A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 7 offers a good balance of performance and is less expensive, with solid gaming capabilities, but the battery life and portability are moderate. The MSI Stealth 17, on the other hand, is more costly but offers top-tier performance, especially for 3D, machine learning, and engineering applications, with a more powerful processor and graphics card, and has a higher screen refresh rate suitable for intensive gaming. However, it's heavier and has lesser battery life, impacting its portability. Choose the Lenovo if you prefer a more affordable option with reasonable performance, or the MSI if you need the highest performance and are willing to pay more and compromise on battery life and portability. 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 Legion 7
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
469.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Legion 7 is good.
The MSI Stealth 17 stands out in general use with a higher performance CPU and significantly more RAM, delivering faster and smoother multitasking, while its superior screen quality provides bright, vivid colors. In contrast, the Lenovo Legion 7, while featuring a capable CPU and ample RAM for everyday tasks, offers better portability due to its lighter weight and slightly longer battery life, making it easier to use on the go.
Gaming and AI
7.8
9.1
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo Legion 7 is good.
The Lenovo Legion 7's good gaming and 3D performance stems from its Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 165Hz, adequate for smooth visuals and responsive gameplay, while the MSI Stealth 17's excellence in the same is due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and higher 240Hz screen refresh rate, providing an even smoother and more immersive experience.
Engineering and Design
8.2
9.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Legion 7 is very good.
The Lenovo Legion 7 with an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 3070 GPU delivers solid performance for engineering tasks, but the MSI Stealth 17 steps it up with a more powerful Intel i9 CPU and Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, offering superior performance suitable for the most demanding engineering and design work. While both have high-quality screens and ample storage, the greater RAM in the MSI enhances multitasking and complex projects, albeit with a slight tradeoff in portability due to its larger size and slightly heavier build.
Content Creation
7.9
8.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Legion 7 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
7.6
8.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Legion 7 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
8.3
8.6
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
469.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the Lenovo Legion 7 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Lenovo Legion 7 and MSI Stealth 17 offer displays with high resolution and brightness, coupled with panel types that provide crisp, clear visuals, making for a pleasing everyday viewing experience. In engineering and design scenarios, they excel due to their high color accuracy, reproducing a wide range of colors that professionals need for precise work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, they fall short as their lower refresh rates make them less ideal for the fast-paced visuals and smooth gameplay that these activities demand.
Portability
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo Legion 7 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.8
The Lenovo Legion 7 has very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,500
$3,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo Legion 7 has a price of $1,500 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Battery
6.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 7 has 6.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo Legion 7 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 7 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,500 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.3'' x 0.86'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.5 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.27" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 165Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 469 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion 7
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | September 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 7 is a fast 16-inch gamer with 165 Hz display. The new Lenovo Legion 7 is a very good gaming notebook that, despite its comparatively compact compact 16-inch case, does not have to do without the most powerful components. Thanks to good cooling, no compromises are made in terms of performance. Both the Core i9-12900HX and the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti perform at a very high level."
MSI Stealth 17
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Legion 7 or the MSI Stealth 17
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Lenovo Legion 7 vs. ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024)
VS
Compare Lenovo Legion 7 vs. ASUS ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition
VS
Compare Lenovo Legion 7 vs. Lenovo Legion Pro 5i (2024)
VS
Compare MSI Stealth 17 vs. Lenovo Legion 9i
VS
Compare MSI Stealth 17 vs. MSI Raider 18 HX
VS
Compare MSI Stealth 17 vs. ASUS ROG Strix G18
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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
131,295
Recommendations made
28,448
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.
Featured in
