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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If budget is a main concern, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 might be the more attractive option as it generally costs less. However, the MSI Thin GF63 offers a better performance particularly for gaming and demanding applications, owing to a stronger processor and better graphics card, though at a higher price. The MSI also features a higher refresh rate display which is great for smooth visuals in fast-paced games. Keep in mind that the MSI is heavier, which may affect portability, and it has a shorter battery life compared to the Lenovo, which might not be ideal for usage on the go. If you prioritize performance and gaming, the MSI could be worth the extra cost; if you prefer a lighter device with longer battery life and a lower price, the Lenovo could suit you better. 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 Thin GF63
- Good for engineering and design
- Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
5.9
6.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is poor.
The MSI Thin GF63 offers better performance for gaming and 3D purposes due to its high-end Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, compared to the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 which has an integrated AMD Vega 6 GPU and a 60Hz screen refresh rate. Though both laptops have full HD screens, the superior graphics hardware and screen refresh rate of the MSI make it more suitable for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.1
7.5
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Thin GF63 is good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has an AMD Ryzen CPU with integrated Vega graphics and 8GB of RAM, which can handle engineering tasks but may not perform as well with demanding design software, whereas the MSI Thin GF63 boosts performance with a higher-end Intel CPU, dedicated Nvidia GPU, and double the RAM, making it better suited for intensive engineering and graphic design work. While both have similar screen quality, the MSI's superior hardware makes it more appropriate for complex tasks, albeit with a slight increase in weight and a potential tradeoff in battery life and portability.
Screen Quality
6.4
6.8
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The MSI Thin GF63 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
Both the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and the MSI Thin GF63 have screens with basic panel types and resolutions that are adequate for tasks like browsing and watching videos, making them suitable for general use. However, for engineering and design, their color gamut coverage likely falls short of the high standards required for precise color work, though they can still handle less color-critical tasks. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, their screens' lower refresh rates won't deliver as smooth visuals as higher-refresh-rate displays, which matters a lot for fast-paced visuals despite being decent enough for less demanding entertainment.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has 10 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and MSI Thin GF63 both have good portability, though the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$390
$1,150
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 has a price of $390 and the MSI Thin GF63 costs $1,150.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.0
7.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI Thin GF63 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 are both good for general use.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3's moderate CPU and RAM, sufficient screen quality, excellent portability, and long battery life make it fair for general use, but the MSI Thin GF63's superior CPU, double the RAM, quality screen performance, and dedicated graphics enhance its capability, although with slightly less portability and battery life, making it good for general use as well as more demanding tasks.
Content Creation
7.2
7.4
3.6/10
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 MSI Thin GF63 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 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
7.1
7.2
3.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 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.
Build Quality
6.5
6.5
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 and MSI Thin GF63 both have 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 Slim 3 and the MSI Thin GF63 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 | MSI Thin GF63 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$390 | $1,150 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.3'' x 0.7'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.52 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.15" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.25" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 47 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 | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | 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 Slim 3
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Rtings
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."
MSI Thin GF63
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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 Slim 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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