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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is a premium laptop that's significantly more expensive than the MSI GF65 Thin, which is more affordable. The Lenovo is well-suited for business use, with a high-quality keyboard and touchscreen, while the MSI targets gamers with its hardware ray tracing and DLSS capabilities. Both feature backlit keyboards, but if portability and battery life are critical, the Lenovo outperforms the MSI. Consider the Lenovo if performance and display quality for engineering tasks is a priority and cost is less of a concern; otherwise, the MSI offers solid gaming specs at a lower price point. 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
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16.
Key differences
General Use
8.6
6.5
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is better suited for general use with its higher RAM capacity, premium OLED screen with higher resolution, and longer battery life, combined with quality factors like an excellent keyboard and good heat management. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while fair for general use, comes with less RAM, a lower-resolution IPS display, and shorter battery life, which might affect multitasking and overall user experience despite its good build and high refresh rate screen, which are typically more aligned with gaming needs.
Engineering and Design
8.4
6.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out for engineering and design due to its advanced AMD Ryzen CPU, abundant RAM, and high-quality OLED screen which offers superior color accuracy and brightness, making it very good for such tasks. On the other hand, while the MSI GF65 Thin is equipped with a strong Intel CPU and a potent Nvidia GPU that favor good performance, its standard IPS screen and lesser RAM make it slightly less optimal for the complex demands of engineering and design.
Content Creation
8.5
6.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
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 GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
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 GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
262.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness which suits day-to-day tasks and professional design work, but its lower refresh rate is less ideal for the fast-paced visuals in gaming and 3D applications. The MSI GF65 Thin, on the other hand, has a modest display that provides adequate sharpness and brightness for everyday activities and some level of detail for creative work, although it doesn't excel in color reproduction necessary for precise engineering and design tasks. Neither of these laptops' screens have the high refresh rates preferred for smooth, stutter-free gaming and 3D rendering experiences.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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.
Build Quality
8.0
6.7
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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
6.8
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
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
The MSI GF65 Thin and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is better for gaming and 3D tasks as it has a higher-quality OLED screen with a superior GPU, which are very important for such activities. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin offers a higher screen refresh rate which can be beneficial for smoother gaming visuals but has a lower screen resolution and a less powerful GPU, making it less suited for intensive 3D applications.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI GF65 Thin both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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 GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 51 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 | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
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 GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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