MSI Creator 15 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch Comparison

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MSI Creator 15

15.6 inches | January 2021

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch

14 inches | January 2021

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MSI Creator 15 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch Comparison Overview

MSI Creator 15

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim...

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MSI Creator 15

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim...

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In this review, we will be comparing Creator 15 and IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch, two laptops from MSI and Lenovo. MSI Creator 15 was introduced to market in January 2021 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch was launched in January 2021. Both Creator 15 and IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch were launched within the same month so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and available technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI Creator 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI Creator 15 Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 10750H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
358 x 248 x 19.8 mm (14.09 x 9.76 x 0.78 inches)
Weight: 2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
14.0" Touchscreen - IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 11370H
GPU: GeForce MX450 2GB
8GB Ram
312.4 x 221.4 x 14.6-16.9 mm (12.3 x 8.72 x 0.57-0.67 inches)
Weight: 1.3 kg (2.87 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Creator 15 and IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose MSI Creator 15 over Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch

Display Size	15.6 inches vs 14 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Screen Type	Matte vs Glossy	potentially less reflections on screen
Max Brightness	475 nits vs 300 nits	Brighter Screen
GPU Fabrication Process	8 nm vs 12 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	12 TFLOPS vs 2.822 TFLOPS	More RAM Options
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs No	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.2 vs v5.1	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-A Ports	3x USB 3.2 vs 1x USB 3.2	Connect to external monitors directly via HDMI cable
HDMI Port	1x HDMI 2.1 vs No	Connects to the local network via Ethernet RJ45
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No

Reasons to choose Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch over MSI Creator 15

Weight	1.30 kg vs 2.10 kg	0.8 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~82.2% vs ~75.6%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	5.4 mm vs 6.3 mm	0.9 mm thinner bezels
Screen PPI	189 ppi vs 141 ppi	More pixels per inch
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Interact with your fingers
Screen Resolution	2240 x 1400 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm vs 14 nm	Newer Generation CPU
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Faster USB-C connection

Common Strengths of Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch and MSI Creator 15

Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6E vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Bluetooth Standard	v5.2 vs v5.1	Fast and Reliable Bluetooth Connections
Thunderbolt Port	v3 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch and MSI Creator 15

Fingerprint Sensor	No vs No	No fingerprint login feature

MSI Creator 15 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI Creator 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)	1.3 kg (2.87 lbs)
Surface Area	888 cm2 (137.5 inches2)	692 cm2 (107.3 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~75.6%	~82.2%
Side Bezel Thickness	~6.3 mm	~5.4 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.13 kg/inch	0.09 kg/inch
	0.286 lbs/inch	0.198 lbs/inch
Colors	Gray	Silver, Gray
Cover Opening Angle	180Â°	180Â°

Comparison of the MSI Creator 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch External Dimensions

Weight

Creator 15 weighs 2.1 kg (4.63 lbs), whereas the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch weighs 1.3 kg (2.87 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

MSI Creator 15 2.10 kg

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 1.95 kg

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch 1.30 kg

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 1.42 kg

Thickness Comparison

MSI Creator 15 19.80 mm

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 20.17 mm

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch 14.60 mm

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 17.12 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the MSI Creator 15 is 0.13 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch is 0.09 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

MSI Creator 15 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i7 10750H Intel Core i7 10870H Intel Core i7 10875H Intel Core i7 11370H Intel Core i7 11375H	Intel Core i7 11370H
Base Frequency	2.6 GHz	3.0-3.3 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5 GHz	4.8 GHz
Number of Cores	6	4
Number of Threads	12	8
L3 Cache	12 MB	12 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 630	Intel Iris Xe Graphics 96
CPU Fabrication Process	14 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1188	1579
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	5917	5197
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1183	1531
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	7338	5743

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the MSI Creator 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 10750H

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 11370H

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 16GB	GeForce MX450 2GB
Base Clock Frequency	900 MHz	1395 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1425 MHz	1575 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	80 W	31 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS	2.822 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	192 bit	64 bit
Memory Speed	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective	1250 MHz 10 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	3840	896
TMUs	120	56
ROPs	48	32

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. MSI Creator 15 has a FLOPS value of 12 TFLOPS whereas the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch ' has a FLOPS value of 2.822 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	8GB 16GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x4 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	4266 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	LPDDR4X
Upgradable	Yes	No
Max RAM Size	64 GB
Total Slots	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

With a larger RAM capacity of 16 GB, the Creator 15 offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch's RAM capacity of 8 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	MSI Creator 15	Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel (14”)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✖ Not supported.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	99.9 Wh	61 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	No
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Bottom	Left
Charge Power	150 / 180 / 230 W	65 W

Moreover, the Creator 15 boasts a larger battery capacity of 100 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch's61 Wh.

Battery Comparison

MSI Creator 15 100 Wh

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 62.1 Wh

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch 61 Wh

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 55.79 Wh

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 2 TB, the Creator 15 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch's max. storage capacity of 1 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

MSI Creator 15 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI Creator 15 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Creator 15 has a display size of 15.6".On the other hand, IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch has a smaller 14.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Creator 15 is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch's total usable screen area is 568cm² / 88inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch features a higher pixel density with 189 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

MSI Creator 15 141 PPI

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 144 PPI

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch 189 PPI

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 173 PPI

Refresh Rate
Both Creator 15 and IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch offer the same refresh rate of 60 Hz.

Brightness
The Creator 15 offers a higher maximum brightness of 475 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

MSI Creator 15 475 nits

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 319 nits

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch 300 nits

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 383 nits

MSI Creator 15 vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Creator 15 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v6E, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch (v6).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both Creator 15 and IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch have USB-A ports. Creator 15 has 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch has 1x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Creator 15 and IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch have USB Type-C ports. Creator 15 has 2x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports, while IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Both Creator 15 and IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch feature Thunderbolt ports. Creator 15 has Thunderbolt 3, while IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch has Thunderbolt 4.

HDMI
Creator 15 features an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors. IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch does not have an HDMI port.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Creator 15 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Creator 15 and IdeaPad Slim 7i Pro Intel 14-inch are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.1
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	1x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 3	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	No
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	No
SD CardReader	Yes	No
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	No