If budget is a main concern and you need a laptop for general use or gaming, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X may be a smart pick, as you'll save money and still get solid performance for most tasks. However, if you're involved in professional video editing, 3D rendering, or other intensive creative work, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, despite its higher cost, offers improved performance that can greatly benefit these specific tasks. You'll also have to consider that the MSI model, with its larger screen, may be less portable, which could be a downside if you travel frequently or need to carry the laptop around often. Keep in mind that battery life can vary with the intensity of tasks performed, so a more powerful device may not last as long unplugged. 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 Aorus 15X
Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good overall build quality
Good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.4/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
301.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
5.5 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 Aorus 15X is good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X, with its powerful CPU and ample RAM, ensures smooth operation for all types of general computing tasks, and its high-quality screen enhances the visual experience, although it's less portable and has shorter battery life than some alternatives. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, while still offering a robust CPU and plenty of RAM, is designed with slightly better portability and longer battery life, making it a versatile option for general use despite it being pricier and possibly compromising on speaker and keyboard quality compared to specialized multimedia or gaming laptops.
Screen Quality
8.2/10
8.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
301.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the Gigabyte Aorus 15X for engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Gigabyte Aorus 15X and MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offer high resolution and brightness, ensuring clear and vivid displays suitable for everyday tasks. Engineering and design professionals will appreciate the extensive color gamuts of both laptops, allowing for accurate color reproduction crucial in these fields. However, gamers and 3D artists may find both laptops lacking due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion during fast-paced scenes or while working on time-sensitive 3D projects.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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
7.4/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,600
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a price of $1,600 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Gigabyte Aorus 15X are both very good for gaming and AI.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has a robust GPU and high screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth gaming and 3D rendering, though the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio steps up with an even more powerful GPU, leading to even better performance in these areas, in addition to a superior screen quality that enhances the visual experience, albeit with a typically higher investment. While both have capable CPUs, the differences in GPU power and screen attributes are the main considerations that set them apart for gaming and 3D tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
9.1/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to be excellent for engineering and design, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X is very good.
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X, with its robust CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality GPU, handles engineering tasks well, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio surpasses it with even greater screen quality for detailed work. While both are less portable due to their power, the MSI edges out with a better keyboard and quieter operation, making it more comfortable for long engineering sessions.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio and Gigabyte Aorus 15X are both very good for content creation.
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
7.7/10
8.2/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio to be very good for software development, while the Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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.
Battery
5.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 15X has 5.5 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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How the Gigabyte Aorus 15X and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
"The Gigabyte Aorus 15X is a strong showing of Raptor Lake and RTX 4000 series. While the Aorus had trouble keeping up in older games like Grand Theft Auto V, it nudged past the competition in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. It also flexed its next-generation muscle in Far Cry 6 and Borderlands 3. While we were impressed with the overall build quality and design of the Aorus 15X, the keyboard lacked good tactile feedback. The display performed well in real-world testing despite its on-paper shortcoming with brightness, but the speakers are lackluster at best."
Get a great deal on the Gigabyte Aorus 15X 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.
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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