When choosing between the Apple MacBook Pro 13 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider that the MacBook Pro generally offers excellent build quality and battery life, making it ideal for everyday tasks and highly portable for on-the-go use. However, if your work involves demanding tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning or high-end gaming, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, despite being bulkier and having shorter battery life, offers superior performance and is often favored by professionals in these fields, albeit at a higher price point. 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 (2022)
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
497.0 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 (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 offers a fine balance of performance and portability with its high-quality screen and long battery life, suited for those requiring a machine that's easy to carry and lasts all day, although its storage and keyboard quality are less impressive. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a stronger CPU and more RAM, making it ideal for demanding tasks and multitasking, but is bulkier and has a shorter battery life, which could inhibit its portability and convenience for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
8.9/10
4.3/10
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 (2022) is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its high-performance GPU and rapid screen refresh rate, excels at gaming and 3D tasks, offering smooth visuals and fast response suitable for the most demanding games and 3D applications. In contrast, the Apple MacBook Pro 13, while delivering good screen quality and a competent CPU, can't compete in the same space due to its less powerful GPU and lower refresh rate, not to mention the limited gaming compatibility inherent with Mac systems.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
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 Pro 13 (2022) is good.
The MacBook Pro 13, with its professional-grade CPU and high-resolution screen, delivers a balance of performance and portability for engineering tasks, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's more powerful GPU and larger RAM capacity provide superior capabilities for demanding design and 3D applications but at the cost of being less portable. Although both have high-quality keyboards and screens, the MSI may have louder operating noise under heavy loads, whereas the MacBook often runs quieter, which is a consideration for work environments where noise is a concern.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.5/10
6.7/10
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 (2022) 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
497.0 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 boasts a high-resolution Retina display with bright, vibrant colors, making it excellent for general tasks and detail-oriented engineering and design work due to its wide color gamut coverage, but its standard refresh rate limits its appeal for 3D applications which require smoother visuals. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its emphasis on color accuracy and a similarly high-resolution display, is also fantastic for general use and professional design work, ensuring that colors are faithfully reproduced. However, its lack of a high refresh rate screen, which is crucial for the fluid motion in gaming and 3D rendering, makes it a less ideal option for these use cases.
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 (2022) 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 (2022) 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
$1,219
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2022) has a price of $1,219 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 (2022) 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 (2022) 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 (2022) 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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