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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
The Gigabyte A7 typically offers respectable performance at a lower cost, making it a good choice if you're budget-conscious. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio usually delivers higher performance, particularly for demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming, but its higher price reflects that. The MSI may also have better build quality and a more premium feel. Bearing in mind that a heavier and bulkier laptop can be less convenient to carry around, if portability is important to you, the Gigabyte might be more suitable as it is generally lighter. Meanwhile, battery life tends to be longer in less powerful devices, which could favor the Gigabyte A7 if you often work without access to a power outlet. 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 A7
- The Gigabyte A7 has no clear advantages over the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio.
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
- Good battery life
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.3
8.4
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
318.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte A7 is good.
The Gigabyte A7 offers a balance with a capable CPU and ample RAM for everyday tasks, presenting a good screen quality and sufficient battery life for routine use, all while maintaining a level of portability. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its higher-end CPU and larger RAM, excels in demanding applications, has superior screen quality for detailed work, yet trades off with less portability and battery life due to its powerful components.
Gaming and AI
7.3
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 A7 is good.
The Gigabyte A7 packs a strong GPU which is very important for gaming and 3D rendering, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has an even more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, providing smoother visuals for fast-paced gaming and more detail in 3D environments. Although both have capable CPUs and good screen quality, the MSI's superior combination enhances performance for the most demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.6
9.1
7.4/10
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 A7 is good.
The Gigabyte A7 is equipped with a competent CPU and sufficient RAM for standard engineering tasks, along with a decent GPU and good screen quality, making it suitable for design and engineering work, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio excels with a higher-end CPU and more RAM for more complex calculations, a top-tier GPU for demanding 3D work, and superior screen quality for precise visual tasks, though it is less portable and might have louder operating noise.
Content Creation
7.3
8.5
7.4/10
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 A7 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
7.4/10
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 A7 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
7.3
8.4
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
318.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Gigabyte A7 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, a laptop with a high-resolution, bright display with a good panel type offers clearer images and comfortable viewing; the Gigabyte A7 meets these criteria but may not offer the highest brightness levels. For engineering and design tasks, accurate color representation is crucial, and both the Gigabyte A7 and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio have displays that cover a broad color spectrum, essential for precision in visual work. However, for gaming and 3D applications where the smoothness of motion is key, neither laptop excels due to lower refresh rates, which means they may not provide the most fluid visual experience during high-speed gaming or 3D rendering.
Battery
4.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gigabyte A7 has 4.5 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.
Build Quality
7.2
8.0
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte A7 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$940
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The Gigabyte A7 has a price of $940 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
Portability
Fair
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
5.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
1.1in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Gigabyte A7 both have only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte A7 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte A7 | MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$940 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 10.3'' x 1.19'' | 15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.58 lbs | 6.15 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.59" | 15.75" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.31" | 11.4" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | 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 | 4.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 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 | 318 nits | 305 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6/10 | 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 A7
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NotebookCheck
Mike Wobker | October 2021
"In terms of looks, the Gigabyte A7 X1 is certainly not a trendy, slim, and ultra-mobile gaming laptop. But it does what it's supposed to do, namely bringing games smoothly onto the screen, very well. Both the processor and the GeForce RTX 3070 are able to unleash their performance without restrictions thanks to the well-ventilated case. The Gigabyte A7 X1 brings modern games smoothly onto the screen and offers excellent maintenance options."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte A7 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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