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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 21, 2024·
When deciding between the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, consider your primary use. The MSI offers superior performance for demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming at a higher cost. However, the ThinkBook is more budget-friendly, easier to carry around due to its smaller size and weight, and perfectly adequate for general use like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. The MSI will likely have a shorter battery life, given its more powerful hardware, while the ThinkBook will offer longer usage between charges, making it better for on-the-go work. 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 MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.8
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with a powerful CPU and ample RAM, handles demanding applications smoothly, while its high-quality screen enhances visual tasks, but it tends to be less portable and has shorter battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, although slightly less powerful, still performs well for general use, offers good portability with longer battery life, and maintains a balance of decent storage, keyboard, speakers, and effective heat management for comfortable daily use.
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.4
9.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its superior GPU and high screen refresh rate, offers outstanding graphics and smooth gameplay, making it an excellent choice for gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has modest GPU capabilities and a standard screen refresh rate, resulting in fair performance for gaming and less demanding 3D tasks, but it may be preferred for general use due to better cost efficiency.
Engineering and Design
9.1
7.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
9.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers higher CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, which are crucial for demanding engineering software and design tasks, along with superior screen quality for detailed visuals. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, while also competent in performance, trades off some power and display finesse for increased portability and more comfortable everyday use, with decent keyboard and speaker quality.
Content Creation
8.5
7.8
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
7.7
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
8.4
7.2
18.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's display offers clear and vibrant visuals with its high resolution and brightness, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s provides a slightly less sharp but still pleasing experience. In engineering and design tasks, the MSI's wide color gamuts ensure precise color representation which is critical in these fields, with the ThinkBook trailing due to its less extensive color coverage. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is key, the MSI's poorer refresh rate could lead to less fluid gameplay compared to screens designed with higher refresh rates, even though the Lenovo ThinkBook also falls short in this aspect.
Battery
6.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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.
Portability
Fair
Excellent
18.0in
SIZE
13.3in
6.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,900
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a price of $2,900 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.0
7.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to have very good build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,900 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2024 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | 11.7'' x 8.3'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.15 lbs | 2.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.75" | 11.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.4" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 18" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 336 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chin | July 2021
"The best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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.
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.
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