A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 16, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a high-resolution OLED screen which makes it suitable for tasks requiring color accuracy, such as photo editing. It's more portable compared to the MSI Katana 17, which might matter for those constantly on the move. However, the MSI comes with a more powerful graphics card, which could better serve gaming or 3D rendering needs. The Lenovo is a bit lighter and offers better battery life, perfect for long days without access to power. If your priority is higher performance for gaming or creative work, the MSI might be worth the extra cost, otherwise, the Lenovo is more budget-friendly and offers sufficient performance for general use and portable convenience. 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 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 17
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.9
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
3.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Katana 17 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels in general use due to its high-resolution OLED screen, powerful AMD processor, and ample RAM, making it suitable for a variety of tasks while offering a premium business feel. The MSI Katana 17, with its larger screen and dedicated Nvidia graphics, offers competitive performance for general use and gaming, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life than the ThinkPad Z16.
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.9
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 17 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair.
The MSI Katana 17 is rated very good for gaming and 3D largely because it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16's AMD RX 6500M GPU and 60Hz refresh rate. Though the ThinkPad Z16 has a high-resolution OLED screen which is better for screen quality, in gaming and 3D applications, the GPU strength and screen refresh rate of the Katana 17 are more significant factors for performance.
Content Creation
8.5
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Katana 17 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
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 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 17 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
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
256.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Katana 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a vibrant display with higher resolution and greater brightness, which enhances the clarity and detail of images, making it superior to the MSI Katana 17. In engineering and design, the ThinkPad's screen covers a wider range of colors, accurately representing the necessary color gamuts, which is crucial for precision work where color fidelity is critical. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the higher refresh rate of a screen like the MSI Katana 17's can be more important for smooth motion, but neither laptop excels in this area due to lower refresh rates.
Battery
7.0 Hours
3.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Katana 17 has 3 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
17.3in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability, while the MSI Katana 17 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 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,120
$1,367
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Katana 17 costs $1,367.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Katana 17 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers strong performance for engineering and design due to its high RAM capacity, advanced AMD CPU, and OLED screen with high resolution and color accuracy, making it ideal for precise visual tasks. Whereas the MSI Katana 17, also suitable for such tasks, brings a more powerful Nvidia GPU which is better for demanding graphics work, a larger screen size for expansive viewing, but has a lower resolution IPS display, which may not be as color accurate as the OLED on the ThinkPad.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Katana 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Katana 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,367 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 15.7'' x 10.8'' x 0.99'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 5.73 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 15.67" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.75" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 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 | 3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
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 | 256 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
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
See more
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 17
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | February 2023
"The MSI Katana 17 B13V laptop impressed us in its main area of competency - gaming. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 ensures high-performance levels which can compete with the previous generation's RTX 3070 Ti. In addition to the speedy GPU, the MSI comes with a 144 Hz display as well as an RGB keyboard and provides a very good typing experience. Despite the power at hand, the laptop remains comparatively cool."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Katana 17
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
Compare Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 vs. Acer Swift 3
VS
Compare Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 vs. Lenovo LOQ 15
VS
Compare Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 vs. ASUS Zenbook Pro 15
VS
Compare MSI Katana 17 vs. Lenovo Legion Pro 5i
VS
Compare MSI Katana 17 vs. Lenovo LOQ 16i
VS
Compare MSI Katana 17 vs. ASUS ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition
VS
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
126,195
Recommendations made
27,343
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
Featured in
