The Gateway 14.1" is affordable and more portable, with lower performance suited for basic tasks like web browsing and document editing. The MSI Creator Z16P is much pricier but offers powerful performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming. Its screen supports touch and has better color accuracy and resolution, beneficial for design and video editing. The MSI's battery won't last as long, but its build and hardware accommodate demanding software and multitasking. If price is a concern and you use a laptop for simple tasks, choose Gateway. But if you need high performance and can invest more, go for MSI. 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 14.1"
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
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
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" has a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and a lower quality screen than the MSI Creator Z16P, making it less suitable for demanding tasks and general usability. The MSI Creator Z16P, although heavier and potentially offering less battery life, provides a significantly better performance for general use due to its superior CPU, larger RAM, higher resolution touchscreen, and overall better build and speaker quality.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The MSI Creator Z16P outperforms the Gateway 14.1" in gaming and 3D because it has a powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate, enhancing visual fluidity and detail in intense graphics applications. In contrast, the Gateway 14.1" is equipped with a basic Intel UHD Graphics 600 and a standard refresh rate, making it less suitable for demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
8.3/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
5.8/10
7.9/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for content creation, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
5.8/10
7.6/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for software development, while the Gateway 14.1" 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
6.0/10
8.3/10
14.1in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway's screen may suffice for everyday tasks with its resolution and brightness, but it lacks the wide color gamut necessary for precise color work in engineering and design, and the slower refresh rate hampers its gaming and 3D capabilities. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P's screen offers high resolution and brightness for sharp, vivid viewing in general use, and its wide color gamut makes it suitable for professional design work. However, despite its strengths, the MSI still falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to its subpar refresh rate, which is crucial for smooth motion and gameplay.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Gateway 14.1" has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 5 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
Good
14.1in
SIZE
16.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Gateway 14.1" has very good portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$99
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 14.1" or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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