Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

robust build quality

excellent keyboard feel

impressive battery life

powerful processor options

good security features

heavier than competitors

average display brightness

noisy under load

expensive base model

MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

powerful i9 processor

high-resolution touchscreen

innovative stylus support

robust build quality

fast ssd storage

heavier than competitors

expensive price point

average battery life

limited port variety

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) and MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
85 % - Design
75 % - Display
84 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
85 % - Battery
85 % - Design
92 % - Display
92 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
74 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) vs. MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Product Type Notebook - 180-degree hinge design Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 31.77 cm x 22.69 cm x 1.79 cm 38.2 cm x 26 cm x 1.9 cm
Weight 1.21 kg 2.49 kg
Case Material Carbon fibre (top), glass-fibre (top), polycarbonate (top), polyphenylene sulfide (bottom) -
Colour Thunder black Lunar grey
DISPLAY Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Screen Size (Type) 14" - IPS 17"
Touchscreen - Yes
LCD Backlight Technology LED backlight LED backlight
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) 2560 x 1600 (QHD+)
V-Sync Rate at Max Res. - 165 Hz
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 16:10 16:10
Image Brightness 300 cd/m² -
Colour Gamut 45% NTSC 100% DCI-P3
Features Anti-glare, 170° viewing angle MSI True Colour Technology, Delta E<2 calibration, CalMAN Verified
PROCESSOR Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
CPU AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 6850U / 2.7 GHz Intel Core i9 (12th Gen) 12900H / 2.5 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 4.7 GHz 5 GHz
Number of Cores 8-core 14-core
Cache L3 - 16 MB 24 MB
Features Integrated memory controller Hyper-Threading Technology, Intel Smart Cache, Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0, Intel Deep Learning Boost (DL Boost)
MEMORY Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
RAM 16 GB (provided memory is soldered) 32 GB
RAM Type LPDDR5 SDRAM DDR5 SDRAM
Speed 6400 MHz 4800 MHz
Rated Speed 6400 MHz 4800 MHz
Form Factor - SO-DIMM 262-pin
STORAGE Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 512 GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 - TCG Opal Encryption, Performance - Kioxia 2 TB SSD M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 - NVM Express (NVMe)
AUDIO & VIDEO Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Multi-GPU Configuration - 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU
Graphics Processor (GPU) AMD Radeon 680M NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti / Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Max Monitors Supported 3 external monitor(s) -
Video Memory - 16 GB GDDR6 SDRAM
Camera Yes - 720p Yes - 1080p
Camera Features Privacy shutter, fixed focus -
Frame Rate - 30 frames per second
Sound Stereo speakers, dual array microphone Four speakers, microphone
Codec Realtek ALC3287 -
Compliant Standards High Definition Audio, Dolby Audio, Dolby Voice -
Audio Features - Dynaudio Premium Sound Technology
COMMUNICATIONS Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Wireless Bluetooth 5.1, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6E) Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6E)
Wireless Controller Qualcomm NFA725A Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675
Network Interface Gigabit Ethernet -
Features Dual stream (2x2) -
BATTERY Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Technology 3-cell lithium polymer 4-cell
Battery Capacity (Size) 39.3 Wh 90 Wh
AC ADAPTER Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Input AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz) -
Output 65 Watt -
INPUT Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Type Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav Keyboard, touchpad
Numeric Keypad - Yes
Keyboard Backlight Yes Yes (RGB)
Features Spill-resistant, multi-touch touchpad, Fn keys with Unified Communications controls Per-key RGB
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Interfaces USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Always On)
USB 3.2 Gen 1
2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (supports DisplayPort 1.4a Alt Mode) (Power Delivery 3.0)
HDMI
LAN
Headphone/microphone combo jack
2 x Thunderbolt 4
USB 3.2 Gen 2
HDMI
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Memory Card Reader - Yes (SD Card)
SOFTWARE Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Operating System (OS) Windows 10 Pro 64-bit Edition (available through downgrade rights from Windows 11 Pro) + Windows 11 Pro Licence Windows 11 Pro
Software Included - MSI Center Pro
MISCELLANEOUS Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 (21CG) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Included Accessories USB-C slim power adapter Power adapter
Security Discrete Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip, fingerprint reader -
Security Slot Type Kensington nano security slot -
Theft/Intrusion Protection Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately) -
Features Administrator password, system password, power-on password, RapidCharge, MIL-STD-810H tested, self-healing BIOS, NVMe password, USB FIDO (Fast Identity Online) device integration, certificate based BIOS authentication MIL-STD-810G tested, Cooler Boost Trinity+ technology
Compliant Standards RoHS, Energy-Related Products (ErP) Lot 3, TCG Certified -
ENERGY STAR Certified Yes -
EPEAT Compliant EPEAT Gold -
Max Operating Temperature 35 °C -
Min Operating Temperature 5 °C -
Humidity Range Operating 8 - 95% -
Manufacturer Warranty - Limited warranty - 2 years
Model Number - 098UK
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