The Gateway 15.6" is typically less expensive and offers solid performance for general use with decent portability, making it suitable for everyday tasks and some light creative work. However, the MSI Creator Z16P, while more expensive, is a powerhouse with a high-end processor and graphics card designed for demanding applications like 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive engineering tasks. It has a superior screen with a higher resolution and supports touch input, but this also means it is less portable with a shorter battery life. If you're more into creativity and productivity requiring heavy calculations and graphics, the MSI Creator Z16P would serve you well despite the higher cost and lower portability. 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 15.6"
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.0/10
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and Gateway 15.6" are both good for general use, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
The Gateway 15.6" laptop, with adequately good CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, is lighter and offers better battery life for increased portability, making it well-suited for general use. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P, while heavier and with a shorter battery life, brings superior screen quality and significantly higher performance due to its advanced CPU and dedicated GPU, catering to more demanding applications and creative work.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.6/10
3.6/10
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 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.2/10
8.3/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 15.6" is only fair.
The Gateway 15.6" has a mid-range CPU and integrated graphics, which are adequate for entry-level engineering and design tasks, and its full HD screen offers only a basic color and resolution quality, which could limit detailed work or extensive multitasking. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator Z16P boasts a top-tier CPU and dedicated high-end graphics, which greatly enhance performance for demanding engineering software and creative work, alongside a high-resolution display with superior color accuracy, making it more suited for professionals who need precision and computational power.
Content Creation
7.0/10
7.9/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and Gateway 15.6" are both good for content creation, though the MSI Creator Z16P is somewhat better.
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
6.7/10
7.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 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 15.6" is only fair.
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
6.1/10
8.3/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the Gateway 15.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway's screen has adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but falls short in providing the vibrant colors engineers need and the fast refresh rate gamers seek. The MSI Creator Z16P excels with a crisp, bright display that renders a wide color spectrum perfect for engineering and design professionals, but doesn't offer the high refresh rates gamers prioritize for smooth visuals. For general computing and precision work where color accuracy is key, the MSI Creator stands out, yet for gaming or fast-paced 3D applications, neither laptop hits the mark due to their lower refresh rates.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Gateway 15.6" 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.
Build Quality
5.1/10
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the Gateway 15.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$380
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 15.6" has a price of $380 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
"Some concessions have to be made when shopping for a budget laptop. Walmart's Gateway Ultra Slim laptops succeeds on the affordability front and delivers serviceable specs and good battery life, though it's hard to claim it's the best (or even particularly good) at any particular aspect. Its build quality, especially the touchpad, is mediocre, and its performance is decent but doesn't lead the way. The Gateway does undercut the cost of some competitors and offers ample storage with good connectivity, so it's not to be ignored."
"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 15.6" 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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