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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a premium experience with more storage, RAM, and a higher-resolution OLED touchscreen, ideal for professional work in fields like engineering and content creation, but it comes at a higher price point. It's also less portable due to its weight and has shorter battery life. Contrastingly, the MSI Cyborg 15 packs a powerful modern graphics card suitable for gaming and 3D rendering, and a faster refresh rate screen at a more affordable price, with decent general-use performance. However, it has less storage, lower RAM, a lower-resolution IPS display, and is also slightly heavier which affects its portability. 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 Z16
- 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
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.3
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels for general use due to its superior screen quality with high resolution and OLED technology, ample RAM, and robust CPU, which together ensure smooth multitasking and vibrant display clarity; its lightweight design and moderate battery life support portability and off-charger use. Meanwhile, the MSI Cyborg 15, while offering good general performance, has lower screen resolution and lesser RAM, which may affect the ease of handling multiple applications and visual detail, but gains an edge with a slightly better battery life and more gaming-oriented features like a higher refresh rate display and dedicated graphics card.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels in engineering and design thanks to its high-resolution OLED display which offers vivid colors and contrast, coupled with a powerful CPU, ample memory, and a solid GPU, making it ideal for demanding tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15 also suits engineering work with a capable CPU and a high-quality GPU, but it's limited by lower memory and screen resolution, while still providing good value with greater portability and interactive features like a high refresh-rate screen.
Content Creation
8.5
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Cyborg 15 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
8.2
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Cyborg 15 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
8.5
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 boasts a display with higher resolution and brightness, making it well-suited for general tasks where clarity and visibility are key. For engineering and design, its superior color accuracy and wider color gamut offer a more precise visual experience, essential for detailed work. However, the MSI Cyborg 15, while adequate for general use and engineering tasks, falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to its lower refresh rate, which is less conducive to the smooth visuals required in those areas.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Cyborg 15 both have good portability, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
6.7
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.2
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Cyborg 15 to be good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, with its AMD RX 6500M graphics, excels in vivid screen quality due to an OLED display but offers a moderate refresh rate, suitable for less demanding 3D applications and gaming experiences where visual fidelity is prioritized. In contrast, the MSI Cyborg 15 features a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and higher screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals in fast-paced gaming scenarios, although its screen quality is not as high-end as the OLED on the ThinkPad Z16.
Battery
7.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Cost
$1,120
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Cyborg 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 14.2'' x 9.9'' x 0.9'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 4.37 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 14.15" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 393 nits | 234 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
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 | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2022
"Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z16 tries has some success in its effort to tweak the ThinkPad formula. The laptop is attractive, yet still tame, and material quality is on par with the best Windows competition. I also like the smooth, responsive haptic touchpad and the wide range of modern connectivity. Yet the Z16 doesn’t fix ThinkPad’s typical weakness: value. Starting around $1,550, and more typically near $1,700, the Z16 finds itself facing alternatives that have better performance or an improved display for the same price, or less."
MSI Cyborg 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | April 2023
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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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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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