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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and the MSI Creator Z16P depends on your needs. If you're looking for more cost-effective performance for general use and gaming, the Lenovo offers formidable capabilities, often at a lower price point. It's a good fit for intensive applications, though it has a shorter battery life and less portability compared to the MSI. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P is better suited for creative professionals who require a touchscreen and higher color accuracy for tasks such as graphic design or video editing. It has a higher price but also offers better screen quality for vivid, accurate colors, albeit with a slightly lesser emphasis on gaming. 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 for content creation
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.0
8.3
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
343.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen than the MSI Creator Z16P for content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
When considering screen quality for general use, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Creator Z16P excel due to their high-resolution displays and brightness, which ensure clear and vibrant visuals. For engineering and design tasks, both laptops offer very good screen quality, with wide color gamuts providing accurate color reproduction critical for detailed and color-sensitive work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, the lower refresh rates on these laptops make them less suitable, as they won't be as adept at delivering the fluid visuals that high refresh rate panels can provide.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
16.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator Z16P has good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.0
The MSI Creator Z16P 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
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a price of $1,055 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
343.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Creator Z16P are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i with its capable CPU and ample RAM is well-suited for a variety of tasks, with a good balance of screen quality and some portability. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P steps up with an even more powerful CPU and similar memory, offering top-notch performance for demanding applications, although it may trade off some portability and battery life due to its focus on high-end creation tasks.
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.6
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5i to be very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Creator Z16P are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is equipped with a potent Intel i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, ensuring capable handling of demanding engineering software; its high screen quality with good brightness and respectable color coverage makes for precise design work. The MSI Creator Z16P, featuring an even more powerful Intel i9 processor and a superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, excels with its touch-enabled display that offers better brightness and wider color gamut, ideal for detailed engineering tasks and creative design, although its higher operating noise could be a minor drawback during intense use.
Content Creation
8.0
7.9
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5i to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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
7.8
7.6
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Creator Z16P 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.
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How the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5i | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,055 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 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 | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 343 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
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 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion Slim 5i
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."
MSI Creator Z16P
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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