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Updated January 10, 2024·
For general use, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a premium OLED display with better resolution and battery life, suitable for tasks that benefit from high screen quality. It also has a higher build quality and a more professional appearance, ideal for business environments. On the other hand, if you prioritize gaming or performance in 3D rendering and machine learning at a more affordable price, the MSI Katana 15 with its more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU and higher refresh rate display may be a better fit, although it falls short in display quality and battery life as compared to the ThinkPad. For engineering tasks, the ThinkPad's higher RAM and storage might be advantageous, but the Katana's slightly better engineering performance and extra portability could be considerations, depending on your priorities. 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 portability
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Katana 15
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.5
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
258.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.9/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels in general use due to its higher screen quality, with an OLED display and higher resolution for crisper images, alongside more powerful CPU and RAM for faster multitasking, though it is slightly heavier and has a shorter battery life compared to the MSI Katana 15. The MSI Katana 15 is still a solid choice for general use, offering a decent CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, better portability due to its lighter weight and longer battery life, although its screen quality and performance capabilities are more modest compared to the ThinkPad Z16.
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.6
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Katana 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is suitable for gaming and 3D due to its AMD RX 6500M GPU and a decent screen refresh rate, but the MSI Katana 15 with its Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU offers a significantly higher refresh rate. Both have quality displays, but the ThinkPad Z16's OLED screen has a higher resolution, offering better screen quality, while the MSI Katana 15 balances the play with superior refresh rate favoring gaming dynamics.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Katana 15 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is better suited for engineering and design with a high-resolution OLED screen, powerful CPU, larger memory capacity, and dedicated GPU tailored for such tasks, while the MSI Katana 15's lower screen quality and less robust CPU make it less ideal but still capable, especially considering its dedicated gaming GPU. However, the ThinkPad's larger screen and OLED technology come at a cost of portability and battery life compared to the Katana 15, which also offers a high refresh rate display that is more common for gaming laptops.
Content Creation
8.5
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
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 Katana 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
7.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Katana 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
258.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 boasts a higher resolution and brighter display, enhancing clarity and detail, making it optimal for general use and professional tasks like engineering and design; its color accuracy covers wider gamuts, essential for color-sensitive work. However, the screen’s standard refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming and 3D applications, which rely on faster refresh rates for smoother visuals. Meanwhile, the MSI Katana 15's average resolution and brightness offer adequate quality for everyday tasks and some design work, but its fair screen quality and refresh rate do not provide the high fidelity or fluid motion desired by gamers and professionals working with 3D graphics.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 15 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 15 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
7.2
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Katana 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,120
$949
$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 Katana 15 costs $949.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Katana 15 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Katana 15 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $949 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.98'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 4.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.2" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i5-12450H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4 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 | 258 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
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 | 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 Katana 15
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"The MSI Katana 15 B12 combines a Gen12 CPU with an RTX 4050, which is actually not a bad idea for a budget gamer. The CPU is anything but bad and the GPU in the Katana 15 proves to be significantly more efficient than last year's models. However, our main point of criticism for budget gamers is the price: while you can get budget laptops with RTX 3060 from around US$800, you pay a whole US$1,499.99 here! The efficiency advantages of the RTX 4050 do not justify this price premium."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Katana 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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