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What we think
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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i typically costs a bit more, delivering strong performance suited for intensive tasks with its higher-tier processor and graphics card, but is less ideal if portability is a priority due to its weight. Conversely, the MSI Katana 17 offers more memory which is beneficial for multitasking and demanding applications at a lower price point, yet compromises on battery life which can limit mobility. The Lenovo's higher resolution and refresh rate display is better for sharp and smooth visuals, whereas the MSI's larger screen size is preferable for more immersive experiences but at a standard resolution and refresh rate. Both are suitable for gaming, engineering, and machine learning, but consider how the balance of performance, cost, and portability aligns with your specific needs. 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
- Very good overall display quality
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 17
- The MSI Katana 17 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.0
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
343.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers a panel with higher resolution and brightness, providing clear and vivid visuals for daily activities, making it very appealing for general use. For engineering and design, it boasts a wider color gamut, ensuring accurate color representation which is crucial when working with detailed graphics or models. However, its lower refresh rate is a drawback for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and quicker image updates are critical for an immersive experience.
Battery
7.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 has 3 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Katana 17 both have only fair portability, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,055
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a price of $1,055 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.9
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
343.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Katana 17 are both good for general use.
The MSI Katana 17 surpasses the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i in terms of RAM, which can translate into smoother multitasking and better handling of memory-intensive applications for general use; however, it falls short on battery life, making the Lenovo more suitable for users needing to work unplugged for longer periods. While both laptops feature similar quality screens and CPUs for clear visuals and prompt response times, the Lenovo offers higher screen resolution for sharper images, but the MSI compensates with a larger screen size for more expansive viewing, albeit with a slight tradeoff in portability due to its larger dimensions and weight.
Gaming and AI
8.0
7.9
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo Legion Slim 5i to be very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Katana 17 are excellent for gaming and 3D applications due to their powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPUs and high screen refresh rates. While the Legion Slim 5i offers a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals, the Katana 17 provides a larger screen; both have high-quality screens and capable CPUs that contribute to their strong performance in these demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5i are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Katana 17 are well-suited for engineering and design use primarily due to their robust CPUs, which are crucial for computation-heavy tasks, high-performance GPUs that accelerate graphical processing and visualization, and ample amounts of RAM that allow smooth multitasking. While both laptops have good-quality IPS screens, the Legion has a higher resolution and screen quality, which may offer better clarity and color accuracy for detailed design work; however, the Katana has more RAM, which could help with more complex tasks or larger projects.
Content Creation
8.0
7.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 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 Katana 17 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
7.5
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Katana 17 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
7.2
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Katana 17 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 Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5i | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,055 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 10.75" | |
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 | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
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 | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 6.2/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
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."
MSI Katana 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i or the MSI Katana 17
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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