If you prioritize a balance between performance and portability with a strong ecosystem for creative work, the Apple MacBook Pro may suit you well, with the added benefit of longer battery life. However, if you need a laptop for more demanding tasks like high-end gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the MSI Stealth typically offers more powerful hardware and better cooling at the expense of being heavier and having shorter battery life, along with a higher price. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023)
Excellent overall display quality
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
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.0/10
8.9/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is good.
The MacBook Pro 14 features a high-quality screen and powerful GPU suitable for 3D work, but its lower screen refresh rate and limited gaming compatibility can be restrictive for avid gamers. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's superior refresh rate and robust GPU provide a smoother gaming experience and excellent 3D rendering capabilities, although it might not match the Mac's screen quality.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
9.1/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) is very good.
The MacBook Pro 14, with its optimized CPU and high-quality screen, excels in engineering tasks and offers a balance of performance and portability, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its superior CPU, RAM, and GPU, is tailored for heavy engineering workloads, offering top-notch screen fidelity though it is bulkier and less easily portable. The MacBook is known for its quieter operation and high-quality speakers and keyboard, which enhances the overall user experience for day-to-day tasks, whereas the MSI focuses more on raw performance, which may come at the cost of increased operating noise.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
8.4/10
14.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
489.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio for general use, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's screen excels in general use and engineering tasks because of its high resolution, luminance, and expansive color gamut coverage, ensuring sharp visuals, bright display, and color accuracy essential for detailed design work. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio also offers a clear and bright display with considerable color gamut coverage, making it suitable for general use and professional design applications. However, for 3D environments and gaming, where a fast refresh rate is crucial to avoid motion blur and provide smoother transitions, both laptops underperform, as their screens are optimized for color and resolution over high refresh rates.
Battery
13.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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
14.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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 Pro 14 (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
$1,700
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) has a price of $1,700 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers high-quality CPU performance, ample RAM, and exceptional screen quality in a highly portable design with long battery life, making it ideal for a wide array of general uses and on-the-go productivity. In contrast, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio provides top-tier CPU and RAM capabilities for demanding tasks, along with a premium screen, its larger size and potentially shorter battery life may make it better suited for stationary use or environments where power sources are readily available.
Content Creation
8.5/10
8.5/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
8.4/10
8.2/10
7.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2023) and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (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.
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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.
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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.
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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.