If you're looking for a budget-friendly laptop mainly for everyday tasks like browsing, light work, and media consumption, the Lenovo IdeaPad may be a suitable choice. However, if you require a machine for demanding applications such as gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the MSI Titan offers much higher performance. Keep in mind, though, that the MSI Titan is likely to be less portable due to its size and weight, and it might have shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo, which could be more convenient for on-the-go use. 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 portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Very good for general use
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3/10
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
307.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 offers adequate performance for everyday tasks with its CPU and RAM configuration, along with a decent screen for casual use, but its larger size and average battery life might limit its portability. On the other hand, the MSI Titan has higher performance hardware, making it excellent for demanding applications and gaming, yet its substantial weight and size, combined with shorter battery life, make it less practical for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
9.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 has a more modest GPU and lower screen refresh rate, which limits its gaming and 3D capabilities, making it suitable for casual but not high-end gaming. In contrast, the MSI Titan is equipped with a top-tier GPU and a high refresh rate display that delivers smoother visuals and superior performance, ideal for demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
9.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" offers adequate processing power, memory, and display for basic engineering tasks, but the MSI Titan 18 HX comes with a higher-end CPU, more RAM, and a superior GPU, making it more suitable for demanding engineering and design software. While the MSI offers better performance and screen quality, it is less portable and may produce more noise under load, while the Lenovo balances moderate capability with better portability and quieter operation.
Content Creation
7.4/10
9.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
7.2/10
8.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" 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
6.7/10
9.2/10
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
307.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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 large screen with decent resolution and brightness provides a clear and comfortable viewing experience, but it might not stand out in terms of color accuracy or premium features. The MSI Titan's superior resolution and brightness bring an exceptional visual experience, enhancing detail and readability crucial for intricate engineering and design tasks that require precise color representation aligned with professional color gamuts. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast motion is common, both laptops fall short due to lower refresh rates, which may result in less fluid motion and a less responsive feel during fast-paced activities.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Good
Poor
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
4.4 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,949
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" has a price of $784 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
"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."
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 17" or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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