Choosing between the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio depends on your needs. If you prioritize a lightweight and quiet laptop, the MacBook Air with its fanless design is better. It's also great for general use, with a longer battery life and Apple's integrated M2 graphics chip for moderate tasks. The Stealth, on the other hand, is designed for more intensive work like 3D, machine learning, or gaming, thanks to its dedicated Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics. The Stealth offers a higher storage capacity and more RAM, which is essential for demanding software, but it is slightly heavier and may have a shorter battery life than the MacBook Air. 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 15 (2023)
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
7.8/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 with its Apple M2 integrated GPU is fair for 3D tasks because it offers decent graphics processing but falls short of the powerful discrete Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU found in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio which excels in gaming and 3D due to its higher graphics performance. Additionally, the fact that many popular games do not run on MacOS further limits the MacBook's suitability for gaming compared to the MSI Stealth, which runs Windows and supports a much broader range of games.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
8.5/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is good.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is rated higher for engineering and design because it has twice the RAM and a more powerful CPU and dedicated GPU than the Apple MacBook Air 15, which is essential for running demanding engineering applications and tasks. Meanwhile, the MacBook Air with its Apple M2 processor offers a balance of performance and efficiency with a fanless design for silent operation, a lighter weight for better portability, and a higher-resolution screen, making it well-suited for design work requiring accurate colors and detailed images.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) is very good for software development, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.8/10
7.6/10
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 14 Studio for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 offers excellent color accuracy and a high-resolution display, factors which enhance the visual experience, making it ideal for detailed design work and general usage. Its screen, however, doesn't prioritize high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth rendering in 3D applications. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio provides a good balance of resolution and color fidelity, suitable for both everyday tasks and engineering applications, but it may lack the optimal refresh rate required for the best gaming and 3D experiences.
Battery
15.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 5 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
Good
15.3in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.6/10
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,199
$1,699
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,199 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,699.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and MSI Stealth 14 Studio are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) excels in general use with its high-resolution screen, strong battery life, and lightweight design, making it highly portable, although it has less RAM and storage compared to the MSI Stealth 14 Studio. In contrast, the MSI laptop, with its more powerful CPU and additional RAM, better suits users who need more performance for multitasking and heavier workloads, but this comes with a compromise on battery life and portability.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.9/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air 15 is boringly good. The new MacBook Air 15 is a very good, but also boring device, because apart from the larger screen and the higher price, there are no differences compared to the smaller MacBook Air M2 from last year. No new processor, no additional ports, just the usual basic hardware - but the overall package is extremely good and it simply works. Above all, the lack of fans is an aspect that should not be underestimated in everyday use. In our opinion, the Air could be a lot better, but Apple goes easy on itself here."
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) or the MSI Stealth 14 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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