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What we think
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Updated March 22, 2024·
If you prioritize a sturdy build and a laptop that's easy to carry for work, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is an excellent choice given its reputation for durability and lighter design. However, if gaming or graphics-heavy tasks are your focus, the MSI GF65 Thin, known for its higher-end graphics capabilities, could serve you better, though you may trade off some battery life and portability due to its gaming-oriented hardware. Always consider your primary activities; the ThinkPad is geared more towards business users, while the MSI is tailored for performance-centric users who need that extra graphical power. 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 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 X13.
Key differences
General Use
8.4
6.5
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
321.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, with its robust CPU and RAM, offers efficient performance for everyday tasks, complemented by a high-quality screen, long battery life, and easy portability, making it very good for general use. Meanwhile, the MSI GF65 Thin, while also having a strong CPU and ample RAM, prioritizes gaming with its powerful graphics, but trades off some screen quality, battery life, and portability, thus it's fair for general use but excels in more graphically demanding applications.
Engineering and Design
8.0
6.7
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 X13 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, with its strong CPU and ample RAM, handles complex software often used in engineering, and its high-quality screen and reliable keyboard are beneficial for design tasks; however, it sacrifices some speaker quality and operates with some noise. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin has a powerful CPU, abundant RAM, and an advanced GPU that excels in both engineering simulations and 3D design, but is less portable and has a noisier operation.
Content Creation
8.2
6.8
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 X13 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
8.1
6.3
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 X13 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
6.8
13.3in
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 X13 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.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13's screen delivers sharp images and vibrant colors, making it suitable for general use and detailed engineering work where clarity and color accuracy are essential. For engineering and design professionals, the Lenovo's broad color gamut ensures that colors are represented more precisely, which is critical for tasks requiring color fidelity. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the MSI GF65 Thin, despite not standing out for screen quality, may be more suitable due to a higher refresh rate, which provides smoother motion rendering that is crucial for fast-paced interactive graphics.
Battery
8.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 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
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
6.7
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 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 X13 has a price of $1,241 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.8
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while robust and reliable for business applications, has a GPU that is not optimized for high-end gaming or 3D rendering, and its screen refresh rate is not ideal for these purposes. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin includes a dedicated gaming GPU and a higher refresh rate display, making it better suited for gaming and 3D tasks, but this focus on graphics may come at the expense of other qualities, such as build quality or battery life.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X13 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,241 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.9'' x 8.5'' x 0.63'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.87 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.88" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.46" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 321 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
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 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1440p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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."
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"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 X13 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.
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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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