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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
When deciding between the Apple MacBook Pro and the MSI Stealth, consider how you'll use the laptop. The MacBook Pro offers an excellent ecosystem for those who prefer Apple products, with robust build quality and good battery life, making it ideal for professionals in design or multimedia work. The MSI Stealth, however, might be better for heavy gaming or engineering tasks requiring top-notch graphics and processing power. It's less portable due to its size and weight and typically has a shorter battery life. If you prioritize performance over portability and are comfortable with the higher price, the MSI is a strong choice. 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 (Late 2023)
- 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
Gaming and AI
7.5
8.9
6.2/10
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 (Late 2023) is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a high-quality GPU and screen, making it suitable for 3D work, but its lower screen refresh rate and the fact that many games aren't compatible with macOS could be limiting for gamers. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, boasts a superior GPU and screen refresh rate that excel in gaming and 3D tasks, complemented by a strong CPU and screen quality, offering an excellent experience for those focused on gaming performance.
Software Development
8.9
8.2
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
18.0 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 (Late 2023) and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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 Apple MacBook Pro 16's display with its high resolution, brightness, and broad color gamut delivers stunning visuals and accurate colors, making it ideal for general use and professional tasks like engineering and design work. However, its lower refresh rate compared to gaming-oriented laptops means it's less suited for high-frame-rate 3D applications. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio also offers a high-quality display with sharp resolution and a range of colors appealing to general users and engineers, but like the MacBook, its display isn't optimized for gaming or 3D work that benefits from higher refresh rates.
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 (Late 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 (Late 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
$3,099
$2,900
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a price of $3,099 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.8
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 (Late 2023) and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro offers a high-quality CPU and screen, along with excellent battery life and a balance between performance and portability, making it ideal for general use; the MSI Stealth, while also providing a powerful CPU and high RAM, leans towards users needing top-tier screen quality and performance for tasks like 3D work or gaming, though at the expense of being less portable and having shorter battery life. Both laptops have ample storage, comfortable keyboards, quality speakers, and manage heat and operating noise well, but prioritize different aspects of user experience based on the intended use.
Engineering and Design
8.9
9.1
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
18.0 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 (Late 2023) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a powerful CPU and GPU, along with a high-quality screen and sufficient RAM, making it suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks; however, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers even more robust hardware specifications, leading to superior performance for the same applications. While the MacBook Pro is known for its polished design and user experience, including a high-quality keyboard and lower operating noise, the MSI model provides the added benefit of a top-tier GPU and more RAM, which is essential for the most intensive engineering simulations and 3D design work, but it may be less portable and have a louder operating noise.
Content Creation
8.9
8.5
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
18.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,099 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 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 M3 Pro (12C) | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 18 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 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 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 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.
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