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Updated January 10, 2024·
Given your interest in the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the MSI Creator Z16P, here are some considerations to keep in mind: The Lenovo is less expensive and could be a solid choice for general use, offering a larger screen which is ideal for multitasking and media consumption. However, the MSI Creator Z16P, while more costly, is tuned for high performance tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming; it may also be more portable despite the power. Bear in mind that the higher performance of the MSI typically means faster processing but could come at the expense of shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo. If your priority is casual use and budget, the Lenovo may suit you well, but if you need top-tier performance for professional creative work or gaming on-the-go, the MSI could justify its higher cost. 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 17"
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers longer battery life and a larger screen for comfortable viewing, which is great for general use activities like browsing and office work, while remaining easier to carry due to its lighter weight compared to the MSI Creator Z16P. Conversely, the MSI Creator Z16P excels with a more powerful CPU and higher-quality screen, making it better suited for demanding tasks such as creative work and multitasking, though it does so at the expense of portability and battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.6
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a GPU integrated with its processor and a screen refresh rate of 60Hz, making it less suited for gaming and 3D tasks, while the MSI Creator Z16P includes a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU and a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, offering a significantly better experience for those activities.
Engineering and Design
6.6
8.3
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is satisfactory for engineering and design due to its decent processor and adequate screen, but with less RAM and a less powerful integrated GPU, it lags behind the MSI Creator Z16P; the latter excels with a high-end CPU, double the RAM, a more capable dedicated GPU, and a superior display with higher resolution and color accuracy, justifying its very good suitability for demanding tasks in engineering and design.
Content Creation
7.4
7.9
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for content creation, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.7
8.3
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3's screen offers ample space and clear visuals due to its size and resolution, although it may lack some brightness compared to higher-end models; the MSI Creator Z16P, on the other hand, provides excellent clarity and vibrancy, with a high-resolution display and superior brightness, making for a more vivid and engaging experience. When it comes to engineering and design, the MSI Creator Z16P excels with its wide color gamuts, offering more accurate color representation, which is crucial for detailed and color-critical work; the Lenovo IdeaPad 3, while adequate, may not deliver the same level of color precision. For gaming and 3D applications that depend heavily on fluid motion and quick image refresh, both laptops might fall short as they are not designed with the high refresh rates necessary for optimal performance, affecting the smoothness and responsiveness of fast-paced visual content.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P 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.
Build Quality
6.5
8.0
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$784
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
Software Development
7.2
7.6
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator Z16P and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | December 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" defies expectations. Indeed, it is just a minor upgrade over last year. However, this doesn’t make the laptop any less terrific. It’s got a great performance, courtesy of the Ryzen 5x25U processors. In addition, you get a pretty good battery life. Perhaps, the 2-hour decrease in video playback, compared to last year is not great, but still, 10 hours of Web browsing and 7 hours of video playback is okay for 17-inch notebooks."
MSI Creator Z16P
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the MSI Creator Z16P
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.
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