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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 comes at a premium price and offers a large storage capacity, more memory, a high-resolution OLED touchscreen, longer battery life, and a robust build quality geared toward professionals, especially suited for engineering with its high color accuracy display. However, it's heavier and has lower performance for 3D and machine learning tasks compared to the MSI Pulse GL66. The MSI, being more budget-friendly, provides a high-refresh-rate display for smoother visuals, making it suitable for intensive gaming and 3D tasks due to its powerful graphics card, but with less storage, memory, and lower battery life. If gaming and cost are priorities, the MSI is the better choice, but if you prioritize display quality, build, and professional use, opt for the Lenovo. 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 Pulse GL66
- 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
245.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out for general use due to its high-resolution OLED screen, larger RAM, and substantial storage, which contribute to better multitasking and media quality, complemented by a longer battery life and a premium design. On the other hand, while the MSI Pulse GL66 offers a high-end CPU and GPU suited for gaming, its lower screen resolution, less RAM and storage, and shorter battery life make it less optimal for general use compared to the ThinkPad Z16, but it might still be an attractive option for customers interested in gaming.
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.2
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
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 Pulse GL66 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Pulse GL66 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out in engineering and design use with its superior screen quality, including high resolution and color accuracy, and robust CPU and GPU that excel in demanding tasks, while offering a larger amount of RAM for multitasking and extensive storage capacity.
Content Creation
8.5
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Pulse GL66 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
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Pulse GL66 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
245.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Pulse GL66 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a high-resolution display with strong color accuracy, providing rich and precise visuals vital for engineering and design tasks, but lacks the high refresh rate gamers seek for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenes. The MSI Pulse GL66's display, while fair for everyday tasks and engineering work, doesn't stand out in any specific area; it doesn't offer the superior color gamut professionals need, nor the gaming-friendly refresh rates. For general use like browsing or watching videos, both laptops are serviceable, but the ThinkPad's superior resolution and panel quality give it an edge for more detail-oriented work.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Pulse GL66 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
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Pulse GL66 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
7.4
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Pulse GL66 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,120
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Pulse GL66 costs $1,399.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Pulse GL66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Pulse GL66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i7-11800H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 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 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 53 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 | 245 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.1/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
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 Pulse GL66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"The MSI Pulse GL66 has a lot of potential for improvement. Although the RTX 3060 is only able to use 105 watts, we still liked the gaming performance, particularly since this also makes the Pulse comfortably efficient but not slow by any means. Neither the dark display with its lame response times, nor USB 2.0 or the lack of Thunderbolt will please real gamers. The use of a sticker factory seal, which is at least questionable, also won't inspire any enthusiasm. It is obvious that the laptop is really designed for price-conscious gamers."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Pulse GL66
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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