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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is a more expensive option but offers substantial upgrades in performance with a more powerful processor, better graphics capabilities, and larger storage and memory, making it suitable for intensive tasks such as engineering and 3D work. Additionally, its OLED display provides a superior visual experience. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 is considerably more budget-friendly, lighter, and more portable, although with less performance capability due to a less powerful processor and graphics unit, making it more suitable for general use and light tasks. 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 Modern 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.2
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out for general use with a substantially more powerful CPU, more RAM, a higher-resolution OLED screen that offers superior color accuracy and brightness, along with a more generous storage capacity, which contributes to its excellent overall performance but at the cost of slightly less portability and shorter battery life compared to the MSI Modern 14. The MSI Modern 14, on the other hand, provides a balance with a decent CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, a satisfactory IPS screen, and a lighter build offering better portability and longer battery life, making it a good option for those prioritizing ease of carrying and longer usage on a single charge.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.0
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications because it has a dedicated GPU, the AMD RX 6500M, which generally offers higher performance than the integrated graphics found in the MSI Modern 14's AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Vega 7.
Engineering and Design
8.4
6.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is better for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a superior GPU, alongside a high-quality OLED screen with excellent color coverage, making it ideal for compute and graphics-intensive tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14, while lighter and thus more portable, has a less powerful processor, less RAM, a lower-tier integrated GPU, and an IPS screen with lower resolution and color fidelity, which might be adequate for lighter workloads but not intensive engineering and design tasks.
Content Creation
8.5
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
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 Modern 14 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
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 Modern 14 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
6.4
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering with its high-resolution, bright display that vividly reproduces colors, essential for tasks like photo editing or CAD work. The MSI Modern 14 offers a moderate display that's adequate for everyday tasks and casual design work but it doesn't stand out for professional-grade color accuracy or brightness. Both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D modeling because they lack the high refresh rates necessary for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios, making them less ideal for those specific purposes.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
7.0
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Modern 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,120
$525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 has 6 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.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 393 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
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 Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Modern 14
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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