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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
For a balance of performance and portability with a midrange price, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is a strong choice, offering a solid general use and engineering experience with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Radeon 780M graphics. It's lightweight, has a good battery life, and a high-quality screen suitable for everyday tasks. However, if your work demands top-tier performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive gaming, and you're willing to invest in a high-end machine, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio, with its powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 and Nvidia RTX 4080, will deliver exceptional performance, albeit at the cost of portability and a higher price point. It also boasts a superior screen with Mini LED technology and a higher refresh rate, making it ideal for fast-motion content and engineering tasks that require color accuracy. 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 X13
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Excellent for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
8.9
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.0
9.5
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2
9.1
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is excellent for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very 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
8.1
8.9
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is somewhat better.
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
9.7
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
321.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Very Good
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good build quality, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,241
$2,999
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a price of $1,241 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio costs $2,999.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.8
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
321.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Battery
8.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has 9 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X13 | MSI Creator 16 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,241 | $2,999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.63'' | 14'' x 10.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.87 lbs | 4.39 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.88" | 14.01" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 10.22" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8.5 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 321 nits | 1000 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkPad X13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | September 2023
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 or the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
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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