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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 12, 2024·
If the higher price of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is within your budget, it will generally offer better build quality and performance suitable for business and engineering, along with robust security features. On the other hand, the MSI Thin GF63, while less expensive, tends to focus on gaming with decent graphics capabilities but may have a shorter battery life and a less sturdy build. If portability and battery life are more important or if light gaming and general use are your key activities, the GF63 is a sensible, budget-friendly choice. However, if you often undertake resource-intensive tasks and value durability and enterprise features, investing in the ThinkPad Z16 would be a wise decision. 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
- Good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Thin GF63
- The MSI Thin GF63 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16.
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.4
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the MSI Thin GF63 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, with its high-resolution OLED screen, more RAM, large storage, and longer battery life, offers a premium experience for general use, complemented by excellent keyboard and speaker quality. In comparison, the MSI Thin GF63, while still good for general tasks, has a lower resolution IPS display and less RAM, but it is more portable due to its lighter weight, making it a solid choice for those who prioritize mobility over screen quality and battery life.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.5
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Thin GF63 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out for engineering and design due to its superior CPU, double the RAM, and a more powerful GPU compared to the MSI Thin GF63, alongside an exceptionally high-resolution OLED screen which provides vivid and accurate colors.
Content Creation
8.5
7.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
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 Thin GF63 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
7.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the MSI Thin GF63 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
6.8
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the MSI Thin GF63 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 likely offers a higher resolution and brighter display which makes it ideal for general activities like browsing and watching videos. For engineering and design tasks, this laptop probably boasts wide color gamut coverage, ensuring accurate color representation crucial for detailed work. However, its lower refresh rate compared to gaming-oriented models might lead to less fluid visuals in fast-paced 3D environments, making it less suitable for gaming.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Thin GF63 has 4.5 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.
Build Quality
8.0
6.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Thin GF63 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.9
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
5.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Thin GF63 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 provides superior screen quality with its OLED display, but its lower screen refresh rate is less optimal for fast-paced gaming compared to the MSI Thin GF63, which offers a higher refresh rate for smoother visuals in gaming and 3D applications. The MSI laptop also features a more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU, which further enhances its gaming performance, though the ThinkPad Z16 holds its ground with a decent AMD GPU and potentially better overall display experience due to higher resolution and color accuracy.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and MSI Thin GF63 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,120
$1,150
$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 Thin GF63 costs $1,150.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the MSI Thin GF63 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | MSI Thin GF63 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,150 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i7-12650H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 393 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
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 Thin GF63
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Dig into reviews and images
Tom's Hardware
Charles Jeffries | November 2022
"The MSI GF63 Thin 11SC can be an admirable value for gamers and power users on a minimal budget. For just $599 as reviewed in its base model, its Intel Core i5 H-class processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics perform much better than low-wattage CPUs and integrated graphics. That said, this is a light-class gaming laptop. Low scores in our demanding gaming benchmarks indicate using lower visual-quality settings will be required for playable performance."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the MSI Thin GF63
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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