality and battery life that fits general use and portability needs. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio excels with a higher-performing CPU and more RAM, offering a smoother experience for more demanding applications, a better screen quality for clearer visuals, while also maintaining a focus on portability, although it might come with a premium that affects its value proposition for users who prioritize general use.
Gaming and AI
7.7
8.9
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5, with its efficient GPU, offers a solid gaming and 3D experience, complemented by a high screen refresh rate for smoother visuals. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a top-tier GPU, delivering premium performance in both gaming and 3D applications, along with a high-quality screen that enhances overall visual fidelity.
Engineering and Design
8.0
9.1
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is very good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5, with a robust CPU, ample RAM, and a capable GPU, provides solid performance for engineering tasks, while also featuring a high-quality screen for precise design work. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, however, offers more powerful specifications which can handle more demanding engineering software and complex designs, albeit the increase in power may affect portability and can lead to more operating noise.
Content Creation
7.5
8.5
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is 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
8.2
8.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 is good.
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
8.4
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering laptops for general use, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 offers a satisfactory display with decent resolution and brightness, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's display is superior, providing sharper images and better brightness levels. For engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is crucial, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio excels with its wider color gamuts, making it a better choice for professionals who need precise color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications that demand fluid motion, neither laptop is ideal due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio both have only fair portability, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5 | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 6/10 | |
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 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion Slim 5
See more
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 Stealth 18 AI Studio
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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