The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is a budget-friendly option with a smaller screen, lighter weight, and longer battery life, making it suitable for general use and portability. Despite its lower price, its performance is balanced for everyday tasks. In contrast, the MSI Cyborg 15, with a slightly higher price, offers stronger performance, especially in 3D and machine learning due to the Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, as well as for engineering tasks, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life. It's also better suited for intensive gaming. Choose the Lenovo if you prioritize portability and value or the MSI for higher performance in demanding applications and gaming. 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 3 14"
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
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
6.1/10
7.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is less suited for engineering and design tasks due to its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and integrated Vega 7 graphics, which offer modest performance, compared to the MSI Cyborg 15's more powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU that excel in demanding applications. Additionally, the Cyborg’s superior screen quality, with a higher refresh rate and better color coverage, makes it better for design work, despite being less portable and having noisier operation than the IdeaPad.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and software development.
If you prioritize a crisp display and enjoy multimedia content, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's resolution and brightness provide a satisfactory viewing experience for everyday tasks, but may not impress those seeking high-end visuals for professional work or gaming. For those engaging in engineering and design, color accuracy is critical; however, neither the Lenovo nor the MSI has wide color gamuts, making them less suitable for color-sensitive work. Gamers and 3D enthusiasts will find the refresh rate on both laptops lacks the smoothness demanded by their applications, even though the resolution and panel type meet the minimum requirements for an acceptable experience.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has very good portability, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$490
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Cyborg 15 to be good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The MSI Cyborg 15 surpasses the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" in general use primarily due to its more powerful Intel processor and superior Nvidia graphics card, which provides better performance for a variety of tasks. While the IdeaPad 3 offers great portability and longer battery life making it more suitable for on-the-go users, the Cyborg 15's larger screen and higher quality speakers might be more appealing for entertainment and multitasking despite it being heavier and having a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
7.1/10
7.2/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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.
Build Quality
6.5/10
6.7/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" both have only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
"The low-priced IdeaPad 3 14 delivers on core functionality. Lenovo's IdeaPad 3 14 meets all the basic requirements for an inexpensive office laptop. The matte IPS display is bright enough, the performance is high for the class, and the input devices are rock solid. In addition, the mostly quiet operation including the useful performance modes, cool surface temperatures, easy maintainability as well as expandable working and mass storage all contribute to the IdeaPad 3 14's value proposition."
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the MSI Cyborg 15
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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