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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with its lower price, larger battery capacity, and a modestly higher refresh rate display, could provide a balance of gaming performance and value. However, the MSI Cyborg 15 boasts a superior GPU and slightly lighter weight, offering a boost for intensive gaming and portability. Be mindful that the battery life of the MSI Cyborg is marginally less than the Lenovo, which might be important if you plan to use the laptop unplugged frequently. Both have similar storage and RAM, and neither has particularly high screen color accuracy or fast motion handling, but the MSI excels in engineering tasks. Consider the Lenovo for budget gaming and general use, and the MSI if gaming performance and engineering applications are a priority. 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 overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.2
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, equipped with a Nvidia RTX 2050 and a screen refresh rate of 120Hz, offers decent gaming performance, while the MSI Cyborg 15 steps up with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher 144Hz screen refresh rate, which translates to smoother visuals and potentially better gaming and 3D rendering experiences. Although both have similar CPUs and screen quality, the superior GPU and refresh rate in the MSI Cyborg 15 make it more suitable for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Screen Quality
7.2
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 boasts a higher resolution and brighter display which enhances the viewing experience for general tasks and detailed engineering work, whereas the MSI Cyborg 15's screen might not be as vibrant or sharp. For engineering and design, the Lenovo likely offers a wider color gamut ensuring more accurate color reproduction, a critical aspect for these applications. However, both laptops have a lower refresh rate, which means they aren’t ideal for 3D applications and gaming where smooth motion and quick screen updates are key.
Cost
$549
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with its ample RAM and solid CPU, offers a good screen and decent portability, making it a strong choice for everyday tasks, though with average battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 also has a capable CPU and adequate RAM for general use, with better portability due to its lighter build, but faces compromises in heat management and screen quality.
Engineering and Design
7.2
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, with its AMD Ryzen CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, along with an IPS display with high contrast and color coverage, is suited for engineering and design due to its capable performance in processing and graphics rendering tasks, complemented by a quality screen. Meanwhile, the MSI Cyborg 15 leverages a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and an Intel CPU, providing even more graphical and computational power for complex engineering projects, but with a slightly lower screen color accuracy and brightness which might slightly affect design work involving color precision.
Content Creation
7.4
7.5
7.9/10
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 Gaming 3 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
7.3
7.2
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
6.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 to have good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has 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 Gaming 3 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | MSI Cyborg 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 4.37 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 9.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | 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 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."
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 Gaming 3 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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