If you prioritize a premium build with higher performance for engineering tasks, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 would be a strong choice due to its more powerful processor and graphics, larger storage and memory, and better display quality. However, it is more expensive and has a slightly shorter battery life. In contrast, the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo offers decent performance for general use and comes at a lower price point, it's lighter and thus more portable, and has a longer battery life, but it might not handle engineering software or intensive tasks as well as the Lenovo. Both laptops have touchscreens, but the Lenovo's larger screen and OLED panel give it an edge in display quality. If gaming is a consideration, note that neither laptop is explicitly designed for intensive gaming, although the Lenovo has a discrete GPU which provides somewhat better graphics performance. 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 Summit E13 Flip Evo
Very good portability
Very good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
517.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
11.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
7.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a more powerful CPU and GPU combination along with higher RAM, which is crucial for demanding engineering and design tasks, as well as a superior screen quality, all of which are essential for these fields. While the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo is lighter and more portable with a solid CPU and quality screen for on-the-go professionals, it falls short in RAM and lacks a dedicated GPU, which might limit performance with more intensive applications.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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
8.2/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo 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
8.5/10
7.3/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.4in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
517.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16's vivid colors and bright display make for comfortable viewing for tasks like browsing and video streaming, whereas the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has a sufficiently bright and clear display, but not as impressive as the ThinkPad's. In engineering and design where color accuracy is crucial, the ThinkPad Z16 excels with a wider color gamut, ensuring that designers and engineers see precise colors, while the MSI Summit E13 is adequate but less superior in color representation. For gaming and 3D rendering, however, both laptops fall short due to modest refresh rates, which means they may not deliver as smooth visuals as dedicated gaming laptops, although their resolutions and panel types are ample for non-gaming-related tasks.
Battery
7.0 Hours
11.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has 11 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
13.4in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0/10
7.4/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,120
$699
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo costs $699.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16's AMD RX 6500M GPU provides better performance for gaming and 3D applications compared to the integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics in the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo. Both have comparable screen refresh rates, but the ThinkPad Z16's higher screen quality with an OLED display and higher resolution can deliver a more visually immersive experience, enhancing gameplay and 3D graphics.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo compare to other laptops
"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 wants to prove that it can do more than just gaming laptops and the Summit E13 Flip is a great example of what the manufacturer is capable of especially in terms of aesthetics and performance. Normally for subnotebooks or convertibles, TDP and performance are often below average as makers want to meet slimmer designs and lower weight targets. The Summit manages to outperform others in its size class and category while still looking sleek and portable in the process. If you want a convertible that won't throttle significantly when under load, then this MSI will be one of the better options you can find."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Summit E13 Flip Evo
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.
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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