The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers a more portable option with a respectable battery life and a lower price, suited for general use, casual gaming, and business tasks, especially with features like a touchscreen and a premium business look. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 16, while heavier and less portable, provides a larger, higher-resolution screen and significantly better performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering due to its more powerful processor and double the memory. It's also geared more towards professional use with its higher-quality build and superior screen colors. Consider the ThinkPad Z13 for value and mobility, or the Prestige 16 for high-end professional use but at a higher cost. 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 Z13
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good battery life
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
379.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is well-suited for general use because it offers a balance of high-quality keyboard, adequate performance via its CPU and RAM, along with good battery life and portability; while the MSI Prestige 16 stands out for general use due to its larger and sharper screen, higher RAM and storage, and powerful CPU, which compensates for its heavier weight and larger size, making it somewhat less portable.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.2/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is 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
7.8/10
8.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Screen Quality
7.0/10
8.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
379.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and MSI Prestige 16 boast screens with high resolutions and brightness, along with reliable panel types that provide sharp images and comfortable viewing, but the Prestige 16 has an edge in overall clarity and color. For engineering and design, both laptops offer displays with wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color reproduction crucial for detailed work, with the Prestige 16 delivering slightly richer colors. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short as they lack high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth visuals and responsive gameplay.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 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
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,611
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
The MSI Prestige 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Software Development
7.7/10
8.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Prestige 16 to be very good for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and the MSI Prestige 16 compare to other laptops
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 or the MSI Prestige 16
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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