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Updated March 21, 2024·
When considering between the Apple MacBook Pro and the MSI Stealth, keep in mind that the MacBook often excels in user experience, build quality, and battery life, making it suitable for professionals who prioritize these aspects and use software optimized for macOS. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth is designed for high-end performance and gaming, offering powerful graphics and cooling systems which are ideal for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming but at the cost of battery life and portability. If your work demands Windows-specific applications or heavy graphical output, the MSI may be the better choice, despite its higher price and bulkier form. However, if you are looking for a balance between performance and ease of use with robust battery life, especially if you are invested in the Apple ecosystem, the MacBook Pro could serve your needs more effectively. 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 16 (2023)
- Excellent for general use
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Good portability
- Best in class 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
General Use
9.1
8.4
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for general use, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 excels in CPU performance, high-quality display, and battery life, making it a strong choice for users needing a balance of power and longevity in a sleek form, but its portability is compromised due to its size and weight. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 offers substantial RAM and screen quality for resource-intensive tasks, but it falls short in battery power and is less portable, positioning it as a desktop replacement more than a travel companion.
Gaming and AI
7.4
8.9
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
3456 x 2234
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 16 (2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 boasts a high-quality screen and efficient GPU suitable for 3D work but its screen refresh rate and limited gaming compatibility due to the macOS environment can be a downside for gamers. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's superior refresh rate and powerful GPU make it a gaming powerhouse, while its CPU and screen quality also aid in delivering an excellent 3D and gaming experience.
Content Creation
9.1
8.5
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is excellent for content creation, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very 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.
Software Development
8.9
8.2
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is somewhat better.
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
9.3
8.4
16.2in
SIZE
18.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 16 (2023) excels in screen quality for general use and engineering with a high-resolution, bright display and wide color gamut, offering crisp visuals and accurate colors, making it ideal for productivity and creative work. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, while also featuring a high-resolution, vibrant display, falls short for gaming and 3D tasks due to its lower refresh rate, which is less optimal for the fluid motion required in those applications. For users focused on general use and engineering design, either laptop offers a strong display, but for those emphasizing 3D work, the MacBook Pro's screen may not be as responsive as desired.
Battery
17.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 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
Good
Fair
16.2in
SIZE
18.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has 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
8.0
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (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
$2,423
$2,900
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) has a price of $2,423 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.8
9.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
5.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a high-quality display and a strong balance of CPU, GPU, and ample RAM for demanding engineering software, complemented by a quieter operating noise and a more portable design. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio sports even more powerful hardware specifications with top-tier CPU and GPU performance and greater RAM, which is ideal for the most intense engineering and 3D tasks, though it trades off some portability and might be noisier under heavy loads.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,423 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.8'' x 0.66'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.7 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.77" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M2 Pro (12C) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 17.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.6 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16.2" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3456 x 2234 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 487 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | February 2023
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
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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.
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