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Updated January 12, 2024·
When considering the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, the main tradeoffs relate to price, performance, and target usage. The Lenovo is a cost-effective option suitable for gaming and general use, with reasonable performance and a design focused on gaming efficiency. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige, while more expensive, offers higher performance and is better suited for demanding tasks like 3D, machine learning, and professional creative work, thanks to its powerful hardware and design catering to such applications. You will find better display quality, longer battery life, and enhanced portability with the MSI Prestige. Decide based on your primary use: if gaming and casual use are your focus and you prefer a budget-friendly option, go with the Lenovo. However, if you need a laptop for intensive tasks and prioritize performance and build quality, and are willing to invest more, the MSI Prestige would be the superior choice. 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
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.6
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
12.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a solid CPU and ample RAM for general tasks, with a high refresh rate screen benefiting fluid visuals, but its portability and battery life are just average, making it better suited for stationary use rather than on-the-go. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo excels with a higher-quality CPU, significantly more RAM, and a superior OLED screen, lending itself to high-end general use and professional tasks; additionally, its lighter weight and longer battery life make it more suitable for mobile users who need premium performance.
Engineering and Design
7.2
8.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is considered very good for engineering and design tasks largely due to its more powerful Core Ultra processor, substantially more RAM, and advanced Intel Arc GPU, coupled with a superior OLED screen that offers higher resolution and color accuracy. In contrast, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, while still suitable for the same tasks with its AMD processor and RTX GPU, has less RAM and a less vivid IPS screen, making it a less optimal choice, albeit likely at a more affordable price point.
Content Creation
7.4
8.6
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo 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
8.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 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
7.2
8.4
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, a laptop with a high-resolution, bright display, like the MSI Prestige, offers clear and vibrant visuals, making it preferable over the Lenovo IdeaPad, which, while good, may not match in clarity and brightness. The MSI Prestige stands out in engineering and design due to its wider color gamut coverage, ensuring more accurate color representation, a critical factor that the Lenovo IdeaPad may not fulfill to the same extent. However, both the Lenovo and the MSI have lower refresh rates, which reduces their suitability for 3D applications and gaming, where smooth motion is key.
Battery
8.0 Hours
12.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has 12 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
16.0in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.3 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability, though the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$549
$1,349
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo costs $1,349.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.7
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a less powerful Nvidia RTX 2050 graphics card and a 120Hz refresh rate which is fair for gaming and 3D applications, while the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is equipped with a stronger Intel Arc 8-Cores GPU and a superior OLED screen, though with a lower 60Hz refresh rate, these factors contribute to its good performance in gaming and 3D tasks. Additionally, the Lenovo has a standard IPS display with lower pixel density and color coverage compared to the MSI's OLED display, which offers higher pixel density and color accuracy, making it better suited for high-quality visual content, despite the lower refresh rate.
Build Quality
7.2
7.4
The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good 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 Prestige 16 AI Evo compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $1,349 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | December 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 3.31 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.11" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 10.02" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 12 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 329 nits | 362 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | 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 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Prestige 16 AI Evo
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMag
Mark Anthony Ramirez | December 2023
"The MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo is meant to be a business-focused laptop, but it ends up being the MacBook challenger PC laptop enthusiasts have longed for. Not only can it meet and, in many cases, surpass the M2-powered MacBooks, but it is also surpassing the baseline M3 MacBooks, which is a giant leap forward for Intel-powered laptops. This isn’t hyperbole; this is what the numbers show."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo
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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