MSI Modern 15 (B12M) vs. Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)

Laptop Comparison, Reviews and Tests

In depth comparison and review of MSI Modern 15 (B12M) and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4). 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 Modern 15 (B12M) Review

Advantages and disadvantages of MSI Modern 15 (B12M) based on its technical characteristics, features, user experience, expert reviews and price level.

lightweight design

affordable price

solid build quality

decent battery life

good connectivity options

average display quality

moderate storage capacity

limited graphics performance

no thunderbolt support

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

Laptop Comparison and Tests

Difference between MSI Modern 15 (B12M) and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
85 % - Design
75 % - Display
72 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
76 % - Battery
83 % - Design
85 % - Display
89 % - Performance
85 % - Connectivity
85 % - Battery

Laptop Specifications Comparison

MSI Modern 15 (B12M) vs. Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4) Comparison Chart
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Product Type Notebook - 180-degree hinge design Notebook
Dimensions (WxDxH) 35.9 cm x 24.1 cm x 1.99 cm 35.44 cm x 23.74 cm x 1.58 cm
Weight 1.7 kg 1.94 kg
Case Material - Aluminium (top), aluminium (bottom)
Colour Classic black Black (bottom), arctic grey (top)
DISPLAY MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Screen Size (Type) 15.6" 16" OLED
Touchscreen - Yes (10-point multi-touch)
LCD Backlight Technology LED backlight -
Screen Resolution 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) 3840 x 2400 (WQUXGA)
V-Sync Rate at Max Res. 60 Hz -
Widescreen Yes Yes
Image Aspect Ratio - 16:10
Image Brightness - 400 cd/m²
Colour Gamut 45% NTSC 100% DCI-P3
Features Thin bezel design, IPS-level Anti-reflective, One Glass Solution, anti-smudge, Low Blue Light technology, Dolby Vision, 92.3% screen-to-body ratio
PROCESSOR MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
CPU Intel Core i7 (12th Gen) 1255U AMD Ryzen 9 Pro 6950H / 3.3 GHz
Max Turbo Speed 4.7 GHz 4.9 GHz
Number of Cores 10-core 8-core
Cache 12 MB L3 - 16 MB
Features Intel Smart Cache Integrated memory controller
MEMORY MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
RAM 8 GB (provided memory is soldered) 32 GB (provided memory is soldered)
RAM Type DDR4 SDRAM LPDDR5 SDRAM
Speed 3200 MHz 6400 MHz
Rated Speed - 6400 MHz
STORAGE MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Main Storage Size (HDD/SSD) 512 GB SSD M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 - NVM Express (NVMe) 1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 - TCG Opal Encryption 2, NVM Express (NVMe), Performance
AUDIO & VIDEO MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Multi-GPU Configuration - 1 single GPU card / integrated GPU
Graphics Processor (GPU) Intel Iris Xe Graphics AMD Radeon RX 6500M / AMD Radeon 680M
Max Monitors Supported - 3 external monitor(s)
Video Memory - 4 GB GDDR6 SDRAM
Camera Yes - 720p Yes - 1080p
Camera Features - IR camera, Windows Hello, e-camera shutter
Frame Rate 30 frames per second -
Sound Stereo speakers, microphone Stereo speakers, dual array microphone
Codec - Realtek ALC3306
Compliant Standards - High Definition Audio, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Voice
COMMUNICATIONS MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.2 Bluetooth 5.2, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6E)
Wireless Controller - Qualcomm NFA725A
Compliant Standards - DASH
Features Dual stream (2x2) Dual stream (2x2)
WWAN
Generation - 4G
Technology - LTE
Controller - Quectel EM05-G - M.2 Card
BATTERY MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Technology 3-cell Lithium polymer
Battery Capacity (Size) 39 Wh 72 Wh
AC ADAPTER MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Input - AC 100-240 V (50/60 Hz)
Output - 135 Watt
INPUT MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Type Keyboard, touchpad Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav
Keyboard Backlight Yes Yes
Features White LED backlight, 1.5mm travel distance Spill-resistant, multi-touch touchpad, Fn keys with Unified Communications controls, glass touchpad
CONNECTIONS & EXPANSIONS MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Slots - 1 x Nano-SIM card (1 free)
Interfaces USB 3.2 Gen 2
USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Power Delivery)
HDMI
2 x USB 2.0
Headphone/microphone combo jack
3 x USB4 (supports DisplayPort 1.4a Alt Mode) (Power Delivery 3.0)
Headphone/microphone combo jack
Memory Card Reader Yes (microSD) Yes (SD Card, SDXC UHS-II Card)
SOFTWARE MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Operating System (OS) Windows 11 Home Windows 11 Pro - English
Software Included MSI Center Pro Glance by Mirametrix
MISCELLANEOUS MSI Modern 15 (B12M) Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 Gen 1 (21D4)
Included Accessories Power adapter USB-C slim 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 MIL-STD-810G tested, ultra-slim 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
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 Limited warranty - 1 year Base warranty - 3 years - pick-up and return
Base warranty - battery - 1 year
Extended warranty - 3 years - on-site
Model Number 026UK -
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