When selecting between the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and the MSI GF65 Thin, consider that the ThinkPad is typically built for business users valuing durability and keyboard comfort, likely leading to improved productivity for office tasks, but may come with a higher price tag. On the other hand, the GF65 Thin is designed for gaming with higher graphics performance, making it suited for gaming or creative tasks but it may have a shorter battery life and be less robust. If portability and battery are priorities for business or general use, lean towards the ThinkPad; for performance in gaming and creative software, the MSI may be the better choice. 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 T14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good battery life
Good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad T14.
Key differences
General Use
8.5/10
6.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
321.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offers robust CPU performance and higher RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and efficiency for general use, along with a high-quality screen and longer battery life for enhanced portability. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin has gaming-caliber CPU and graphics, but shorter battery life and a bulkier build make it less ideal for carrying around and using for day-to-day productivity tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
6.7/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14, with a robust CPU, ample RAM, and high screen quality, offers reliable performance for engineering software, while its renowned keyboard quality enhances prolonged coding or designing sessions. Meanwhile, the MSI GF65 Thin's high-end GPU and strong overall performance make it a strong contender for graphics-intensive tasks; however, its tradeoff comes with reduced portability and potentially more operating noise, which could distract in quiet environments.
Content Creation
8.3/10
6.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very 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
8.3/10
6.3/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very 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
6.9/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
321.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 likely offers a sharper image and better visibility in different lighting conditions due to superior resolution and brightness, while the MSI GF65 Thin may have adequate quality that doesn't stand out. In engineering and design, the ThinkPad's likely wider color gamuts ensure more accurate color representation, crucial for precise work, which the GF65 Thin may not match. However, for 3D and gaming, the MSI GF65 Thin's possibly higher refresh rate can make interactions smoother than the ThinkPad T14, whose lower refresh rate could lead to less fluid motion despite acceptable resolution and panel type.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 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
2.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0/10
6.7/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very 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
$1,241
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a price of $1,241 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
The MSI GF65 Thin and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14, while a robust machine, isn't designed with gaming as a focus, resulting in an average GPU and standard screen refresh rate that may not satisfy serious gamers or 3D professionals. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin, tailored more towards gaming, sports a superior GPU and higher refresh rate screen that provide a smoother gaming experience, though everyday tasks and less graphic-intensive jobs could be equally well-handled by either laptop.
Give feedback
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
"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 ThinkPad T14 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.
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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