The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 offers a budget-friendly option and is very lightweight, making it highly portable. It's suitable for basic tasks like browsing and document editing with fanless operation, ensuring a silent work environment. However, it has lower storage and processing power, so it is not ideal for more demanding tasks. On the other hand, the MSI GP66 Leopard is significantly more expensive, but it provides a much more powerful processor and graphics card, more memory and storage, and a higher-quality display. This makes it better suited for gaming, 3D modeling, and intensive applications. The MSI also has a heavier build, reducing portability but offering an RGB keyboard and better cooling which might be preferable for extended use. Consider the Lenovo for casual use and the MSI for high-performance demands. 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 14"
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.1/10
7.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
239.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a less powerful CPU and less RAM than the MSI GP66 Leopard, which affects performance for general use tasks; additionally, the MSI has a higher quality IPS screen compared to the Lenovo's TN panel, which influences display clarity and color. While the Lenovo is lighter and boasts a longer battery life, making it more portable, the MSI's superior hardware, including better heat management, and its overall build quality provide a more robust experience for demanding tasks.
Gaming and AI
5.5/10
7.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
7.9/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a lower-tier CPU and integrated graphics, less RAM, and a lower resolution screen, making it unfit for demanding engineering and design tasks, while the MSI GP66 Leopard boasts a high-end CPU, powerful dedicated GPU, more RAM, and a higher quality display suitable for such work.
Content Creation
6.2/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" 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
6.4/10
7.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" 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
5.3/10
7.5/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
239.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a display that may not provide the sharpness, brightness, or color fidelity needed for enjoyable daily use, precise engineering work, or immersive gaming. The MSI GP66 Leopard, with its better quality display, offers clarity and vibrant colors beneficial for both general tasks and demanding engineering and design applications but lacks the high refresh rate that serious gamers or 3D designers need for smooth visuals. Therefore, while the MSI is suitable for a range of activities, it may fall short for those who prioritize gaming or 3D performance.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has 9 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has very 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 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$153
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 14" has a price of $153 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
"The IdeaPad 1 14 is a simple machine, but it’s well-designed and has nearly everything you’d expect from a no-nonsense laptop that allows you to check emails and get schoolwork or other light tasks done with relative ease. A "true" 128GB SSD (as opposed to an eMMC drive) and a roomy 14-inch full HD display are arguably the star attractions, with the comfortable keyboard and reasonably modern styling playing important backup roles."
"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 14" 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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