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Updated March 22, 2024·
If price is a major concern and you need a laptop for general use with good portability and battery life, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is a solid choice. However, if you require a laptop for tasks that demand top-tier performance, such as 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and you don't mind spending more for that power and a weightier, less portable device, the MSI Titan 18 HX would be better suited to your needs. Keep in mind, the MSI will likely have a shorter battery life due to its more powerful components. 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
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8
8.8
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
379.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, with sufficient processing power, memory, and high screen quality, offers a balance of portability and battery life, making it ideal for everyday tasks and mobility. The MSI Titan 18 HX, on the other hand, provides outstanding performance and larger screen real estate, but its bulk and shorter battery life are tradeoffs for those who require intensive multitasking and vivid display over the convenience of carrying it around easily.
Gaming and AI
6.3
9.4
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.1/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is only fair.
The MSI Titan 18 HX boasts a top-tier GPU and high screen refresh rate, making it outstanding for gaming and 3D applications, ensuring smooth visuals and responsive gameplay. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, with a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate, offers competent but not exceptional performance in those areas, making it better suited for less demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.3
9.9
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, with its robust CPU and high-quality keyboard, offers a balance of performance for engineering tasks and portability for on-the-go use, while its screen and RAM support intricate design work. However, the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its top-tier CPU, GPU, and larger RAM, excels in the most demanding engineering and design applications, but it trades off portability for its superior power and larger, higher-quality screen.
Content Creation
7.8
9.0
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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
8.9
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
9.2
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
379.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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 might be the better choice for general use and engineering design tasks due to its panel type and resolution providing a clear display along with reasonable brightness that enhances visibility, while its color gamut coverage supports a range of hues crucial for precise design work. However, gamers might find it lacking because of its limited refresh rate which is pivotal for smooth gameplay, particularly in fast-paced games. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX has a superior screen for general use and design processes with its outstanding resolution and panel resulting in sharp and vibrant visuals, as well as extensive color gamut, but again falls short for gaming needs due to a less optimal refresh rate.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,000
$5,400
$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 Titan 18 HX costs $5,400.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and MSI Titan 18 HX 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 Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 | MSI Titan 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $5,400 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | February 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.78 lbs | 7.93 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.59" | 15.9" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.86" | 12.08" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850U | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 128 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 4096 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51.5 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 379 nits | 401 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 5.1/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 10/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
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."
MSI Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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