If you're looking for an affordable laptop for everyday tasks like browsing the web, using office applications, and streaming videos, the Lenovo IdeaPad is a sensible choice and easy on the wallet. However, for demanding activities such as gaming, 3D rendering, or sophisticated engineering software, the MSI Titan will deliver far superior performance at a higher cost. The MSI Titan's larger screen and powerful components also mean it'll be heavier and less portable, with potentially shorter battery life compared to the more travel-friendly Lenovo. Choose the Lenovo for casual, light use and the MSI for high-end, resource-intensive applications. 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 Titan 18 HX
Very good for general use
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" offers basic CPU and RAM capabilities suitable for everyday tasks with a balance between screen quality and battery life, making it easily portable and ideal for general use without too much investment. In contrast, the MSI Titan 18 HX comes with a higher-end CPU and more RAM, ensuring smoother performance for more demanding applications, and while it also offers superior screen quality, its larger size and shorter battery life make it less portable and more suited for stationary use or where power outlets are readily available.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
9.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a less powerful GPU and a standard screen refresh rate, making it only adequate for casual gaming and basic 3D applications, whereas the MSI Titan 18 HX packs a top-tier GPU and a high refresh rate display, delivering a premium experience for demanding gaming and 3D tasks. Additionally, the MSI's superior CPU and screen quality further enhance its performance for these intensive uses, although the Lenovo offers a more budget-friendly option for everyday tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
9.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
12.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has modest CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, making it less suited for demanding engineering applications compared to the MSI Titan 18 HX, which excels with high-performance hardware and superior screen quality essential for complex tasks. However, the MSI Titan 18 HX is heavier and less portable, and while it offers a better keyboard and quieter operation, it might be overkill for casual use where the Lenovo could suffice at a more affordable price.
Content Creation
7.4/10
9.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
12.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good.
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
8.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
12.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" is good.
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
9.2/10
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" likely offers a display with adequate resolution and brightness suitable for tasks like browsing and document editing, but it might lack the wide color gamuts required for accurate color work in engineering and design, and the lower refresh rate could lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Titan 18 HX, on the other hand, provides top-tier screen quality with high resolution and exceptional brightness, making it excellent for general use, and its inclusion of broad color gamuts ensures that professionals in engineering and design have the accurate color representation they need, though for gaming and 3D, despite its likely high resolution and quality panel, the refresh rate might not be high enough for the most fluid experience. This indicates that those prioritizing engineering, design, or everyday use would find the MSI model superior, while gamers or those using 3D applications might not find either laptop to fully meet their needs regarding refresh rate.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" has a price of $741 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
"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."
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15" or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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.