The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offers a high-end processor and graphics chip that make it excellent for intensive engineering tasks and 3D rendering, but it is heavier and has a lower portability score. It also boasts a high-resolution display and long battery life, suitable for long work sessions without plugging in. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15 is lighter and more affordable, suited for gaming with a high refresh rate display and a gaming laptop appearance. However, its battery life is shorter and it has a less powerful processor and less RAM, impacting its performance in demanding applications and multitasking. If portability and gaming are your priorities at a lower cost, go for the MSI; for top-notch engineering work and display quality at a higher price, choose the Lenovo. 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 ThinkPad P16
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
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Excellent speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
Good for gaming and AI
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
7.3/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
569.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is well-suited for general use with its high-quality screen, powerful CPU, ample RAM, and long battery life, which compensate for its less portable design, whereas the MSI Cyborg 15 offers a decent screen, sufficient CPU for everyday tasks, and is more portable but has lower RAM and shorter battery life, making it a balance between performance and ease of carrying for regular activities. Both laptops have adequate storage and quality keyboards, while the ThinkPad P16 has an edge in speaker quality and heat management, but the Cyborg 15 runs quieter, important factors for an enjoyable user experience.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
7.5/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is preferred for engineering and design because it offers a higher-resolution screen with better color coverage for detailed visual tasks, a more powerful CPU for complex computations, and greater RAM for multitasking, alongside a higher-quality GPU that's advantageous for rendering and simulations. Conversely, the MSI Cyborg 15, while still suitable for engineering and design due to its capable CPU and GPU, has a lower-resolution screen and less RAM, which may limit performance with very demanding tasks, but benefits from greater portability and a higher-refresh-rate display, which could be useful in some applications.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.5/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Cyborg 15 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
8.4/10
7.2/10
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Cyborg 15 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
8.2/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
569.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 likely offers a high-resolution display and bright panel, enhancing its usability in varied lighting conditions and providing crisp visuals for general tasks as well as detailed engineering designs, but its refresh rate is probably not high enough to satisfy the demanding needs of gamers or professionals working with 3D applications. Its screen may also cover a wide range of color gamuts, essential for accuracy in design work. In contrast, the MSI Cyborg 15 may offer a fair compromise on resolution and brightness, providing adequate quality for everyday use and non-specialized engineering tasks but without the advanced color range or smooth frame rates needed for high-end gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Portability
Poor
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
6.7/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,449
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a price of $1,449 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Cyborg 15 to be good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is equipped with an Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 60 Hz, which suits gaming and 3D tasks, while the MSI Cyborg 15 boasts a more gaming-focused Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU with a higher screen refresh rate of 144 Hz, providing smoother visuals for fast-paced games. Both laptops have quality IPS screens, but the ThinkPad has a superior resolution affecting screen quality, and it offers better CPU performance, impacting overall system responsiveness and task handling in several compute-intensive applications.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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.
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