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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Summit E16 Flip involves considering your needs for performance, battery life, portability, and specific use cases. The Lenovo boasts a higher resolution OLED screen, more storage, and more RAM, which is beneficial for intensive tasks like engineering and video editing, but has a battery life slightly shorter than the MSI's. The MSI offers a higher refresh rate ideal for fast-moving images and gaming, an advanced Intel processor coupled with a stronger Nvidia GPU which could benefit 3D rendering and gaming, and hardware features like ray tracing, but comes with less RAM and storage. If portability and battery longevity are crucial, the MSI holds a slight edge. Both are suitable for business and general use, but for high performance in engineering or creative tasks, the Lenovo might serve better, while the MSI could be preferable for gaming and entertainment due to its superior motion handling and gaming-oriented features. 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 build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Summit E16 Flip
- The MSI Summit E16 Flip has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16.
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.9
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels with its robust CPU and significant RAM, offering smooth performance for a variety of tasks, alongside a high-quality OLED screen that enhances visual experience but at the expense of less portability due to its weight. In contrast, the MSI Summit E16 Flip, while also delivering capable performance with a good screen and longer battery life, balances this with greater portability, though it has less storage capacity and RAM compared to the ThinkPad Z16.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out for engineering and design with a more powerful AMD processor, double the RAM and storage, and a higher-resolution OLED screen which could enhance visual tasks; conversely, the MSI Summit E16 Flip offers flexibility as a 2-in-1 convertible with a capable Nvidia GPU, good portability, and features like facial recognition and hardware ray tracing, though with half the RAM and a standard IPS screen.
Content Creation
8.5
7.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
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 E16 Flip 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
7.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip 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
8.0
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Summit E16 Flip for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip has a better screen for gaming and AI.
When it comes to general use, both the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Summit E16 Flip deliver sharp, bright displays with solid resolutions, suitable for day-to-day tasks like web browsing, document editing, and video playback. For engineering and design professionals who require precise color work, the ThinkPad Z16 excels with excellent coverage of professional color gamuts, providing the accuracy needed for tasks like graphic design or video editing. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, both laptops may fall short due to lower refresh rates, although the MSI may offer a touch-enabled screen which adds an extra layer of interactivity for certain creative tasks.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E16 Flip has 8 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.
Build Quality
8.0
7.4
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,120
$1,550
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the MSI Summit E16 Flip costs $1,550.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.8
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Summit E16 Flip and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Summit E16 Flip 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 Summit E16 Flip compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Summit E16 Flip |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,550 | ||
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 | 4.19 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 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 | 8 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 | 294 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 | 7.5/10 | |
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 Summit E16 Flip
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sascha Mölck | October 2022
"The MSI Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop with pen, 16:10 display, and RTX 3050 Ti. The Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop from the business segment that primarily targets creative users. MSI combines a 16-inch touchscreen in the 16:10 format with a powerful midrange GPU. While the 2-in-1 laptop from MSI isn't meant for everybody, it should definitely attract some followers. The touchscreen display (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) covers the DCI-P3 color space. This is accompanied by stable viewing angles, a good color reproduction, short response times, and a good contrast level."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Summit E16 Flip
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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