The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is great for general use and business tasks, offering good battery life and portability at a lower cost, whereas the MSI Stealth GS66 is built for performance-heavy applications like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, but it's more expensive and may have shorter battery life. If portability and budget are your primary concerns, the ThinkPad is a sensible choice; however, if you need high performance for demanding software and don't mind the extra cost and carrying a heavier laptop, then the Stealth GS66 suits your needs better. 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 software development
Very good for content creation
Very good portability
Good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
321.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the MSI Stealth GS66 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 offers a balance of performance and portability with a strong CPU and RAM setup, a high-quality screen, and a long battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go users who need a reliable machine for everyday tasks. The MSI Stealth GS66, while also good for general use, steps up with more focus on power suitable for demanding applications and games, which means it's slightly less portable and may have a shorter battery life but compensates with superior heat management and a robust speaker system for an immersive experience.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
7.8/10
4.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth GS66, with its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, provides a smoother and more immersive gaming and 3D experience compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, which although having a decent CPU and screen quality, falls behind in the critical aspects that contribute to gaming performance. While both can handle general tasks effectively, the MSI is better equipped for the demands of modern gaming and 3D applications.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.5/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for software development, while the MSI Stealth GS66 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
6.9/10
8.1/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
321.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth GS66 for software development, and content creation, while the MSI Stealth GS66 has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the MSI Stealth GS66 offer screens that provide clear images and good color representation, suitable for activities like browsing, streaming, or office work. When it comes to engineering and design work, their displays cover a wider color gamut, ensuring that colors are accurately represented for tasks that demand precision, such as photo editing or CAD software. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates of these laptops may result in less fluid motion and responsiveness, which is less optimal for fast-paced games or complex 3D rendering tasks.
Battery
8.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 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
Good
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth GS66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,459
$1,799
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a price of $1,459 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,799.
The MSI Stealth GS66 and Lenovo ThinkPad X13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The MSI Stealth GS66 typically packs a more powerful CPU and GPU and has more RAM, which means faster performance and smoother multitasking for demanding engineering software, along with a high-quality screen that benefits design work. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13, while offering good performance with a solid CPU and sufficient RAM, is lighter and generally more portable, with a reputation for a comfortable keyboard and quieter operation, making it a good choice for on-the-go professionals who prioritize mobility and comfort over top-tier power.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.7/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad X13 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Stealth GS66 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and MSI Stealth GS66 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and the MSI Stealth GS66 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 GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 or the MSI Stealth GS66
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
126,495
Recommendations made
27,408
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.