Choosing between the Gateway 11.6" and the MSI Stealth GS77 involves significant trade-offs in price, performance, and portability. The Gateway 11.6" is far less expensive and offers basic functionality for general computing tasks, with modest performance adequate for simple activities like web browsing, word processing, and video streaming. It's lightweight and easy to carry, making it suitable for on-the-go usage or students. However, the MSI Stealth GS77, despite its higher cost, delivers robust performance for more demanding tasks including 3D rendering, machine learning, gaming, and engineering software. It has a larger and higher resolution display, but its size and weight reduce portability. The MSI also features a powerful graphics card and a high-performance processor which bolster its capacity for intensive tasks. If budgetary constraints are a priority and your computing needs are basic, the Gateway could serve well, but if you require high-end performance for specialized applications and can afford the premium, the MSI Stealth GS77 is the superior option. 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 GS77
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
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 1440
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
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" laptop's weaker CPU, limited RAM, and low-resolution screen make it less suitable for general use compared to the MSI Stealth GS77, which boasts a more powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality display. Moreover, the MSI's superior battery life and portability despite its larger screen size significantly enhance its effectiveness for everyday tasks and mobile use.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
8.7/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has a basic Intel Celeron processor, minimal RAM, and an entry-level integrated GPU, making it poorly suited for demanding engineering and design applications that require robust computing power. In contrast, the MSI Stealth GS77, with its advanced Intel i7 processor, a substantial amount of RAM, and a high-end Nvidia graphics card, offers the high performance and superior screen quality necessary for such specialized tasks.
Content Creation
5.7/10
8.3/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS77 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
8.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 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
8.3/10
11.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS77 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
General use often prioritizes a clear, bright display, so the MSI Stealth GS77's higher resolution and brightness make it superior to the Gateway 11.6" which has a duller and less sharp screen. For engineering and design, accurate color representation is crucial; the MSI's better coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures that colors are rendered more precisely than on the Gateway. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Gateway's poor screen and the MSI's lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops limit their performance in depicting fast-moving visuals smoothly.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS77 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
17.3in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth GS77 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 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
$2,499
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the MSI Stealth GS77 costs $2,499.
"The MSI Stealth GS77 is better than the GS76... mostly. The GS77 is a few steps forward and a few steps back from the GS76. Improvements are numerous including the stronger and more rigid skeleton, higher resolution webcam, larger clickpad, easier serviceability, relatively similar battery runtimes, newer display options, and higher performance at about the same TDP and TGP levels as before. CPU performance is better than expected even when compared to other laptops with Core i7 or Core i9 processors. The newer model feels more substantial than the outgoing one for higher quality impressions as well."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 11.6" or the MSI Stealth GS77
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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