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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is less expensive, has a larger screen, and offers a very long battery life, making it suitable for general use and tasks that benefit from a large display such as productivity or entertainment. However, its gaming and engineering capabilities are limited by its integrated graphics. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15, while somewhat more expensive, features a high-performance Intel processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, making it well-suited for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. It's more portable due to its smaller size but has slightly lower battery life. The MSI is also more modern with features like hardware ray tracing and DLSS. Choose the Lenovo for cost-efficiency and screen size or the MSI for higher performance in gaming and specialized tasks. 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"
- The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has no clear advantages over the MSI Cyborg 15.
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.2
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 17" 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
6.6
7.5
5.8/10
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 17" is only fair.
The MSI Cyborg 15 offers a significant edge for engineering and design due to its superior Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, which are crucial for tasks that demand high processing and graphics performance, paired with a high-contrast display important for fine-detail visual work.
Screen Quality
6.7
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3's larger screen and higher resolution make it appealing for general use and detailed engineering work, offering crisp visuals and sufficient color accuracy for most designs. However, its lower refresh rate isn't ideal for 3D applications, which typically benefit from faster screen updates for smoother motion. The MSI Cyborg 15's fair screen quality suggests average performance across uses, but its lesser screen specs may not handle the high demands of gaming or 3D work where fluidity and precision are key.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 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.
Cost
$784
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is ideal for general use due to its ample screen size and quality for multitasking, along with a dependable CPU and enough RAM, but it is less portable and has longer battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15, with its high-performance CPU, quality screen, and dedicated graphics, is suited for general use as well as more demanding applications, though it offers less battery life and is more portable due to its smaller size.
Content Creation
7.4
7.5
5.8/10
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 17" 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
7.2
7.2
5.8/10
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 Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" and MSI Cyborg 15 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
15.6in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5
6.7
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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 17" and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" | MSI Cyborg 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$784 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.78'' | 14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.49 lbs | 4.37 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.79" | 9.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5625U | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 45 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 307 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.2/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17"
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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 Cyborg 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | April 2023
"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 17" 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.
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