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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If you need a laptop primarily for gaming or graphically-intensive applications, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, designed with a gaming focus, can offer stronger performance for these tasks, but it may be heavier and have a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14, tailored for content creation, tends to have a more color-accurate screen suitable for design work, is more lightweight for better portability, and often provides longer battery life, making it ideal for professionals who edit photos or videos and need to work on-the-go. 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
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.3
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
165Hz
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 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator M14 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers a powerful GPU and high screen refresh rate, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D tasks where visual smoothness is key. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator M14, while also having a strong GPU, focuses more on a balance between performance and screen quality, catering to creators who need precise color representation as well as gaming capabilities.
Screen Quality
8.0
7.5
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
343.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for general use, and gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i likely offers a strong combination of resolution, panel quality, and brightness, satisfying the needs for clarity, detail, and readability in general use scenarios. For engineering and design tasks, the same laptop probably covers enough of the color gamuts to provide the necessary precision for color work but may fall short in gaming due to a lower refresh rate, which is less conducive to the fast-paced visuals needed. The MSI Creator M14, while similar in general use and engineering capabilities, may also not fulfill the demands of 3D applications and gaming as its refresh rate isn't high enough to ensure smooth motion.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,055
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a price of $1,055 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.0
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
343.0 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 5i is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, with its capable CPU and RAM, offers solid performance for everyday tasks, and its built-in gaming hardware might be more than a general user needs, potentially adding unnecessary weight and reducing portability. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator M14's focus on screen quality and a balance between performance and portability makes it ideal for users who prioritize a high-quality display and longer battery life for regular daily activities.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Creator M14 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, with its powerful CPU, ample RAM, and dedicated GPU, excels in engineering tasks that require substantial processing power and graphics capabilities, and its display ensures sharp and accurate visuals which are crucial for design work. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator M14 also offers a strong CPU and GPU combo, high-resolution screen suited for detailed engineering work, and it tends to be lighter and quieter with a comfortable keyboard, making it a good choice for engineers and designers who value mobility and a pleasant working environment.
Content Creation
8.0
8.0
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 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.
Software Development
7.8
7.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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 5i 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 5i and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5i | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,055 | $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 | Intel i7-13700H | 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 | 1024 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 | 2560 x 1600 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 343 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 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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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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