If budget is your primary concern, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" may suit your needs for everyday tasks like browsing, office work, and streaming. On the other hand, if you're looking for higher performance that would benefit gaming or resource-intensive applications, the MSI Thin GF63, while more costly, offers better hardware for those activities. However, keep in mind the MSI may have shorter battery life and is less portable due to its gaming orientation, which includes a more robust cooling system. The Lenovo may offer longer battery life and is likely more portable but is not as well-suited for demanding software or games. 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 15"
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has no clear advantages over the MSI Thin GF63.
Advantages of the MSI Thin GF63
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2/10
7.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
220.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI Thin GF63 is good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a weaker processor and less RAM compared to the MSI Thin GF63, which affects its ability to handle multiple tasks smoothly, and it has a lower-quality screen, offering less sharp and vibrant images. Although it offers better battery life, the MSI's superior CPU, double the RAM, and higher-resolution IPS display justify its aptitude for general use despite being slightly heavier and having less battery longevity.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
6.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has an Intel UHD Xe G4 graphics unit and a 60Hz screen refresh rate, which translates to lower gaming and 3D performance, whereas the MSI Thin GF63 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher 144Hz refresh rate, making it better equipped for gaming and 3D tasks. Additionally, the MSI model features a higher quality IPS display with full HD resolution which would contribute to a generally better visual experience over the Lenovo's TN panel with a lower resolution.
Engineering and Design
5.8/10
7.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Thin GF63 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" is poor.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a basic Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, making it less suitable for demanding engineering and design applications compared to the MSI Thin GF63, which is equipped with a more powerful Intel i7 processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics, ensuring better performance for such tasks. Additionally, the MSI has higher RAM capacity, which further supports intensive multitasking and complex operations that are typical in engineering and design workflows.
Content Creation
6.3/10
7.4/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Thin GF63 is good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
6.3/10
7.2/10
4.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 is good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" 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
5.2/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
220.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The MSI Thin GF63 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, a laptop with a poor screen would result in less sharp images and potentially uncomfortable viewing in bright settings, while a fair screen provides somewhat clearer and more comfortable viewing experiences. In engineering and design, color accuracy is crucial for detailed work, so a fair screen that covers more color gamuts would ensure designs are represented more accurately. With 3D tasks, gaming in particular, a higher refresh rate allows smoother motion rendering, which is compromised even with a fair screen that has a lower refresh rate, affecting the visual fluidity important in fast-paced visuals.
Cost
$360
$1,150
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" has a price of $360 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,150.
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is an enduring office notebook with a powerful Ryzen APU. Lenovo's office all-rounder easily handles office and internet applications as well as modest games - the Ryzen 5 5625U APU and 16 GB of RAM make this possible. The CPU and GPU can work at consistently high clock rates. The emission values are okay, but the noise emissions should be lower under medium to full load. The relatively light notebook (approx. 1.6 kg) achieves practical battery runtimes of about 10 to 11 hours."
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15" or the MSI Thin GF63
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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