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What we think
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Updated June 22, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i offers a balance of performance and portability at an upper midrange price, making it suitable for general use and some gaming or engineering tasks with its capable processor and graphics card. It has a high-resolution display with good color coverage, though it lacks touch capability. Its battery life is decent, and it's lighter and thinner, enhancing its portability. On the other hand, the MSI Raider 18 HX is a high-end option with a significant price premium, offering top-tier performance for intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, thanks to its powerful processor and superior graphics card. The Mini LED display boasts an even higher resolution and touch functionality, with exceptional color accuracy and brightness, though it's less portable due to its larger size and weight. It also comes with more RAM and storage options, catering to power users who need the extra resources. However, its battery life is shorter, and it's bulkier, which could be a drawback for those who need to carry their laptop frequently. Consider the Legion Slim 5i if you prioritize a balance of performance and the ability to carry your laptop around with moderate battery life. Opt for the MSI Raider 18 HX if you require the ultimate performance and display quality for demanding tasks and can compromise on portability and battery life. 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 keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Raider 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
343.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
8.0
9.0
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very 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
9.6
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good.
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
9.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very 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
8.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is good.
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
9.4
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
343.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
7.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider 18 HX has 9 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
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has only fair portability, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,055
$3,999
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has a price of $1,055 and the MSI Raider 18 HX costs $3,999.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.4
7.4
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Raider 18 HX 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and the MSI Raider 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5i | MSI Raider 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,055 | $3,999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.3'' x 0.99'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 7.94 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 15.91" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 12.09" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 343 nits | 1000 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
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 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Raider 18 HX
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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