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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is more affordable and offers a higher resolution display with touchscreen, longer battery life, and is lighter which makes it more portable. It is well-suited for general use and business tasks. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while slightly more expensive and heavier, packs a more powerful GPU with Nvidia RTX 3060 which is better for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks despite its lower battery life. If gaming or graphic-intensive tasks are a priority, the MSI may be a better fit. Otherwise, for portability and everyday use, the Lenovo is a preferred option. 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 7i Pro
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro.
Key differences
General Use
7.3
6.5
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is favored for general use due to its longer battery life, lighter frame for portability, and a higher-quality screen with better color coverage and brightness, which enhances the user experience in everyday tasks. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while it has a powerful graphics card suitable for gaming, its shorter battery life, heavier weight, and lower screen color and brightness quality make it less ideal for general use as these factors affect daily comfort and convenience.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.8
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI GF65 Thin is somewhat better.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro, with an Intel Iris Xe graphics card and a high-resolution screen at a 90Hz refresh rate, is balanced for mixed-use but lacking compared to dedicated gaming hardware, while the MSI GF65 Thin packs a more capable Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a faster 144Hz refresh rate display, making it more suitable for gaming and 3D tasks despite having a lower resolution and potentially less impressive screen quality.
Content Creation
7.4
6.8
5.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.3
5.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
7.7
6.8
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro likely offers superior screen quality for general use and engineering tasks due to its high resolution and brightness, coupled with wide color gamut coverage that ensures accurate and vibrant colors which are essential for detail-oriented work. For gaming and 3D applications, though, this laptop's screen may not be the best choice due to a lower refresh rate, which can result in less fluid motion and slower response times. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while having just adequate screen quality for general use and engineering, falls short for gaming and 3D as well because of its likely lower refresh rate, indicating a less optimal experience for fast-paced visuals and complex animations.
Battery
8.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has 8.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has very good portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8
6.7
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$799
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro has a price of $799 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
7.0
6.7
5.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro to be good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro is equipped with a high-resolution screen and more RAM, enhancing its suitability for detailed engineering and design work, while its newer integrated GPU supports general visual tasks. The MSI GF65 Thin, with its dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, excels in handling GPU-intensive tasks and offers a higher refresh rate display, but has less RAM and a lower resolution screen, making it a better fit for engineering tasks requiring more graphical power, such as 3D modeling.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$799 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.04 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.29" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.74" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-11300H | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 60.7 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.8/10 | 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 | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | October 2021
"The main selling point of the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro versus a regular IdeaPad Slim 7 is its faster Core H-series CPU. In reality, the Core i7-11370H is only marginally faster than the U-series Core i7-1165G7 to the point where most users are not likely to notice the benefits. The slight performance uptick comes at the cost of slightly higher power consumption as well meaning owners will have to deal with potentially warmer temperatures or louder fans to compensate. Unless if you happen to be a power user, then the regular non-Pro model will be more than enough. Once you go 90 Hz, you can't go back."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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