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Updated March 22, 2024·
When choosing between the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Creator M14, consider your primary use. If you're into gaming or need high performance at a more affordable price, the Lenovo might suit you well, albeit with a bulkier build and possibly shorter battery life. The MSI Creator M14, on the other hand, is ideal for content creation and professional work, offering a better display and build quality with a slimmer design for easier portability, though at a higher price point. Assess whether performance or portability and premium features weigh more heavily for your needs. 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 Gaming 3
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, offering solid CPU performance and ample RAM, handles general tasks efficiently but has a screen that may not be as vivid or color-accurate as some may prefer for multimedia tasks, and its gaming-centric build can make it heavier and less portable. In contrast, the MSI Creator M14 boasts a high-quality screen for better visual experience and is designed with creatives in mind, making it more portable and with longer battery life, but its enhanced features come at a higher cost.
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.3
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3's GPU and screen refresh rate are adequate for entry-level gaming, ensuring you can play most games at decent settings, while its CPU and screen quality are suitable for everyday tasks and some creative work. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14 offers a stronger GPU and higher screen refresh rate which are better for smoother gameplay and more demanding 3D tasks, complemented by a more capable CPU and superior screen quality that enhance content creation and multitasking.
Engineering and Design
7.2
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a solid combination of CPU, GPU, and sufficient RAM for various engineering tasks, along with a decent screen, but the MSI Creator M14 leads with stronger CPU and GPU performance, superior screen quality for detail-oriented work, and typically comes with more RAM, enhancing its capability for complex engineering and design software. While both offer reasonable keyboards and speakers, the IdeaPad may be a bit more portable, but the Creator M14 is likely quieter and more comfortable for long work sessions due to its professional build, despite being slightly bulkier.
Content Creation
7.4
8.0
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.3
7.8
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator M14 is somewhat better.
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
7.2
7.5
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator M14 has a better screen for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Creator M14 laptops have displays that offer good resolution and brightness, making them suitable for general purposes where clarity and visibility are key. Their color accuracy covering various gamuts meets the requirements of engineering and design professionals who need precise color representation for their work. However, they fall short for Gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate is critical to ensure smooth motion, and unfortunately, both models do not prioritize this feature in their screens.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Creator M14 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability, though the MSI Creator M14 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
7.8
The MSI Creator M14 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good build quality, though the MSI Creator M14 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$549
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
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 Gaming 3
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | October 2022
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is one of the most powerful RTX 3050 Ti laptops. If you disregard the mediocre quality of the case in terms of the material and workmanship, Lenovo has created a successful budget gaming laptop with the IdeaPad Gaming. Thanks to high TDPs and constant performance development, the Core i5-12500H and GeForce RTX 3050 Ti are able to show their full power, while in contrast, the (mostly slower) competitors deliver a better battery life. However, hardly any of the alternative laptops are able to reach the image quality of the Gaming 3. Most of the competitors are left behind in terms of the color space and brightness."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the MSI Creator M14
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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