When selecting between the Apple MacBook Pro 13 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider that the MacBook Pro offers ease of use, strong build quality, and is ideal for everyday tasks and professional work that integrates well with other Apple devices. The MSI Stealth is better for demanding tasks such as 3D graphics, machine learning, and gaming, due to its powerful hardware, but you'll have to pay more and it's less portable. The MacBook may have a longer battery life, while the MSI offers high performance but could require more frequent charging. Choose based on whether you need advanced computing power or prioritize cost, portability, and battery life. 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 Pro 13 (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Best in class 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
7.7/10
8.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
20.0 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 Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13, with its efficient CPU and high RAM capacity, offers a smooth experience for day-to-day tasks, and its superior screen quality, long battery life, and lightweight design make it highly portable and ideal for general use. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, while it boasts an even more powerful CPU and more RAM for heavier applications, might be less convenient to carry around due to its larger size and typically shorter battery life, though it excels in performance-intensive tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
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 Pro 13 (2020) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) is limited in 3D tasks and gaming due to its less powerful graphics processing unit (GPU) and lower screen refresh rate, especially since many popular games are incompatible with macOS. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio excels in these areas because it features a more robust GPU and a higher refresh rate display, providing smoother visuals and better performance in gaming and 3D applications.
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 Pro 13 (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 equipped with a high-quality screen and a well-optimized operating system is suitable for engineering and design tasks, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers superior CPU, RAM, and GPU, which are crucial for more demanding engineering software and intensive design work. While the MacBook Pro is more portable and has a reputation for a quieter operating noise, excellent keyboard, and speakers, the MSI's greater power and larger, high-quality display are better suited for complex projects and multitasking despite its larger size and potentially louder noise.
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 Pro 13 (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.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
8.4/10
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Pro 13 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) boasts a high-resolution Retina display with bright, accurate colors, making it excellent for general use and detailed engineering tasks requiring precision in color representation. However, its screen's standard refresh rate limits the fluidity required for optimal 3D experiences. In contrast, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio also presents sharp visuals and a wide color gamut for both everyday and professional design work, its focus on high-fidelity colors over faster refresh rates similarly hampers its effectiveness for gaming and creating smooth 3D animations or models.
Battery
20.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 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
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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 Pro 13 (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
$1,249
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to be very good for software development, while the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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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