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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers high storage and RAM, a powerful AMD processor with a dedicated GPU suitable for intensive engineering tasks and 3D/machine learning tasks, an OLED touch display, and built with premium materials although it is heavier and costlier. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 14 is more affordable, with a lower weight enhancing portability, and has decent performance for general use, sporting an Intel processor with integrated graphics, suitable for less-demanding tasks and better battery life, but it's less suitable for graphically intensive work. 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 Prestige 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.5
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 garners a higher rating for general use than the MSI Prestige 14 mainly due to its superior CPU, RAM, and OLED screen, which provides exceptional color accuracy and brightness, aiding productivity and viewing experience. However, while the ThinkPad Z16 excels in these areas, it is less portable and has shorter battery life compared to the lighter MSI Prestige 14, which also delivers solid performance, making it a good choice for users prioritizing mobility and longer usage off the charger.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 14 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 outshines the MSI Prestige 14 for engineering and design uses due to its superior CPU and GPU, more RAM, and a higher resolution OLED screen, which ensures smoother multitasking, better visual representation, and faster rendering. Although slightly less portable, the ThinkPad Z16's power outweighs the Prestige 14's edge in battery life and lighter form factor when performance is crucial for demanding tasks.
Content Creation
8.5
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
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 Prestige 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
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
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 Prestige 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
6.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 delivers vibrant and detailed visuals important for general tasks and engineering design work due to its higher resolution and superior color range, which covers broader gamut spaces essential for precision in creative tasks. While good for general use and professional design, its lower refresh rate makes the Z16 less optimal for gaming and 3D applications, where fluid motion is key. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 14 offers adequate resolution and color accuracy for both everyday and design tasks, but like the Z16, its refresh rate isn't tailored for the high-speed rendering needed in gaming and 3D scenarios.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 has 8.5 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 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
7.4
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 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
$1,040
$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 Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.2
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
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
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Prestige 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers better gaming and 3D performance than the MSI Prestige 14 due to its more powerful AMD RX 6500M graphics card, which is superior to the MSI's integrated Iris Xe graphics. Despite both having similar screen refresh rates, the dedicated GPU on the Lenovo makes it more suitable for demanding graphics tasks, whereas the MSI is designed more for general use and light gaming due to its less capable GPU.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Prestige 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Prestige 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,040 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 2.84 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 53.8 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 | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Prestige 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Tech Radar
Collin Probst | September 2022
"The MSI Prestige 14” is excellent for productivity and business use cases, but it is not ideal for creators or visual content editors. The Prestige was able to power through days of email, spreadsheets, and text documents without breaking a sweat and was a joy to use. The additional ports were a breath of fresh air, as most laptops seem to be moving towards just Thunderbolt ports. The security options made signing in effortless, with two quick, more secure, and faster options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Prestige 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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