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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If portability and battery life are important to you, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is less expensive and lighter, with a smaller screen and longer battery life. However, the MSI Stealth 17, while more expensive and heavier, offers superior performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming, thanks to its high-end processor and top-tier graphics card. The ThinkPad features an OLED display, which is excellent for color accuracy and contrast, making it suitable for professional creative work, while the Stealth's IPS display offers a much higher refresh rate, beneficial for gaming and fast-motion video. The choice depends on whether your priorities are mobility with sufficient performance for general and engineering use (ThinkPad), or cutting-edge performance with a focus on gaming and demanding tasks, at the cost of portability (Stealth). 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
- Good portability
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
9.1
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.4
9.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is appreciated for engineering and design tasks due to its capable AMD CPU and GPU, substantial RAM, and high-quality OLED screen, which promote solid performance and vivid visuals. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 17 stands out with a more powerful Intel CPU and top-tier Nvidia GPU, double the RAM, and a sizeable, high refresh rate IPS display, providing excellent capacity for highly demanding design software and engineering simulations, albeit at the cost of reduced portability.
Screen Quality
8.5
8.6
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 17 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels with its sharp resolution and high brightness, ensuring clear and vivid display, whereas the MSI Stealth 17 matches in resolution and brightness, making both suitable for everyday tasks. In engineering and design, the ThinkPad Z16 provides a wider color gamut, offering more accurate color representation, which is paramount for professional design work, yet the Stealth 17 also delivers very good color quality. However, for gaming and 3D applications where high refresh rates are crucial for smooth visuals, both the ThinkPad Z16 and the Stealth 17 fall short, as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over fast refresh rates.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,120
$3,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.6
8.7
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 are both very good for general use.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels in general use due to its combination of a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality OLED screen, which together offer robust performance and visual clarity; it also provides good battery life and is quite portable. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17 offers an even more powerful CPU and double the RAM, alongside a high-end graphics card and larger IPS display for superior multitasking and media experiences, although this results in a heavier device with shorter battery life.
Content Creation
8.5
8.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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
8.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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.
Build Quality
8.0
7.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 to have very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 393 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
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 Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Stealth 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.
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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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