The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is a budget-friendly option, less expensive than the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, and provides sufficient performance for everyday tasks and some light computing activities. It's also relatively lightweight and portable, making it a good choice for those who move around often. Conversely, if you need a laptop for more intensive engineering tasks or creative work such as 3D modeling, machine learning, or high-end gaming, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo offers significantly more powerful hardware, a higher-resolution OLED display, and better overall performance, but it comes at a higher cost and may not be as easy to carry around due to its larger size and slightly heavier weight. Moreover, if battery life is critical for you, keep in mind that more powerful laptops like the MSI might not last as long on a single charge compared to less demanding models like the Lenovo. Choose based on what aligns best with your needs and budget. 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
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
8.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
313.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a mid-range processor and integrated graphics, adequate for everyday tasks but may struggle with high-intensity workloads; it offers a quality IPS screen with modest color coverage and a fair battery life, making it suitable for everyday use but less ideal for tasks requiring high color accuracy.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 with its AMD Vega 7 graphics can handle gaming, but the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo's Intel Arc 8-Cores GPU provides a higher level of performance suitable for more demanding games and 3D tasks. Additionally, both laptops feature a 60Hz screen refresh rate, which is adequate for casual gaming, but the MSI's superior GPU means it will deliver a better gaming and 3D experience overall.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
8.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is decent for engineering and design tasks with its mid-range CPU and GPU, suitable RAM, and standard screen quality, but the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo excels in these areas with a high-end CPU, more powerful GPU, substantial RAM, and superior screen quality, enhancing performance for demanding software and visuals.
Content Creation
7.1/10
8.6/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
7.1/10
8.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" 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
8.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
313.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's screen provides adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo offers sharper images and more vivid colors due to its higher resolution and brightness, enhancing the overall experience. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI Prestige's superior color accuracy, with broader color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, makes it ideal for professionals requiring true-to-life color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as neither provides the high refresh rates required for smooth motion, with the Lenovo IdeaPad offering merely sufficient resolution and the MSI boasting better image quality that still doesn't compensate for the lack of fluidity in fast-paced scenes.
Battery
10.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
6.5/10
7.4/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$490
$1,349
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" has a price of $490 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,349.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" to have very good portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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 MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14" or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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.