Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) vs. MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests

In depth comparison and review of Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) and MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST). Compare sizes, performance, storage capacities, batteries and other important specifications and features to easily choose the right laptop for you. Our goal is to help you uncover differences between the products and find the laptop that will best fit your needs.

Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

powerful amd processor

high-resolution oled display

solid build quality

good battery life

efficient thermal management

heavier than competitors

expensive base model

limited port selection

noisy under load

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 Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) and MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
83 % - Design
85 % - Display
89 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
85 % - Battery
85 % - Design
92 % - Display
92 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
74 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) vs. MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Product Type Notebook Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 35.44 cm x 23.74 cm x 1.58 cm 38.2 cm x 26 cm x 1.9 cm
Weight 1.94 kg 2.49 kg
Case Material Aluminium (top), aluminium (bottom) -
Colour Black (bottom), arctic grey (top) Lunar grey
DISPLAY Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Screen Size (Type) 16" OLED 17"
Touchscreen Yes (10-point multi-touch) Yes
LCD Backlight Technology - LED backlight
Screen Resolution 3840 x 2400 (WQUXGA) 2560 x 1600 (QHD+)
V-Sync Rate at Max Res. - 165 Hz
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 16:10 16:10
Image Brightness 400 cd/m² -
Colour Gamut 100% DCI-P3 100% DCI-P3
Features Anti-reflective, One Glass Solution, anti-smudge, Low Blue Light technology, Dolby Vision, 92.3% screen-to-body ratio MSI True Colour Technology, Delta E<2 calibration, CalMAN Verified
PROCESSOR Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
CPU AMD Ryzen 9 Pro 6950H / 3.3 GHz Intel Core i9 (12th Gen) 12900H / 2.5 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 4.9 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 Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
RAM 32 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 Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 - TCG Opal Encryption 2, NVM Express (NVMe), Performance 2 TB SSD M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 - NVM Express (NVMe)
AUDIO & VIDEO Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Multi-GPU Configuration 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU
Graphics Processor (GPU) AMD Radeon RX 6500M / AMD Radeon 680M NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti / Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Max Monitors Supported 3 external monitor(s) -
Video Memory 4 GB GDDR6 SDRAM 16 GB GDDR6 SDRAM
Camera Yes - 1080p Yes - 1080p
Camera Features IR camera, Windows Hello, e-camera shutter -
Frame Rate - 30 frames per second
Sound Stereo speakers, dual array microphone Four speakers, microphone
Codec Realtek ALC3306 -
Compliant Standards High Definition Audio, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Voice -
Audio Features - Dynaudio Premium Sound Technology
COMMUNICATIONS Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Wireless Bluetooth 5.2, 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
Compliant Standards DASH -
Features Dual stream (2x2) -
WWAN
Generation 4G -
Technology LTE -
Controller Quectel EM05-G - M.2 Card -
BATTERY Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Technology Lithium polymer 4-cell
Battery Capacity (Size) 72 Wh 90 Wh
AC ADAPTER Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Input AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz) -
Output 135 Watt -
INPUT Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) 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, glass touchpad Per-key RGB
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Slots 1 x Nano-SIM card (1 free) -
Interfaces 3 x USB4 (supports DisplayPort 1.4a Alt Mode) (Power Delivery 3.0)
Headphone/microphone combo jack
2 x Thunderbolt 4
USB 3.2 Gen 2
HDMI
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Memory Card Reader Yes (SD Card, SDXC UHS-II Card) Yes (SD Card)
SOFTWARE Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Operating System (OS) Windows 11 Pro - English Windows 11 Pro
Software Included Glance by Mirametrix MSI Center Pro
MISCELLANEOUS Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) MSI Creator Z17 (A12UHST)
Included Accessories USB-C slim power adapter Power adapter
Security Discrete Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) Security Chip with Microsoft Pluton, fingerprint reader -
Security Slot Type Kensington nano security slot -
Theft/Intrusion Protection Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately) -
Features Administrator password, power-on password, RapidCharge, MIL-STD-810H tested, self-healing BIOS, NVMe password, USB FIDO (Fast Identity Online) device integration, pen upgradable, certificate based BIOS authentication MIL-STD-810G tested, Cooler Boost Trinity+ technology
Compliant Standards RoHS, TUV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification, 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 Base warranty - 3 years - pick-up and return
Base warranty - battery - 1 year
Extended warranty - 3 years - on-site
Limited warranty - 2 years
Model Number - 098UK
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