MSI Thin 15 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 Comparison

Laptop to replace

Change

MSI Thin 15

15.6 inches | January 2024

CHECK PRICE

Change

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2

13 inches | April 2022

CHECK PRICE

MSI Thin 15 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 Comparison Overview

MSI Thin 15

See at AMAZON

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 N...

See at AMAZON

MSI Thin 15

See at AMAZON

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 N...

See at AMAZON

In this review, we will be comparing Thin 15 and ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2, two laptops from MSI and Lenovo. MSI Thin 15 was introduced to market in January 2024 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 was launched in April 2022. There is 21 months difference between Thin 15 and ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 so it would still give an advantage to younger Thin 15.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI Thin 15 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI Thin 15 Key Specs

Launched in January 2024
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 13420H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 6GB
8GB Ram
359 x 254 x 21.7 mm (14.13 x 10 x 0.85 inches)
Weight: 1.86 kg (4.1 lbs)

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 Key Specs

Launched in April 2022
13.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 1240P
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)
8GB Ram
293.2 x 208.1 x 14.77 mm (11.54 x 8.19 x 0.58 inches)
Weight: 0.97 kg (2.14 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Thin 15 and ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 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 Thin 15 over Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2

Display Size	15.6 inches vs 13 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	144 Hz vs 60 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen Type	Matte vs Glossy	potentially less reflections on screen
GPU Fabrication Process	8 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	5.5 TFLOPS vs 1.41 TFLOPS	Dedicated GPU unit
GPU Type	Dedicated vs Integrated	More RAM Options
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs No	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.3 vs v5.2	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

Reasons to choose Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 over MSI Thin 15

Weight	0.97 kg vs 1.86 kg	0.89 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~80.3% vs ~73.6%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	6.6 mm vs 6.8 mm	0.2 mm thinner bezels
Screen PPI	196 ppi vs 141 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2160 x 1350 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs No	Charges via USB-C type cable
RAM Type	LPDDR5 vs DDR4	Faster RAM Type
RAM BUS	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs 1x PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x), 1x 2.5" SATA HDD	Faster RAM
Dolby Atmos Speakers	Yes vs No	3D Surround Sound Support
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes vs No	Easy login with fingerprint
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Camera
Number of USB-C Ports	2x USB 4.0 vs 1x USB 3.2	Connect more device at the same time
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Faster USB-C connection
Thunderbolt	v4 vs No	Support audio, data, power and video all through one single port

Common Strengths of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 and MSI Thin 15

Launch Dates	January 2024 vs April 2022	Both laptops are recent models
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
RAM Type	1x PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x), 1x 2.5" SATA HDD 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 v6E	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
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 ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 and MSI Thin 15

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability

MSI Thin 15 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI Thin 15 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.86 kg (4.1 lbs)	0.97 kg (2.14 lbs)
Surface Area	912 cm2 (141.3 inches2)	610 cm2 (94.5 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~73.6%	~80.3%
Side Bezel Thickness	~6.8 mm	~6.6 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.12 kg/inch	0.07 kg/inch
	0.264 lbs/inch	0.154 lbs/inch
Colors	Gray	Black
Cover Opening Angle	180Â°	180Â°

Comparison of the MSI Thin 15 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 External Dimensions

Weight

Thin 15 weighs 1.86 kg (4.1 lbs), whereas the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 weighs 0.97 kg (2.14 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 Thin 15 1.86 kg

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 1.95 kg

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 0.97 kg

Avg: 13.0-13.9" 1.22 kg

Thickness Comparison

MSI Thin 15 21.70 mm

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 20.17 mm

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 14.80 mm

Avg: 13.0-13.9" 15.38 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 Thin 15 is 0.12 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is 0.07 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
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 15 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

MSI Thin 15 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i5 13420H Intel Core i7 13620H	Intel Core i5 1240P Intel Core i7 1260P Intel Core i7 1280P
Base Frequency	2.1 GHz	1.7 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.6 GHz	4.4 GHz
Number of Cores	8 (4P + 4E)	12
Number of Threads	12	16
L3 Cache	12 MB	12 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics (48EU)	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1702	1593
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	10952	7956
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1724	1516
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	12820	9305

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 Thin 15 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2.

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

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 13420H

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 1240P

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile 6GB	Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)
Base Clock Frequency	1065 MHz	300 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1343 MHz	1100 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	45 W	15 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes, Advanced Optimus
Type	Dedicated	Integrated
FLOPS	5.5 TFLOPS	1,408 GFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	System Shared
Memory Type	GDDR6	System Shared
Memory Bus	128 bit	System Shared
Memory Speed	12 Gbps	System Shared
Shading Units Cores	2048	640
TMUs	64	40
ROPs	40	20

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 Thin 15 has a FLOPS value of 5.5 TFLOPS whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 ' has a FLOPS value of 1.41 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI Thin 15 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB 32GB 64GB	8GB 16GB 32GB
Memory Bus	1x8 GB	2x4 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	5200 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	LPDDR5
Upgradable	Yes	No
Max RAM Size	64 GB
Total Slots	2
Memory Bus	1x PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x), 1x 2.5" SATA HDD	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the Thin 15 and the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2, come with similar RAM capacities of 8 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	MSI Thin 15	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
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	52.4 Wh	49.6 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	No
USB Power Delivery	No	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left	Left
Charge Power	120 W	65 W

Moreover, the Thin 15 boasts a larger battery capacity of 52 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2's50 Wh.

Battery Comparison

MSI Thin 15 52 Wh

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 62.1 Wh

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 50 Wh

Avg: 13.0-13.9" 53.1 Wh

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 2 TB, the Thin 15 provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2's max. storage capacity of 1 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	1
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 Thin 15 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI Thin 15 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 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. Thin 15 has a display size of 15.6".On the other hand, ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 has a smaller 13.0" display.The total usable screen area of the Thin 15 is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2's total usable screen area is 490cm² / 76inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 features a higher pixel density with 196 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

MSI Thin 15 141 PPI

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 144 PPI

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 196 PPI

Avg: 13.0-13.9" 186 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Thin 15 offers a higher refresh rate of 144 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

MSI Thin 15 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 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
Thin 15 is equipped with 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports. ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 does not have USB-A ports.
Both Thin 15 and ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 have USB Type-C ports. Thin 15 has 1x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports, while ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 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
ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is equipped with Thunderbolt 4 port. Thin 15 does not have Thunderbolt port.

HDMI
Thin 15 features an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors. ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 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
Neither Thin 15 nor ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 has an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both Thin 15 and ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 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	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	No
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	1x USB 3.2	2x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	No	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	No
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	Yes
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	No
SD CardReader	No	No
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	No