Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Review: Productivity with AI Integration

In an era where productivity and efficiency are paramount, the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i stands out as a sleek, powerful, and AI-integrated laptop designed to cater to the needs of modern professionals. With its lightweight design, robust build quality, and cutting-edge features, this laptop promises to enhance your workflow and keep you ahead of the curve. In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve into every aspect of the Ideapad Slim 5i, exploring its build, performance, AI capabilities, and much more.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Unboxing and First Impressions

Opening the box of the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i, you’ll find:

• A 65W charger
• The laptop itself, weighing approximately 1.4 kg

The lightweight design immediately stands out, making it an ideal companion for those constantly on the move. Despite its light weight, the laptop doesn’t compromise on build quality. The body is entirely crafted from aluminum, giving it a premium feel and ensuring durability.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Design and Build Quality

Highlights:

• Weight: 1.4 kg
• Material: Full aluminum body
• Durability: High, with minimal flex in both the top lid and keyboard
• Opening Mechanism: One-handed opening is comfortable, though the bottom part lifts slightly

The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i boasts a sturdy build with a sleek aluminum chassis. This ensures that the laptop can withstand the rigors of daily use while maintaining a professional look. The hinge, although not the most stable, allows for easy one-handed opening, albeit with a slight lift of the bottom part. This minor issue is overshadowed by the overall robustness of the laptop, which exhibits no flex in the top lid or keyboard area, indicating excellent build quality.

The design also includes strategically placed vents for efficient cooling:

• Air Intake: Bottom vents
• Heat Exhaust: Vents above the keyboard

These design elements contribute to the laptop’s ability to maintain optimal performance without overheating.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Keyboard and Trackpad

Keyboard:

• Type: Full-sized with a number pad
• Backlighting: Single-color, no RGB
• Typing Experience: Comfortable with good key travel

Trackpad:

• Quality: High-quality with multi-gesture support
• Customization: Adjustable brightness and volume via touch controls
• Clicking Area: Entire trackpad except for the top part

The Ideapad Slim 5i features a full-sized keyboard complete with a number pad, making it ideal for users who frequently work with numbers or spreadsheets. The keys are well-spaced and provide a satisfying typing experience, although the backlighting is limited to a single color, which might disappoint those expecting RGB options.

The trackpad is equally impressive, supporting a variety of gestures and allowing for extensive customization. You can control brightness by sliding up and down on the left side and adjust volume on the right side. The clicking area covers the entire trackpad except for the top part, ensuring ease of use.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Display and Audio

Display:

• Type: 60Hz panel, anti-reflective
• Resolution: 1080p
• Brightness: 400 nits
• Certification: HDR True Black 500

Audio:

• Speakers: 2W x 2, located above the keyboard
• Sound Quality: Loud with adequate clarity but lacks deep bass

The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i is equipped with a 60Hz anti-reflective display, which, while not the highest refresh rate, offers a decent visual experience with vibrant colors and sharp details. The 1080p resolution ensures that content appears crisp, whether you’re working on documents, browsing the web, or streaming videos. The display is also HDR True Black 500 certified, providing excellent contrast and color accuracy.

Audio quality is decent, with two 2W speakers positioned above the keyboard. They offer good loudness and clarity, though they fall short on bass. This setup is sufficient for casual listening, video calls, and multimedia consumption, but audiophiles might find it lacking.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Performance and Benchmarks

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5

• AI Integration: Dedicated NPU for AI tasks
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5x
• Storage Options: 512GB or 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD

Benchmarks:

• Cinebench R23:
  • Multi-core: 12,000
  • Single-core: 1,700
• PCMark 10: 6,600
• Time Spy: 3,700 (average for non-dedicated GPU)

The Ideapad Slim 5i is powered by the Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, which, coupled with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), delivers impressive performance, especially for AI-related tasks. This makes it an excellent choice for professionals who rely on AI tools for productivity.

The 16GB LPDDR5x RAM ensures smooth multitasking, and the storage options (512GB or 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD) provide ample space and fast read/write speeds. Benchmarks show solid performance across the board, with the laptop handling everyday tasks, moderate 4K editing, and even some gaming with ease.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i AI Integration and Copilot Features

One of the standout features of the Ideapad Slim 5i is its AI integration. The dedicated NPU works alongside the CPU and GPU to enhance various tasks, offering a significant boost in productivity. The laptop includes a dedicated Copilot button, which provides access to AI-powered features within Windows.

Key AI Features:

• Content Summarization: Quickly summarize long articles and PDFs
• Image Generation: Create images based on text prompts
• Coding Assistance: Generate and understand code snippets
• Settings Adjustment: Change system settings through AI commands

For example, you can ask Copilot to summarize a lengthy article or PDF, saving you valuable time. Similarly, it can generate images based on your descriptions, assist with coding tasks, and even adjust system settings like enabling dark mode or turning on “Do Not Disturb.”

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Gaming Performance

While the Ideapad Slim 5i is not a gaming laptop, it can handle light to moderate gaming thanks to its capable CPU and integrated GPU.

Tested Games and Performance:

• GTA V: 90-100 FPS (Normal settings)
• Valorant: 160-200 FPS (Medium settings)
• CS:GO: 60 FPS (Medium settings)

The laptop performs well in games like GTA V, Valorant, and CS

, delivering playable frame rates at medium settings. This makes it a viable option for casual gamers or those who play less demanding titles.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Battery Life and Charging

Battery:

• Capacity: 57Wh
• Battery Life: 3-4 hours of productivity tasks
• Charging: Supports rapid charging and battery conservation mode

The 57Wh battery provides 3-4 hours of usage during productivity tasks, which is decent but not exceptional. However, the laptop supports rapid charging, allowing you to quickly top up the battery when needed. Additionally, the battery conservation mode limits charging to 80%, extending the battery’s lifespan.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Connectivity and Ports

Ports:

• Left Side:
  • 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack
  • HDMI 1.4 port (supports 1080p @ 60Hz)
  • Two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (supports 4K @ 144Hz)
• Right Side:
  • MicroSD card reader

Connectivity:

• Wi-Fi 6E: Fast and reliable wireless connectivity
• Bluetooth 5.2: For seamless connection with peripherals

The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i offers a comprehensive selection of ports, ensuring you can connect all your essential devices. The inclusion of USB-C ports with 4K output capability is particularly noteworthy, providing flexibility for external displays. Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 ensure fast and stable wireless connections.

Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i Webcam and Additional Features

Webcam:

• Resolution: 1080p
• Features: Auto-framing, eye contact, background blur, sliding shutter for privacy

The 1080p webcam performs adequately in well-lit environments, though it struggles slightly in low light. Features like auto-framing, eye contact, and background blur add to its versatility, making it suitable for professional video calls.

Additional Features:

• Dedicated Copilot Button: Quick access to AI features
• Customization Options: Upgradeable display, SSD, and more

The Ideapad Slim 5i includes a sliding shutter for the webcam, enhancing privacy. The dedicated Copilot button simplifies access to AI functionalities, streamlining your workflow.

Final Verdict

The Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i is a robust, feature-rich laptop that excels in productivity and AI integration. Its lightweight design, durable build, and extensive customization options make it a versatile choice for professionals. While it may not be a powerhouse for gaming, its performance in productivity tasks, combined with AI enhancements, sets it apart from the competition.

Pros:

• Lightweight and durable aluminum body
• Excellent AI integration with dedicated NPU
• Comfortable keyboard and high-quality trackpad
• Vibrant display with HDR True Black 500 certification
• Adequate performance for productivity and light gaming
• Good selection of ports and connectivity options

Cons:

• Hinge stability could be improved
• Single-color keyboard backlighting
• Moderate battery life

If you’re looking for a laptop that combines productivity, AI capabilities, and a sleek design, the Lenovo Ideapad Slim 5i is an excellent choice. It offers a well-rounded package that caters to the needs of modern professionals, ensuring you stay productive and efficient in your daily tasks.