The Apple MacBook Air is more affordable, offering a lightweight design and long battery life, making it well-suited for general use and on-the-go tasks. Conversely, the MSI Stealth boasts higher performance suited for demanding applications like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, but it comes at a higher cost and is less portable due to its size and reduced battery life. Consider the Apple MacBook Air if you prioritize portability and value, or the MSI if performance in intensive tasks is your top need. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air is known for its strong blend of portability and performance with a high-quality screen, long battery life, and silent operation, making it ideal for everyday tasks and on-the-go use. In contrast, the MSI Stealth offers robust CPU and RAM for more demanding applications, superior screen quality for detailed visuals, but its added power comes with reduced portability and typically shorter battery life, positioning it better for power users like graphic designers or video editors who prioritize performance.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
8.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
The MacBook Air, with its limited graphical processing power and a standard screen refresh rate, isn't built for the high demands of 3D rendering and gaming, and many games are incompatible with MacOS. In contrast, the MSI Stealth has a more powerful GPU and higher refresh rate screen, which are crucial for smooth gaming and 3D applications, making it highly suitable for those purposes.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
9.1/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The MacBook Air is equipped with a capable CPU and high-quality screen, but the MSI Stealth stands out in engineering and design tasks with a more powerful CPU, beefier GPU, and additional RAM, ensuring smoother performance in demanding software. While the MacBook Air wins on portability and has a reputation for quiet operation and a quality keyboard, the MSI's superior specs may justify its increased size and potential for louder operating noise for those who need the utmost performance for complex tasks.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7/10
8.2/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
7.5/10
8.4/10
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
When considering general use, the Apple MacBook Air's high-resolution display and impressive brightness make it excellent for everyday tasks, while the MSI Stealth's equally high resolution and brightness offer a similarly great visual experience. For engineering and design, both laptops have screens that cover a wide range of color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation crucial for professional design work. However, for 3D applications like gaming, where refresh rate is vital, both laptops may not be ideal as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over the higher refresh rates that provide smoother motion and gameplay.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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