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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers more storage, better processing power, a higher-quality graphics card, and also features a larger and higher-resolution screen with a higher refresh rate, which is beneficial for both gaming and productivity. It has a longer battery life and additional features like a Thunderbolt port, superior color coverage, and hardware ray tracing. However, it is slightly heavier and thicker, which could affect portability, and typically comes at a slightly higher price point. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin is lighter and thinner, which makes it more portable, but it has less storage, a lower-spec processor and graphics card, a smaller screen with lower resolution, and a shorter battery life. It's more suitable for less demanding games and general use, and could be more budget-friendly. If performance for intensive tasks and a high-quality display are crucial for you, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i would be the better choice, but if you prioritize portability and are looking to save some money while still having decent performance, the MSI GF65 Thin might suffice. 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
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
6.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
343.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is lauded for general use due to its superior processor, ample RAM, better screen with a higher resolution, and longer battery life compared to the MSI GF65 Thin which, while lighter and quieter due to better heat management, offers a lower resolution screen, less RAM and a weaker processor, thus making it less suited for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.8
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i provides better gaming and 3D performance as it has a more powerful GPU in the Nvidia RTX 4060 and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which are very important factors, compared to the MSI GF65 Thin's Nvidia RTX 3060 and 144Hz refresh rate. Additionally, the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers a more advanced CPU with the Intel i7-13700H and superior screen quality including a higher resolution, which contribute to its overall better performance although these aspects are somewhat less important.
Engineering and Design
8.4
6.7
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers superior CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, which are essential for the demanding tasks in engineering and design; its screen quality also ensures crisp and accurate visuals. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while offering good performance, prioritizes portability and may have a slightly lower screen quality, making it a better fit for those who need to move around frequently but still require a decent level of power for their engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
8.0
6.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 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
7.8
6.3
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 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
8.0
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
343.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i boasts a higher resolution and brighter display, which enhances the viewing experience for general use, and offers broader color coverage crucial for precision in engineering and design tasks. However, its screen has a lower refresh rate, which makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is key. The MSI GF65 Thin, with fair screen quality, may not be as sharp or vivid for general and design work, but also falls short for gaming and 3D due to a refresh rate that doesn't cater to the high-speed visuals required by these applications.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin 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
15.6in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF65 Thin 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
6.7
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Cost
$1,055
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a price of $1,055 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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How the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5i | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,055 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
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 | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4.5 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 | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 343 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i or the MSI GF65 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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