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Updated January 10, 2024·
Selecting between the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and the ThinkPad P16 depends on your needs. If you prefer a laptop with a lighter weight and higher refresh rate display for smoother visuals, the Legion Slim 5i proves more suitable, especially for gaming and general use. In contrast, the ThinkPad P16 boasts a longer battery life, a higher resolution display, which can benefit professional work such as graphic design and engineering, and it’s built as a premium business laptop with white backlit keyboard and additional security like fingerprint reader. The ThinkPad P16 is heavier, affecting portability, but provides stronger build quality and better keyboard. If cost is a concern, the Legion Slim 5i is typically less expensive, but if productivity and professional features take precedence, the ThinkPad P16's additional benefits may justify its 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 5i
- Very good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.9
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is favored for gaming and 3D due to its higher GPU capabilities with the Nvidia RTX 4060 which is better suited for intensive graphics tasks and a higher screen refresh rate, making games and dynamic visuals smoother. Conversely, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a superior screen quality with better resolution and color accuracy; however, its Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU and lower refresh rate may not perform as well in the most graphics-intensive scenarios.
Software Development
7.8
8.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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
8.0
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
343.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and ThinkPad P16 offer screens with high resolution and brightness, providing crisp, clear visuals and ease of readability in various lighting conditions, ensuring a pleasant everyday viewing experience. When it comes to engineering and design, the ThinkPad P16 stands out with superior color accuracy, covering a wide range of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which is crucial for precision work and color-critical tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal due to their lower refresh rates, which can result in less fluid motion in fast-paced visuals, though the higher resolution and panel quality may still provide a decent experience for less demanding users.
Battery
7.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has only fair portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,055
$1,449
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a price of $1,055 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
343.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is suitable for general use with its high-quality keyboard, ample storage, and strong CPU and GPU that provide good performance for day-to-day activities; however, it maintains a balance with moderate portability and battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 also excels in general use due to its superior screen quality, powerful processor, and larger battery capacity, though it is less portable and thereby more stationary, fitting well in a professional setting where it can leverage its robust build and excellent keyboard.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i boasts a high-refresh-rate display and a solid graphics card, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks with an emphasis on smooth visual performance, while being lighter and more portable than the ThinkPad P16. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 features a more color-accurate and high-resolution display, a professional-grade graphics card optimal for engineering software, and superior speaker and keyboard quality, catering to users who prioritize screen detail and build quality over portability.
Content Creation
8.0
8.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5i are both very 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.
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How the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5i | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,055 | $1,449 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 6.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 10.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i7-12800HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 343 nits | 569 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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 5i
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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."
Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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.
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