If you're looking for an affordable option for simple tasks like browsing the web and using office applications, the Gateway 11.6" is a cost-effective choice that is also lightweight and easy to carry around; however, its performance for more demanding tasks is limited. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is designed for power users, offering much higher performance suited for 3D work, machine learning, gaming, or engineering software, but it comes at a higher price and is less portable due to its size and potentially shorter 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 Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
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
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
8.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" with a less powerful CPU and minimal RAM struggles with multitasking and may have a lower-quality screen, which is less ideal for general use, whereas the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers a robust CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality display, ensuring a smooth and visually pleasing experience. Additionally, the Gateway's advantages in portability and potentially longer battery life are overshadowed by the MSI's superior performance, making the MSI Stealth more suitable for demanding tasks despite its larger size and possibly shorter battery time.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
8.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" laptop, with its modest GPU and lower screen refresh rate, doesn't match the performance needed for the high demands of gaming and 3D applications, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, designed with a high-end GPU and superior screen refresh rate, excels at these tasks. Additionally, the MSI has a more powerful CPU and better screen quality, further enhancing its suitability for gaming and 3D work.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
9.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" likely falls short in CPU, RAM, and GPU capabilities, making it inadequate for demanding engineering tasks, while also having a smaller screen that could hinder the detailed work of design applications. Conversely, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio excels with powerful processing, ample memory, high-end graphics, and superior screen quality, although it may be less portable and noisier under load compared to the more compact Gateway.
Content Creation
5.7/10
8.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
8.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
8.4/10
11.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 11.6" likely has a lower resolution and dimmer display, making it less ideal for all-around use where sharpness and visibility are key. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio probably boasts high resolution and color accuracy, vital for detailed engineering and design work, but falls short for gaming due to a lower refresh rate which is crucial for smooth motion in fast-paced 3D environments. Hence, while the MSI excels in professional applications requiring color precision, it may not satisfy gamers who prioritize fluid motion and response times.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 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
Excellent
Fair
11.6in
SIZE
18.0in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
How the Gateway 11.6" and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
Gateway 11.6"
MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
GENERAL
Price
Price
$89
$2,900
Release Date
Release Date
August 1, 2021
March 1, 2024
Overall Dimensions
Overall Dimensions
11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7''
15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94''
Weight
Weight
2.6 lbs
6.15 lbs
Width
Width
11"
15.75"
Depth
Depth
7.5"
11.4"
INTERNAL
Processor
Processor
Intel Celeron N4020
Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
RAM
RAM
4 GB
32 GB
DDR Memory Version
DDR Memory Version
4
5
RAM Slots
RAM Slots
0
2
Storage
Storage
64 GB
1024 GB
Storage Slots
Storage Slots
1
2
Graphics
Graphics
UHD Graphics 600
RTX 4080 (150 W)
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus
No
Yes
GPU Type
GPU Type
Dedicated
GPU Memory (VRAM)
GPU Memory (VRAM)
12 GB
Supports DLSS
Supports DLSS
No
Yes
Supports Ray Tracing
Supports Ray Tracing
No
Yes
BATTERY
Battery Life
Battery Life
8 Hours
6 Hours
Battery Capacity
Battery Capacity
Unknown
99.9 Wh
SCREEN
Diagonal Size
Diagonal Size
11.6"
18"
Display Technology
Display Technology
IPS
IPS
Resolution
Resolution
1366 x 768
2560 x 1600
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
60Hz
240Hz
Display Brightness
Display Brightness
200 nits
305 nits
Screen Aspect Ratio
Screen Aspect Ratio
16:9
16:10
Pixel Density
Pixel Density
135.09 PPI
167.72 PPI
Contrast
Contrast
Unknown
985: 1
Display Response Time
Display Response Time
Unknown
17.6 ms
DCI-P3
DCI-P3
35 %
96 %
sRGB
sRGB
50 %
100 %
Adobe RGB
Adobe RGB
35 %
86 %
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS
Build Quality Score
Build Quality Score
5.1/10
8/10
Portability Score
Portability Score
9.2/10
6/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
Gaming Laptop Appearance
No
Yes
Premium Business Laptop
Premium Business Laptop
No
No
Fan Noise Score
Fan Noise Score
7/10
7.5/10
Facial Recognition
Facial Recognition
No
No
Upper Side Temp (Max)
Upper Side Temp (Max)
Lower Side Temp (Max)
Lower Side Temp (Max)
Palm Rest Temp (Max)
Palm Rest Temp (Max)
Keyboard Lighting Color
Keyboard Lighting Color
N/A
RGB
Warranty Period
Warranty Period
1 year
1 year
HARDWARE FEATURES
Keyboard Quality Score
Keyboard Quality Score
5.3/10
8.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
Speaker Quality Score
6/10
8/10
Webcam
Webcam
720p
1080p
Fingerprint Reader
Fingerprint Reader
No
Yes
Backlit Keyboard
Backlit Keyboard
No
Yes
Number Pad
Number Pad
No
Yes
CONNECTIVITY
USB Type-A
USB Type-A
2
2
USB-C ports
USB-C ports
0
2
USB-C Charging
USB-C Charging
No
Yes
Display Outputs
Display Outputs
1
3
Thunderbolt Version
Thunderbolt Version
N/A
4
Thunderbolt Ports
Thunderbolt Ports
0
1
DisplayPorts
DisplayPorts
0
0
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
1
1
Ethernet
Ethernet
No
Yes
Bluetooth Version
Bluetooth Version
4
5.4
WiFi Version
WiFi Version
5
7
Get a great deal on the Gateway 11.6" or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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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