If you prioritize performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive engineering software, the MSI Creator Z16P outshines the Lenovo Flex 5 16 with a high-end processor and a superior graphics card. It also has a higher resolution screen that's better for creative work, though it's less portable and has a shorter battery life. In contrast, if price and portability are your main concerns, and your workload is more general use, the Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers a balance of performance, better battery life, and is easier on the wallet. Both laptops offer touchscreens and similar screen sizes, but if gaming is your focus, the MSI, with its advanced graphics support, would be a better fit. 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 Flex 5 16
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is only fair.
The MSI Creator Z16P offers better gaming and 3D capabilities, primarily because it has a high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, which provide smoother visuals and more graphic power for demanding tasks compared to the Lenovo Flex 5 16, which comes with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and a lower refresh rate of 60Hz. While both laptops have good quality screens and capable CPUs, the MSI Creator Z16P's superior GPU and refresh rate are very important for gaming and 3D applications, making it a better choice for those specific needs.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 is good.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers decent engineering and design capabilities with enough RAM, a competent CPU, and an integrated GPU suitable for light to medium workloads, complemented by a high-resolution, color-accurate touchscreen display. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P provides superior performance for engineering and design with a high-end CPU, more robust dedicated GPU, and equally high-quality screen but trades off some portability due to a heavier build and shorter battery life.
Screen Quality
7.3/10
8.3/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers a balance of resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate hampers the smooth visuals demanded by gamers and 3D designers. The MSI Creator Z16P, with its higher resolution and superior color accuracy, excels in providing vivid and precise colors for professional design tasks, making it an excellent choice for creatives needing fidelity in their work. However, like the Lenovo, its refresh rate isn't optimized for the high frame rates preferred in gaming and 3D applications, where fluid motion is key to the experience.
Battery
11.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$779
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a price of $779 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
The MSI Creator Z16P and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers a balance of performance for general use with its capable CPU and ample RAM, a high-quality screen with good color coverage and brightness, and the bonus of versatility as a 2-in-1 device, combined with reasonable portability and battery life.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.9/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for content creation.
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
7.5/10
7.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for software development.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and MSI Creator Z16P both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Flex 5 16 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Flex 5 16 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
100,695
Recommendations made
21,818
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.