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Updated March 22, 2024·
When choosing between the Gigabyte A5 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider that the MSI offers higher performance, which is particularly beneficial for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming. However, it comes at a higher cost and may not be as portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the Gigabyte A5 is more affordable and easier to carry, but it won't perform as well with demanding tasks. If battery life is crucial for you, laptops with high-performance hardware like the MSI tend to have shorter battery life compared to less powerful options like the Gigabyte. 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 Gigabyte A5
- Good 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 keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The Gigabyte A5 offers a balance of capable processing power and adequate memory for everyday tasks, along with satisfactory screen quality, making it suitable for general use, but may lag in portability and battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, provides top-notch CPU and RAM for demanding tasks, a superior screen, and better build quality, though at the cost of heavier weight and higher price, impacting its convenience for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
7.1
8.9
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The Gigabyte A5, with its capable graphics card and high screen refresh rate, offers smooth gaming and 3D performance, making it a good choice for such tasks. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, equipped with a top-tier graphics card and an even higher screen refresh rate, plus a stronger CPU and superior screen quality, delivers superior gaming and 3D experiences, justifying its premium positioning.
Engineering and Design
7.3
9.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The Gigabyte A5, with its capable CPU, substantial RAM, and a quality GPU, performs well for engineering tasks, yet the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio exceeds in performance because of its top-tier CPU and GPU, higher RAM, and superior screen quality. The A5 gains points for being more portable and having a quieter operating noise but falls short on the more luxurious features like keyboard and speaker quality found in the MSI Stealth.
Content Creation
7.3
8.5
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for content creation, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
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
7.0
8.2
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
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
7.2
8.4
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gigabyte A5's panel offers a clear and bright display with ample resolution, suiting everyday tasks and detailed engineering work; however, the refresh rate is lower, diminishing its appeal for high-frame-rate gaming. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio exceeds in providing vibrant, accurate colors essential for professional design and engineering applications, and delivers an impressive resolution and brightness, enhancing its utility for general use. Despite these strengths, gamers may find its refresh rate lackluster for fast-paced 3D action, which requires smoother motion and quicker image refreshes for optimal gameplay.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gigabyte A5 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
7.2
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte A5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Gigabyte A5 has a price of $830 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Battery
6.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte A5 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte A5 | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.2'' x 1'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.68 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.15" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte A5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte A5 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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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