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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is positioned as a premium-priced laptop with high-end features like a large OLED touchscreen, ample storage, and a powerful AMD processor suited for intensive tasks. Its robust build and business-oriented features, such as a high-quality keyboard and additional security options like a fingerprint reader and facial recognition, make it well suited for professional users who need performance and can handle the higher price point. However, the MSI Prestige 16, with a midrange price, offers significantly better value for general use and still comes with a potent Intel processor and plenty of RAM. It has a high-refresh-rate IPS display but lacks a touchscreen and has half the storage capacity of the ThinkPad. Both laptops have similar battery life and portability scores, so if lower costs and general performance are priorities, the MSI Prestige might be the more appropriate choice, while the ThinkPad Z16 caters more to users needing a premium, feature-rich laptop for more demanding professional applications. 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 overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16
- The MSI Prestige 16 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16.
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.5
8.3
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 16 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
If you're looking at laptops for general use, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Prestige 16 both feature panels with high resolution and brightness, making either display pleasant for everyday tasks like browsing and document editing. For engineering and design work, the ThinkPad Z16 has superior color coverage, which ensures colors are represented accurately and vividly, an essential factor for professionals who require precision. However, if gaming or 3D modeling are your focus, neither of these laptops excels due to their lower refresh rates, but they still have decent resolution and panel types to handle moderate 3D tasks.
Build Quality
8.0
7.4
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,120
$1,611
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.6
8.4
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for general use.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a high-quality OLED screen with a very high resolution and contrast ratio ideal for vivid displays and sharp text, paired with ample storage and a potent AMD processor, although it is slightly thicker and heavier than some counterparts. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16 features a high-refresh-rate IPS display for smooth visuals and a slight edge in battery capacity and portability, supported by a strong Intel CPU, though with half the storage of the ThinkPad Z16.
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.7
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Prestige 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is equipped with an AMD RX 6500M GPU and has a standard 60Hz OLED screen, making it a solid choice for gaming and 3D tasks with vibrant colors but standard refresh rates. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 16 incorporates an Intel Iris Xe GPU and stands out with a higher 165Hz IPS screen, offering smoother gameplay at the expense of not having a dedicated gaming GPU like the ThinkPad.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for engineering and design.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.5
8.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for content creation.
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
8.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for software development.
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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Prestige 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Prestige 16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Prestige 16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,611 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.66'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 4.2 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 7.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 82 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 393 nits | 400 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
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 16
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Dig into reviews and images
Make Use Of
Paul Antill | June 2023
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Prestige 16
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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