If you're on a tight budget and mostly handle everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the HP 15" laptop should suffice and save you money. However, if you require a laptop for more demanding work such as gaming, 3D rendering, or advanced machine learning tasks, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, despite its higher price, offers superior performance. Keep in mind that the MSI will also be less portable due to its size and may have a shorter battery life due to its powerful components. Choose the HP for casual use and the MSI for high-end, specialized activities. 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 HP 15" Laptop
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 speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 15" Laptop offers basic CPU and RAM capabilities suitable for everyday tasks with adequate screen quality, but it falls short in portability and battery life compared to more premium options. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, has a higher-end CPU and more RAM which makes it excel in performance and screen quality, at the expense of being not as easy to carry around and having potentially shorter battery life due to more powerful components.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the HP 15" Laptop is poor.
The HP 15" laptop has less powerful graphics and a standard screen refresh rate, which provides adequate performance for casual gaming and some 3D work, whereas the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio includes a high-end graphics card and a high refresh rate display, which together deliver top-notch visuals and smooth performance for demanding games and 3D applications. The MSI also has a stronger CPU and superior screen quality, complementing its gaming and creative capabilities, but the HP may be chosen if budget constraints are a priority over peak performance.
Engineering and Design
6.2/10
9.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 15" Laptop typically sports a less powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU compared to the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, which often comes with top-tier specs suitable for demanding engineering software and offers superior screen quality for detailed design work. However, the HP is lighter and quieter, making it more portable and less disruptive in quiet environments, but at the expense of performance and visual fidelity necessary for intensive tasks.
Content Creation
6.9/10
8.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for content creation, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
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
8.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the HP 15" Laptop 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
6.3/10
8.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the HP 15" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the HP laptop's display may not be as vibrant or sharp due to its basic panel type and lower resolution, while the MSI Stealth's higher resolution and brighter display enhance everyday viewing experience. In engineering and design, the MSI Stealth excels with a wider color gamut providing accurate color representation crucial for such work, whereas the HP may fall short in color precision. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fast refresh rates are key, both laptops may disappoint enthusiasts who seek fluid motion and lack the high refresh rate panels that cater to those needs.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP 15" Laptop 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
6.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the HP 15" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$378
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The HP 15" Laptop has a price of $378 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
"Chances are high that the HP 15 is one of the first laptops to pop up when you search for an inexpensive notebook. Indeed, its price tag is very tempting for many, and of course, this is the reason for its popularity. However, the HP 15" suffers from poor performance due to low power consumption. On the bright side, one of the good things about it is the port selection. On the inside, this includes two SODIMM slots for memory, an M.2 PCIe x4 slot for storage, and a SATA drive bay. However, the TN panel, and mediocre input devices are not ideal."
Get a great deal on the HP 15" Laptop or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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