If you're looking for a more budget-friendly and portable option that can handle general tasks effectively, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is a good choice. However, if you need a laptop for more demanding applications like 3D design, machine learning, or gaming, and you don't mind spending more money and dealing with less portability for improved performance, the MSI Stealth 17 would serve those needs better. Keep in mind that a more powerful laptop like the MSI will typically have shorter battery life, so frequent access to a power outlet might be necessary. 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
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Best in class speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
9.1/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while capable for basic gaming, has a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate than the MSI Stealth 17, limiting its ability to handle demanding games and 3D applications smoothly. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 17, with its superior GPU and higher refresh rate screen, excels in gaming and 3D performance, offering a more immersive experience and better handling of graphic-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
9.4/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, is well-suited for engineering and design tasks, but the MSI Stealth 17, with its superior GPU and high-quality screen, excels in handling more graphically intensive projects. Although the ThinkPad offers greater portability and a renowned keyboard experience, the Stealth's larger form factor, though less portable, provides an enhanced audio-visual experience and generally operates more quietly, making it a preferable choice for GPU-heavy engineering work.
Content Creation
8.2/10
8.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth 17 is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
6.9/10
8.6/10
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
321.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ThinkPad X13 has a display that offers suitable resolution and brightness for daily tasks and professional applications like engineering, but it may not cover the wide color gamuts needed for high-precision design work. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 17 provides both high resolution and a broad color spectrum, catering well to engineers and designers who require more accurate color representation for their work. However, both laptops have screens with limited refresh rates which are not optimal for gaming or 3D modeling where smoother visuals are essential for an immersive experience.
Battery
8.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,459
$3,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a price of $1,459 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
The MSI Stealth 17 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for general use.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, with its high-quality CPU and RAM, delivers smooth performance for everyday tasks and its excellent keyboard and battery life make it ideal for on-the-go productivity without frequent charging. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 17, also equipped with powerful CPU and RAM, caters to those needing a larger, high-quality screen for detailed work or entertainment, though at the expense of increased weight and reduced battery life, making it less portable.
Software Development
8.1/10
8.5/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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