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Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5) vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (13-inch or 15-inch)

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against laptops at a similar price

The Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5) scores 7.3/10 overall, ahead of the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (13-inch or 15-inch) at 5.9/10.

The Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5) leads on performance, memory and storage, display, keyboard and build, ports and linux support.

They score the same on battery life.

Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5)

Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5)

7.3/10verdict: buy

The MacBook Pro 14-inch with M5 is for buyers who are happy to work on macOS and want a sharp screen and long battery life. It suits people who will pick the right memory size on day one, since memory is set at purchase. It is a weaker fit for anyone who needs native Linux or sustained heavy compute.

Typically about £1,599 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (13-inch or 15-inch)

5.9/10verdict: good, not the best

The IdeaPad Slim 5x is for people who want a light Windows laptop that lasts a long time away from a socket. It suits everyday work, browsing, documents and remote sessions better than sustained heavy loads. Buyers who need Linux, upgradeable memory or USB4 should look at the limits before choosing it.

Typically about £999 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightApple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5)Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (13-inch or 15-inch)
Performance25%7/105/10
Memory and storage20%6/105/10
Display15%9/107/10
Battery life15%9/109/10
Keyboard and build10%7/106/10
Ports10%8/106/10
Linux support5%3/102/10
Overall7.3/105.9/10

Specifications

SpecApple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5)Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (13-inch or 15-inch)
CPUApple M5, 10-core CPU (4 performance, 6 efficiency), 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine, 153GB/s memory bandwidthQualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-42-100, 6 cores, max turbo up to 4.0GHz, 23W TDP
Memory16GB, 24GB or 32GB unified memory, set at purchase16 GB or 32 GB LPDDR5X, soldered, not upgradable
Storage512GB or 1TB SSD, configurable to 1TB, 2TB or 4TB512 GB or 1 TB M.2 2242 PCIe Gen4 QLC SSD
Display14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR, 3024 × 1964 at 254 ppi, 1,000,000:1 contrast, 1,600 nits peak HDR, P3 wide colour, True Tone, ProMotion up to 120Hz13-inch: 13.3-inch WUXGA 1920x1200 LCD, 400 nits, 60Hz, touch. 15-inch: 15.3-inch 2.5K OLED 500 nits 165Hz, or WUXGA LCD 400 nits 120Hz
Battery72.4 Wh lithium-polymer; Apple rates up to 24 hours video streaming13-inch 54.7Wh; 15-inch 70Wh or 54.7Wh; rated up to 21.4 hours video playback (MobileMark 2030 basis)
PortsSDXC card slot, HDMI, 3.5 mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3, three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) portsRight: 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (always-on), 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, microSD, power button. Left: 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x USB-C (DP 1.4 and PD 3.0, 10Gb/s), audio jack. No Ethernet or USB4 listed
Weight1.55 kg (3.4 lb)13-inch from about 1.19 kg; 15-inch OLED about 1.41 kg; 15-inch LCD about 1.49 kg
Operating systemmacOSWindows 11 (ARM), Home or Pro

Strengths and weaknesses

Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5)

  • + Very long battery life in reviewer video tests
  • + Sharp 3024 × 1964, 120Hz display
  • + HDMI, SD slot and three Thunderbolt 4 ports
  • − Memory is set at purchase, up to 32GB
  • − Single fan may struggle under sustained heavy loads
  • − Small generational change from the M4 model

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want Linux as the main operating system
  • Anyone running sustained heavy compute for hours
  • Owners of the M4 model looking for a big upgrade
Read the full Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5) review ›

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (13-inch or 15-inch)

  • + Battery life is excellent, with a 27h50 measured video result
  • + 15-inch OLED option is 2.5K, 500 nits and 165Hz
  • + Light: the 13-inch starts at about 1.19 kg
  • − Memory is soldered and cannot be upgraded
  • − Owners report weak performance under heavy load and graphics
  • − No USB4 or Ethernet listed

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need Linux on the laptop itself
  • People who compile heavily or need strong graphics performance
  • Anyone who wants upgradeable memory or USB4
Read the full Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x (13-inch or 15-inch) review ›

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