The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is more affordable and offers longer battery life, making it suitable for general use, and it's relatively portable. It's equipped with an AMD Ryzen processor and integrated graphics, which should handle everyday tasks well. On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard is more expensive but comes with a high-performance Intel processor and an Nvidia RTX graphics card, lending it exceptional capabilities for 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, and engineering tasks. It's heavier and has a shorter battery life, so it may be less convenient to carry around and may not last as long on a single charge during mobile use. 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 IdeaPad 1 15"
Good portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
7.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is equipped with an integrated AMD graphics card and a standard screen refresh rate, which provides a satisfactory but not optimal gaming and 3D experience; in contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard boasts a powerful Nvidia discrete graphics card and a higher refresh rate screen, offering more fluid and detailed visuals, thus enhancing gaming and 3D performance significantly.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
7.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has satisfactory capabilities with a competent AMD processor and integrated graphics, which are enough for lighter engineering tasks, but its overall lower GPU and CPU performance compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which boasts a high-end Intel processor and superior Nvidia graphics, makes the latter more suitable for demanding engineering and design applications. The higher RAM in the MSI also supports more intensive multitasking and computational work, while both have quality IPS screens, but the MSI edges ahead with a higher refresh rate and better color coverage, enhancing visual work and design accuracy.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
7.5/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
If you prioritize vibrant colors and sharp images for daily tasks, the Lenovo IdeaPad's screen may suffice, but for precise engineering and design work, it lacks the wide color range vital for accuracy. The MSI GP66 Leopard, with its superior color coverage, offers a discernible advantage for professionals in design, yet for gaming or 3D applications, it falls short due to a lackluster refresh rate. Meanwhile, both laptops may not fully satisfy gaming enthusiasts or 3D designers who value fluid motion and high detail, as their screens don't prioritize the high refresh rates crucial for these activities.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$741
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a price of $741 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" delivers adequate performance for general use with satisfactory screen quality, portability, and battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and on-the-go use, while the MSI GP66 Leopard, with its superior CPU and RAM, high-quality screen, and robust thermal management, better suits those who need more power for intensive tasks, albeit with less portability due to its weight and shorter battery life. While both laptops have ample storage, decent keyboards and speakers, and manage operating noise and heat well, the IdeaPad 1 15" is more budget-friendly and offers longer battery life, whereas the GP66 Leopard provides a significant performance boost for higher-end applications at a higher cost.
Content Creation
7.4/10
7.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard and Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" 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
7.3/10
7.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
12.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" and the MSI GP66 Leopard 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."
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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.
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