Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs MSI Vector GP78 2023 Comparison

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11

14 inches | April 2023

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MSI Vector GP78 2023

17 inches | January 2023

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs MSI Vector GP78 2023 Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Vector GP78 2023, two laptops from Lenovo and MSI. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 was introduced to market in April 2023 and MSI Vector GP78 2023 was launched in January 2023. There is only 3 months difference between ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Vector GP78 2023 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and MSI Vector GP78 2023 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 Key Specs

Launched in April 2023
14.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 1335U
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)
16GB Ram
315.6 x 222.5 x 15.36 mm (12.43 x 8.76 x 0.6 inches)
Weight: 1.12 kg (2.47 lbs)

MSI Vector GP78 2023 Key Specs

Launched in January 2023
17.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i9 13980HX
GPU: GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB
16GB Ram
380 x 298 x 28.7 mm (14.96 x 11.73 x 1.13 inches)
Weight: 3.1 kg (6.84 lbs)

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 was replaced by lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-gen-12. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-gen-12 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-gen-12 vs MSI Vector GP78 2023

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Vector GP78 2023 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 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 over MSI Vector GP78 2023

Weight	1.12 kg vs 3.10 kg	1.98 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~80.9% vs ~74%	Larger screen area ratio
Screen Opening Angle	180° vs 140°	More flexible screen
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support
Number of Microphones	4 vs 2	Better Sound capture
Avg. MSRP Price	$2000-2400 vs $4000-4400	Lower Price (*may change depending on config, seller, location, and time)

Reasons to choose MSI Vector GP78 2023 over Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11

Side Bezel Thickness	6.9 mm vs 7.1 mm	0.2 mm thinner bezels
Display Size	17 inches vs 14 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	240 Hz vs 60 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen PPI	178 ppi vs 162 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels vs 1920 x 1200 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
DCI-P3 Color Gamut	100% vs 75.4%	Wider DCI-P3 Color Gamut
Max Brightness	500 nits vs 400 nits	Brighter Screen
Response Time	3 ms vs 54 ms	Faster Response screen
GPU Fabrication Process	4 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	17.2 TFLOPS vs 1.41 TFLOPS	Dedicated GPU unit
GPU Type	Dedicated vs Integrated	More RAM Options
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs No	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-C Ports	3x USB 4.0 vs 2x USB 4.0	Better HDMI connectivity
HDMI Version	2.1 vs 2.0	Option to use Display port to connect to external monitors
Display Port	Yes 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	Fast way to input numbers
Numeric Pad	Yes vs No

Common Strengths of MSI Vector GP78 2023 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11

Launch Dates	April 2023 vs January 2023	Both laptops are recent models
Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
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
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6E vs v6E	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.0 vs 1x HDMI 2.0	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
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 MSI Vector GP78 2023 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs MSI Vector GP78 2023: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and the MSI Vector GP78 2023.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.12 kg (2.47 lbs)	3.1 kg (6.84 lbs)
Surface Area	702 cm2 (108.9 inches2)	1132 cm2 (175.5 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~80.9%	~74%
Side Bezel Thickness	~7.1 mm	~6.9 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.08 kg/inch	0.18 kg/inch
	0.176 lbs/inch	0.396 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Black
Cover Opening Angle	180Â°	140Â°

Comparison of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and the MSI Vector GP78 2023 External Dimensions

Weight

ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 weighs 1.12 kg (2.47 lbs), whereas the Vector GP78 2023 weighs 3.1 kg (6.84 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

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 1.12 kg

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 1.42 kg

MSI Vector GP78 2023 3.10 kg

Avg: larger than 17.0" 2.74 kg

Thickness Comparison

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 15.36 mm

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 17.12 mm

MSI Vector GP78 2023 28.70 mm

Avg: larger than 17.0" 24.26 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 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is 0.08 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the MSI Vector GP78 2023 is 0.18 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

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs MSI Vector GP78 2023: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i5 1335U Intel Core i5 1340P Intel Core i5 1345U Intel Core i7 1355U Intel Core i7 1360P Intel Core i7 1365U Intel Core i7 1370P	Intel Core i9 13980HX
Base Frequency	1.3 GHz	2.2 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.6 GHz	5.6 GHz
Number of Cores	10	24
Number of Threads	12	32
L3 Cache	12 MB	36 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80EU)	Intel UHD Graphics (32EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1706	2103
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	7593	20352
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1726	2199
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	7438	31359

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 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and MSI Vector GP78 2023.

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

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 1335U

Laptops with: Intel Core i9 13980HX

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)	GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile 12GB GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile 16GB
Base Clock Frequency	300 MHz	1545 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1100 MHz	1890 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	15 W	115 W
Type	Integrated	Dedicated
FLOPS	1,408 GFLOPS	11.61 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	8 GB
Memory Type	System Shared	GDDR6
Memory Bus	System Shared	128 bit
Memory Speed	System Shared	2000 MHz 16 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	640	3072
TMUs	40	96
ROPs	20	48

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. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 has a FLOPS value of 1.41 TFLOPS whereas the MSI Vector GP78 2023 ' has a FLOPS value of 17.2 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI Vector GP78 2023 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	6400 MHz	5600 MHz
RAM Type	LPDDR5X	DDR5
Upgradable	No	Yes
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and the Vector GP78 2023, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

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	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11	MSI Vector GP78 (2023)
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✔ Good performance.	✔ Good performance.
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	57 Wh	99.9 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Ion
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	No	Yes
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left	Left, Right, Bottom
Charge Power	45 / 65 W	330 W
Full Charging Time	2:00 hr

On the other hand, the Vector GP78 2023 features a higher battery capacity of 100 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11's 57 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 57 Wh

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 55.79 Wh

MSI Vector GP78 2023 100 Wh

Avg: larger than 17.0" 76.88 Wh

STORAGE
Both laptops, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and the Vector GP78 2023 have similar max. storage capacities of 2 TB, allowing for ample space to store files and applications.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	2
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.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs MSI Vector GP78 2023: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and MSI Vector GP78 2023 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. ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 has a display size of 14.0".On the other hand, Vector GP78 2023 has a larger17.0" display.The total usable screen area of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is 568cm² / 88inch² whereas the Vector GP78 2023's total usable screen area is 838cm² / 130inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Vector GP78 2023 features a higher pixel density with 178 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 162 PPI

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 173 PPI

MSI Vector GP78 2023 178 PPI

Avg: larger than 17.0" 141 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Vector GP78 2023 offers a higher refresh rate of 240 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Furthermore, the Vector GP78 2023 boasts a faster response time of 3.0 ms, reducing motion blur for fast-paced content.

Brightness
The Vector GP78 2023 offers a higher maximum brightness of 500 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 400 nits

Avg: 14.0-14.9" 383 nits

MSI Vector GP78 2023 500 nits

Avg: larger than 17.0" 368 nits

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 vs MSI Vector GP78 2023 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both laptops offer the same Wi-Fi standard (v6E), ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

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 ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Vector GP78 2023 feature 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Vector GP78 2023 have USB Type-C ports. ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while Vector GP78 2023 has 3x 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 ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Vector GP78 2023 are equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports.

HDMI
Both ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Vector GP78 2023 feature an HDMI port. ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 offers 1x HDMI 2.0, while Vector GP78 2023 offers 1x HDMI 2.1.

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
Vector GP78 2023 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and Vector GP78 2023 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	v6E
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.3	v5.3
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	3x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.0	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	1x v1.4
VGA	No	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	No	Yes
SD CardReader	No	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	No	Yes