MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests

In depth comparison and review of MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) and Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF). 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.

MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

powerful intel processor

vibrant qhd+ display

sleek aluminum chassis

thunderbolt 4 support

high-quality audio output

relatively heavy design

short battery life

high price point

limited upgradeability

Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

robust metal design

crisp full HD display

backlit keyboard feature

adequate processing power

reasonable price point

average battery life

limited graphics performance

heavier than competitors

no USB-C port

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) and Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
85 % - Design
82 % - Display
86 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
75 % - Battery
75 % - Design
72 % - Display
72 % - Performance
73 % - Connectivity
65 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) vs. Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Product Type Notebook Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 35.9 cm x 25.6 cm x 1.68 cm 37.8 cm x 26 cm x 2.2 cm
Weight 2.2 kg 2.2 kg
Case Material - Metal
Colour Lunar grey Golden
DISPLAY MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Screen Size (Type) 16" 15.6" - IPS
LCD Backlight Technology LED backlight -
Screen Resolution 2560 x 1600 (QHD+) 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
V-Sync Rate at Max Res. 120 Hz -
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio 16:10 16:9
Image Brightness - 250 cd/m²
Colour Gamut 100% DCI-P3 -
Features MSI Matrix Display, Delta E<2 calibration, thin bezel design, CalMAN Verified, MSI True Color Technology 3.0 Anti-glare
PROCESSOR MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
CPU Intel Core i7 (11th Gen) 11800H / 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5 (8th Gen) 8550U / 1.8 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 4.6 GHz 4 GHz
Number of Cores 8-core Quad-Core
Cache 24 MB 8 MB
Chipset Intel HM570 -
Features Hyper-Threading Technology, Intel Smart Cache, Intel Speed Shift Technology, Intel Deep Learning Boost (DL Boost) Integrated memory controller
MEMORY MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
RAM 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) 8 GB (1 x 4 GB + 4 GB (soldered))
Max RAM Supported 64 GB 16 GB
RAM Type DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 SDRAM
Speed 3200 MHz 2133 MHz
Rated Speed 3200 MHz 2400 MHz
Form Factor SO-DIMM 260-pin SO-DIMM 260-pin
Slots Qty 2 1
Empty Slots 0 0
STORAGE MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 512 GB SSD M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 - NVM Express (NVMe) 2 TB HDD SATA 6Gb/s / 5400 rpm
Optical Drive - DVD±RW
AUDIO & VIDEO MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Multi-GPU Configuration - 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU
Graphics Processor (GPU) NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 NVIDIA GeForce MX150 / Intel UHD Graphics 620
Video Memory 6 GB GDDR6 SDRAM 4 GB GDDR5 SDRAM
Video System Features Max-Q design, Dynamic Boost -
Gaming Yes -
Camera Yes - 720p Yes - 720p
Resolution - 1 Megapixel
Camera Features IR camera Fixed focus
Frame Rate 30 frames per second -
Sound Four speakers, microphone Stereo speakers, dual array microphone
Compliant Standards - High Definition Audio, Dolby Audio
Audio Features Dynaudio Premium Sound Technology, Nahimic 3 sound technology Output: Harman audio technology
COMMUNICATIONS MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Wireless Bluetooth 5.2, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6E) 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1
Wireless Controller Killer Wi-Fi 6E AX1675 M.2 Card
Network Interface - Gigabit Ethernet
Features - Single stream (1x1)
BATTERY MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Technology 4-cell lithium polymer 2-cell lithium polymer
Battery Capacity (Size) 90 Wh 35 Wh
Battery Life - Up to 6 hours
AC ADAPTER MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Input - AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz)
Output 180 Watt 65 Watt
INPUT MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Type Keyboard, touchpad Keyboard, touchpad
Numeric Keypad - Yes
Keyboard Backlight Yes (RGB) Yes
Features Per-key RGB -
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Slots 2 x M.2 (PCI Express 4.0) (1 free) -
Interfaces Headphone/microphone combo jack
2 x USB-C (supports Thunderbolt 4, DisplayPort Alt Mode)
2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2
USB-C 3.0
2 x USB 3.0
HDMI
LAN
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Memory Card Reader Yes (microSD) 4 in 1 (SD Card, MultiMediaCard, SDHC Card, SDXC Card)
SOFTWARE MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Operating System (OS) Windows 10 Home Advanced Windows 10 Home 64-bit Edition - English
Software Included Norton Internet Security (60 days trial), SteelSeries Engine 3, Norton Studio (Metro UI), Microsoft Office 2016 (30 days trial), Nahimic Audio Enhancer 3, NVIDIA GeForce Experience, MSI True Color 3.0, MSI Battery Master -
MISCELLANEOUS MSI Creator Z16 (A11UE) Lenovo IdeaPad 520-15IKB (81BF)
Included Accessories Power adapter Power adapter
Security Fingerprint reader Fingerprint reader
Security Slot Type - Kensington mini security slot
Theft/Intrusion Protection - Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
Features SteelSeries gaming keyboard, MIL-STD-810G tested, Cooler Boost Trinity+ technology Administrator password, hard drive password, power-on password
Compliant Standards - RoHS
Manufacturer Warranty Limited warranty - 2 years Limited warranty - 1 year - pick-up and return
Model Number 204UK -
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