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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If budget is a primary concern, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers a more affordable option and is well-suited for general use with reliable build quality, making it a solid choice for everyday tasks and business use. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, while more expensive, provides higher performance suitable for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning applications. It also has a larger screen for better visual experience but is less portable than the Lenovo due to its size and weight, which could be an important factor if you often work on the go. 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
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.4
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
379.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, with ample processing power, memory, and good screen quality, is well-suited for everyday tasks and offers the added benefits of being lightweight for easy portability and having long battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, while also excelling in CPU and RAM capabilities, provides a superior screen experience, which along with higher storage capacity and a focus on quiet and cool operation, makes it ideal for more demanding applications and multimedia enjoyment.
Gaming and AI
6.3
8.9
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.1/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, while suitable for moderate tasks, may not handle gaming and 3D modeling as smoothly due to a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate, whereas the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, equipped with a high-end GPU and a screen with a faster refresh rate, excels in these areas, providing a superior visual experience and better handling of graphics-intensive applications. Even though the ThinkPad does offer a good CPU and screen quality, the MSI's advanced graphics capabilities make it a preferable choice for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.3
9.1
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers solid CPU performance and sufficient RAM for many engineering tasks, with a high-quality screen and a well-regarded keyboard, making it a reliable choice for on-the-go productivity. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, includes a more powerful GPU for demanding design applications, and boasts top-tier CPU and RAM capacities, though it is less portable and may produce more operating noise due to its higher power components.
Content Creation
7.8
8.5
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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.
Software Development
7.7
8.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is 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.
Screen Quality
7.0
8.4
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
379.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 boasts a high-resolution display with excellent brightness and color accuracy, making it a suitable choice for general use and professional tasks like engineering and design that require precise color representation. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's display offers similar high resolution and color gamut coverage, ensuring vibrant and accurate visuals, which benefits professionals in engineering and design who rely on color fidelity for their work. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications, as their screens lack the high refresh rates needed for smooth and responsive visual experiences in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 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
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,000
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.78 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.59" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.86" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850U | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51.5 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 379 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 9.1/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 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 | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | September 2022
"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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 or the MSI Stealth 18 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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