The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
6.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
12.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for engineering and design, though the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is decent for engineering and design due to its capable AMD Ryzen 7 CPU with integrated Vega 8 graphics and ample RAM, but with a screen that offers only moderate color accuracy and brightness which may not be ideal for design work. In contrast, the MSI GF63 Thin also supports engineering tasks with its Intel i5 CPU and dedicated Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, but it's limited by lower RAM and a similarly moderate quality display; however, it might be slightly less portable due to being heavier. Both laptops have sufficient screen size and resolution for design work but may struggle with the most demanding tasks due to fair GPU performance and fall short for precision color work due to their screen color coverage.
Content Creation
7.4/10
6.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
12.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
7.3/10
6.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
12.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.4/10
6.1/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and MSI GF63 Thin have fair screen quality because they offer sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks like browsing and streaming, but their panel types may not provide the best color accuracy or viewing angles. In engineering and design, the screens are fair as they can handle basic tasks but their limited color gamut coverage means they are not ideal for work requiring precise color representation. For gaming and 3D, both laptops' screens fall short primarily due to modest refresh rates that can't deliver the smooth visuals often preferred in fast-paced games or high-end 3D simulations.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
6.0/10
6.5/10
The MSI GF63 Thin and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" both have only fair build quality, though the MSI GF63 Thin has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$741
$599
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a price of $741 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" comes with an integrated AMD Ryzen 7 5700U Vega 8 GPU, which generally provides modest gaming performance, and its screen refresh rate is standard at 60 Hz, which is adequate for casual gaming but may not offer the smoothest experience for fast-paced games.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and MSI GF63 Thin both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is affordable and pretty efficient. At the end of the day, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 (15″, 2023) is one of the better affordable laptops money can buy right now. It has a decent performance, albeit coming from a CPU that is based on old architecture. Playing low-intensity games is possible but at low to medium settings. We are really happy with the cooling setup, but the main event here is the battery life. We got 9 hours of either Web browsing or video playback, which is a great result. Especially if you compare this device with the ASUS E410."
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" or the MSI GF63 Thin
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
100,995
Recommendations made
21,883
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.