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Updated January 10, 2024·
Based on the comparison, if you prioritize high performance for intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software, the MSI Stealth 17 stands out with its more powerful processor and graphics card. However, it comes at a higher price point and has a larger screen which makes it less portable than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i. The Legion Slim 5i offers great performance for general use and gaming at a more affordable price and is easier to carry around due to its lighter weight. Both laptops are not touchscreen but come with high-quality displays suitable for gaming. The Lenovo has longer battery life, which makes it more suitable for on-the-go use, while the MSI excels in performance-driven tasks but with shorter battery usage time. 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 battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
343.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is good.
The MSI Stealth 17 outperforms the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i due to its superior CPU, significantly more RAM, and higher quality screen, which contribute to a more fluid and vivid user experience suitable for a wider range of tasks. However, the Stealth 17's larger size and heavier weight make it less portable and it offers a shorter battery life compared to the Slim 5i, which may be an important consideration for users who need to use their laptop on the go.
Gaming and AI
8.0
9.1
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is geared towards gaming and 3D with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, which delivers solid performance, but the MSI Stealth 17 elevates the experience with a higher-end Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, providing exceptional graphics capabilities. While both laptops have high refresh rates that contribute to smooth visuals, the Stealth 17 also boasts a more powerful CPU and additional features that enhance screen quality, which together justify its prominence in gaming and 3D performance over the Legion Slim 5i.
Engineering and Design
8.4
9.4
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i is very good.
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i, with its decent CPU, RAM, and GPU specifications, is suitable for engineering and design tasks, yet the MSI Stealth 17, with its more powerful processor, significantly more RAM, and top-tier GPU, offers superior performance for the most intensive applications. While both have high-quality screens, the Stealth provides greater color accuracy, which is crucial for design work, though it's less portable and likely has higher operating noise due to the high-powered hardware.
Content Creation
8.0
8.8
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5i are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth 17 is somewhat better.
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
8.5
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 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
8.6
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
343.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering a laptop for general use, both the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and the MSI Stealth 17 offer vibrant displays with ample resolution and brightness, making them suitable for browsing, video streaming, and productivity tasks. For engineering and design, the MSI Stealth 17 excels by covering a broader range of colors, which is vital for professionals needing precise color accuracy for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both models may fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can hinder the smoothness of fast-moving images, even though their resolutions and panel types are suitable for detailed work.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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.
Cost
$1,055
$3,899
$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 Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
Portability
Fair
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Legion Slim 5i and MSI Stealth 17 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The MSI Stealth 17 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5i 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 Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion Slim 5i | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,055 | $3,899 | ||
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 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.29 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.25" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 343 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 2 | |
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."
MSI Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion Slim 5i or the MSI Stealth 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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