For general use and portability, the MacBook Air is lighter and often offers a longer battery life, which is great for everyday tasks on the go, and it seamlessly integrates with other Apple devices. However, if you require high performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, or engineering tasks, the MSI Stealth is a better fit despite its higher cost and likely shorter battery life; it usually has stronger graphics and processing power, which is essential for those applications, albeit with a tradeoff in weight and portability. 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)
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 overall display quality
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
8.4/10
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
501.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
10.0/10
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 15 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a balance of portability and performance with its efficient CPU, sufficient RAM, and high-quality screen, making it easy to carry and providing long battery life suitable for everyday tasks. The MSI Stealth, with its advanced CPU and ample RAM, is tailored for more demanding applications, offering a larger screen and robust heat management, but this comes at the cost of increased weight and reduced battery life compared to the MacBook Air.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
8.9/10
4.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2880 x 1864
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 15 (2023) is only fair.
The MacBook Air, while offering decent performance for casual 3D tasks, is limited by its GPU and software compatibility, making it unfit for high-end gaming that many popular PC games demand. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth boasts a superior GPU and a high screen refresh rate, essential for smooth gaming and advanced 3D work, while also supporting a vast library of games not playable on the MacBook.
Engineering and Design
7.6/10
9.1/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.3/10
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 15 (2023) is good.
The MacBook Air 15, known for its sleek design and capable CPU, is suitable for lighter engineering tasks, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio packs a more powerful CPU and GPU combo, along with extra RAM, making it superior for demanding applications like 3D modeling or machine learning. The MacBook Air 15 offers better portability and a higher-quality screen, but the MSI Stealth is the better option if you need top-tier performance and can compromise on size and weight.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.4/10
15.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
501.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air 15 for gaming and AI, and software development.
If you prioritize a vibrant, clear display for everyday tasks and professional design work, the MacBook Air's emphasis on panel quality, resolution, and brightness along with a wide color gamut makes it an excellent choice. Meanwhile, the MSI laptop, with similar attributes, also excels in these areas, offering a vivid and precise visual experience suited for detailed engineering and design projects. However, for 3D applications and gaming, where a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth motion, both laptops fall short, making them less ideal for those specific needs.
Battery
15.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air 15 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
15.3in
SIZE
18.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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 15 (2023) 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
$1,299
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) has a price of $1,299 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for content creation.
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
8.1/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1864
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) are both very good for software development.
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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) and the MSI Stealth 18 AI 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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air 15 (2023) 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,395
Recommendations made
22,403
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.