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Updated March 21, 2024·
When deciding between the MSI Titan 18 HX and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, consider that the Titan is high-end, ideal for demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning; it offers superior performance but is less portable due to its size and weight, with potentially shorter battery life. The ThinkBook is more budget-friendly, portable, with longer battery life, and suited for everyday tasks and light engineering work. If top performance for complex applications is a priority, and the higher cost is acceptable, go for the MSI. For general use, balancing price and mobility, the Lenovo is a better choice. 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 Titan 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
Key differences
General Use
8.8
7.8
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
401.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
4.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
5.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
The MSI Titan 18 HX, with its high-performance CPU and ample RAM, offers a seamless experience for demanding applications, but its size and shorter battery life might limit its portability. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, while still delivering a solid performance for everyday tasks, offers better portability and longer battery life, making it a versatile choice for users on-the-go.
Gaming and AI
9.4
6.4
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is only fair.
The MSI Titan 18 HX, with its top-tier GPU and high screen refresh rate, delivers a seamless gaming and 3D rendering experience, outpacing the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, which has a modest GPU and lower refresh rate, resulting in less fluid graphics and performance. While both laptops have capable CPUs and good screen quality, these factors are secondary to the GPU and refresh rate when considering the overall gaming and 3D capabilities.
Engineering and Design
9.9
7.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
9.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
128.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
The MSI Titan 18 HX, with a more robust CPU, greater RAM, and a powerful GPU, is better equipped for demanding engineering applications and offers superior screen quality for detailed design work. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, while capable for engineering tasks, offers increased portability and a balance of performance, but compromises slightly on the raw power and screen quality compared to the MSI.
Content Creation
9.0
7.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
128.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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
8.9
7.7
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
128.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
9.2
7.2
18.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
401.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering the MSI Titan 18 HX for general use and engineering, its high resolution and strong color accuracy cover the necessary gamuts, ensuring crisp visuals and vibrant, true-to-life colors, which are key for detailed design work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion is crucial for an immersive experience. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s, while offering a decent resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks and some professional use, falls short in the gaming and 3D realms due to its lack of a high refresh rate and less coverage of professional color spaces.
Battery
4.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
Excellent
18.0in
SIZE
13.3in
7.9 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has excellent portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.6
The MSI Titan 18 HX has 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.
Cost
$4,800
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a price of $4,800 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
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How the MSI Titan 18 HX and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Titan 18 HX | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$4,800 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2024 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | 11.7'' x 8.3'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.93 lbs | 2.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.9" | 11.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.08" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-14900HX | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 128 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 4 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 4096 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 18" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 401 nits | 336 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.1/10 | 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 | 3 | 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
MSI Titan 18 HX
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | January 2024
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
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 Titan 18 HX 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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