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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is pricier but offers superior performance suitable for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, gaming, and engineering due to its powerful processor and dedicated graphics card. It also has a larger screen and a high refresh rate, which is particularly beneficial for fast-paced gaming. Conversely, the MSI Modern 14 is more budget-friendly and lighter, making it highly portable; however, the performance is not designed for demanding tasks. It's better for general use and light productivity. The Legion has a more robust build and better heat management, but it is heavier and has shorter battery life than the Modern 14, which may be an essential factor if you're often 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 engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9
7.2
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
343.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is somewhat better.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers strong performance with its higher-tier CPU and more powerful GPU, which is beneficial for demanding applications, and it has a larger, higher-resolution screen which enhances visual experience but is heavier and less portable than the MSI Modern 14, which offers sufficient performance for general use with its efficient CPU, a lighter build for better portability, and adequately sized storage, although it has a smaller, lower-resolution screen and less battery capacity. Both laptops have good screen quality and sufficient RAM for multitasking, but the Lenovo has a slight edge in overall performance and screen quality while the MSI leads in portability and is still perfectly capable for general tasks.
Gaming and AI
8.0
6.0
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i excels in gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics card and high screen refresh rate of 165, providing smoother visual performance and better image quality. In comparison, the MSI Modern 14 has a more modest AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Vega 7 integrated graphics and a standard screen refresh rate of 60, sufficient for casual gaming but less optimal for demanding 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.4
6.6
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.0
7.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good for content creation, while the MSI Modern 14 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
7.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Modern 14 are both good for software development, though the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is somewhat better.
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
6.4
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
343.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a high resolution and brightness, alongside a quality panel type that makes it suitable for general use, ensuring crisp and vibrant visuals. For engineering and design, it offers wide color gamuts that ensure accurate color representation crucial in such fields. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion and rapid screen updates are paramount.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,055
$525
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a price of $1,055 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 has 6 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.
Build Quality
7.4
7.0
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Modern 14 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 Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5i | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,055 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 343 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 8.7/10 | |
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 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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 Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i or the MSI Modern 14
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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