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Updated January 16, 2024·
Deciding between the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Thin GF63 involves considering what's more important to you. The Lenovo is more budget-friendly, but the MSI, while being more expensive, offers a higher-end graphic processor, more memory right out of the box, and a higher refresh rate display. This means that if you're primarily gaming or doing graphic-intensive tasks, the MSI might deliver better performance. In contrast, the Lenovo is a good choice if you're looking for a cost-effective gaming laptop that can still handle most modern games. Both have similar screen sizes and resolutions, offering good visual experiences. The MSI is slightly lighter, which suggests better portability, but the Lenovo has a stronger battery, meaning it could potentially last longer on a single charge. Ultimately, your decision should weigh how much you value performance versus price and battery life. 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
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Thin GF63
- The MSI Thin GF63 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3.
Key differences
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
262.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a better screen than the MSI Thin GF63 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
When considering general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 offers a brighter display and higher resolution, providing clearer and more vibrant visuals, while the MSI Thin GF63's fair screen quality reflects a compromise between performance and cost. For engineering and design tasks, the IdeaPad's superior color gamut coverage ensures more accurate color reproduction, which is crucial for detailed work, whereas the MSI's fair color gamut makes it less ideal for professional color work. For gaming and 3D, the IdeaPad falls short despite its good resolution and panel type because its lower refresh rate can result in less fluid motion, while the MSI also struggles with gaming due to the same limitation, making neither ideal for high-end gaming experiences.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 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.
Build Quality
7.2
6.5
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has good build quality, while the MSI Thin GF63 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$549
$1,150
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 has a price of $549 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,150.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI Thin GF63 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Thin GF63 are equipped with capable processors and adequate memory, ensuring smooth performance for everyday tasks, with the MSI offering double the RAM for potentially better multitasking. They both provide quality IPS displays and are easily portable, but the Lenovo offers longer battery life for extended use while the MSI's higher refresh rate screen may appeal to users favoring smoother visuals, despite shorter battery life and somewhat lower quality speakers and build compared to the Lenovo.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.9
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
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
8.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
7.2
7.5
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Thin GF63 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 is well-suited for engineering and design with a solid AMD CPU and Nvidia GPU, providing enough power for computational tasks and a high-quality IPS display for visuals, but it has less RAM than the MSI Thin GF63, which may affect multitasking performance. The MSI Thin GF63 offers a powerful combination of Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU and double the RAM of the Lenovo, making it a strong competitor for demanding engineering work; however, both models have good keyboards and sufficient portability, but the Lenovo provides slightly better speaker quality and operating noise management.
Content Creation
7.4
7.4
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Thin GF63 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
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and MSI Thin GF63 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
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI Thin GF63 and Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the MSI Thin GF63 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 | MSI Thin GF63 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$549 | $1,150 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.5'' x 0.86'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.1 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.16" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.49" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60 Wh | 51 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 | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 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."
MSI Thin GF63
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Charles Jeffries | November 2022
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 or the MSI Thin GF63
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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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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