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Updated January 10, 2024·
When considering the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and the MSI Modern 14, remember that the ThinkPad usually comes with higher-end components suited for intensive tasks like engineering software, 3D modeling, or machine learning, at a higher price point. It's built for power users needing reliability and performance over portability. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 is more affordable and well-suited for general use, with a focus on portability and battery life. It's a good fit if you prioritize lightness and cost savings over raw performance. However, for gaming, neither may be ideal; dedicated gaming laptops offer better graphics capabilities. 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 Modern 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.0
7.2
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
569.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offers robust performance with a high-end CPU and dedicated GPU, making it well-suited for demanding tasks, while its large, high-resolution IPS display ensures crisp visuals but at the cost of portability and shorter battery life. The MSI Modern 14, on the other hand, provides sufficient power for everyday tasks with its capable CPU, and its lightweight design combined with longer battery life makes it highly portable, albeit with a lower-resolution screen that may not be as vibrant or color-accurate as the ThinkPad's.
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.0
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU and a higher resolution screen, which makes it better for gaming and 3D applications compared to the MSI Modern 14, which uses a lesser-performing integrated AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Vega 7 GPU and has a lower resolution screen.
Engineering and Design
8.3
6.6
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is superior for engineering and design because it has a more powerful CPU and GPU, more RAM, and a higher quality screen, which are crucial for running complex design software and tasks, while the MSI Modern 14 has lower performance in these areas making it less suitable. Additionally, despite being less portable, the ThinkPad boasts a better keyboard and is quieter under load, factors that can significantly affect the work environment for prolonged engineering and design work.
Content Creation
8.2
7.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Modern 14 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
7.1
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 Modern 14 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
6.4
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
569.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 likely features a high-resolution display with bright and clear output, which makes it suitable for general use and engineering where details and color accuracy are crucial. For engineering and design tasks that demand a wide color range, its screen probably covers larger color gamuts, ensuring more precise color rendition. However, the ThinkPad P16 may lack a high refresh rate, which is less critical for general use and engineering but can detract from the smoothness necessary for gaming and 3D applications, where the MSI Modern 14, with its fair screen quality, might not offer as vibrant or sharp an image but also does not excel in the high refresh rates needed for optimal gaming and 3D performance.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 has 6 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
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Modern 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,449
$748
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a price of $1,449 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $748.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad P16 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,449 | $748 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.5 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.5" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12800HX | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 4 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 94 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 569 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.8/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.1/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"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."
MSI Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 or the MSI Modern 14
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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