If your top priorities are general use and price, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is more budget-friendly and offers decent performance for everyday tasks. However, if you seek higher performance for engineering, 3D rendering, or machine learning tasks, the MSI Prestige 16, while more expensive, provides significantly better capabilities in these areas. The Prestige 16 also has a larger storage capacity and more RAM, which contribute to its superior performance. It boasts a better-quality display with a higher resolution and refresh rate, advantageous for creative work but does have a shorter battery life than the IdeaPad. Lastly, the Prestige 16 has a more premium build and is better suited for intensive gaming, though neither laptop is designed with a gaming focus. 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 Slim 3
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16
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
Good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a less powerful CPU and less RAM compared to the MSI Prestige 16, which contributes to its 'fair' rating for general use, while the MSI's superior CPU and ample RAM play a part in its 'very good' general use rating. The MSI Prestige 16 also boasts a higher resolution screen, better screen aspect ratio for productivity, and longer battery life, enhancing its general usability over the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
6.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The MSI Prestige 16 outperforms the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 in gaming and 3D due to its superior integrated graphics capabilities and a significantly higher screen refresh rate, which allows for smoother gameplay and more responsive graphics rendering. Additionally, the MSI has a higher screen resolution and pixel density, supporting better screen quality overall; these features, along with the higher battery capacity, make it more suitable for demanding gaming and 3D applications compared to the Lenovo, which has more modest GPU performance and a standard screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
8.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.2/10
8.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 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
7.1/10
8.1/10
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 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
6.4/10
8.3/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 provides a decent experience with adequate resolution and brightness, but it may not have standout features that discerning buyers seek. The MSI Prestige 16, on the other hand, offers a very good display with sharp resolution and high brightness levels, making it an excellent choice for productivity and multimedia. However, when it comes to engineering and design tasks, the Prestige 16 pulls ahead with better color accuracy crucial for detailed work, while both laptops lack the high refresh rates preferred for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 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.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.4/10
The MSI Prestige 16 has good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$390
$1,611
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a price of $390 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | May 2023
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i is decent for use as a workstation. Its Intel CPU and integrated graphics can only handle light productivity tasks, not demanding workloads like video editing or 3D graphics. You also can't do any color-critical work because the available displays have a narrow color gamut. It has a good port selection, but its USB-C lacks Thunderbolt 4 support. On the upside, it has a comfortable keyboard and doesn't get hot or loud under load."
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 or the MSI Prestige 16
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
132,195
Recommendations made
28,643
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.