When choosing between the HP Envy 17 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider that the HP Envy 17 is more budget-friendly and will handle everyday tasks and moderate workloads well. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, while more expensive, provides superior performance for demanding applications like 3D design, machine learning, or gaming. The Stealth 18 also typically features higher build quality and more advanced graphics capabilities. However, it's less portable due to its size and weight. If battery life and easy carrying are important, the HP Envy 17 is a better option, while the MSI is tailored for high-performance tasks and professionals in creative or engineering fields. 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 Envy 17
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
7.5/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
329.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
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 HP Envy 17 is good.
The HP Envy 17 offers a comfortable balance between performance and portability with decent CPU, RAM, and screen quality making it well-suited for everyday tasks, but its larger screen and weight may limit its portability. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, provides a significant boost in CPU and RAM for demanding applications, along with superior screen quality, while sacrificing some battery life and portability due to its high-powered components and larger form factor.
Gaming and AI
6.4/10
8.9/10
3.8/10
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
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the HP Envy 17 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its superior GPU, excels in gaming and 3D applications, providing smoother visuals and better frame rates due to its higher screen refresh rate. Meanwhile, the HP Envy 17, while capable, offers lower performance in these areas because of its less powerful GPU and a screen with a standard refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.4/10
9.1/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.8/10
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 HP Envy 17 is good.
The HP Envy 17 offers sufficient processing power, memory, and a dedicated graphics card, suitable for engineering software, with a high-quality screen that benefits design tasks, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio surpasses it with a more powerful CPU and GPU, as well as higher RAM, delivering smoother performance for the most demanding engineering and 3D design applications, albeit being less portable due to its size and potentially louder operating noise. While the Envy is lighter and quieter, making it more convenient for travel, the Stealth's keyboard and speakers are typically of higher quality, enhancing the overall user experience.
Content Creation
7.5/10
8.5/10
9.0/10
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 HP Envy 17 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
7.5/10
8.2/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the HP Envy 17 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
6.8/10
8.4/10
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
329.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the HP Envy 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The HP Envy 17 offers high resolution and brightness, suitable for day-to-day tasks and engineering software where clarity and color accuracy are crucial, but its standard refresh rate limits gaming and 3D performance. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's superior resolution and color gamut coverage provide a vibrant display for professional creative work, making it ideal for designers and engineers who value color fidelity. However, just like the HP, its lower refresh rate compared to specialized gaming laptops hampers its ability to smoothly render fast-paced games and 3D animations.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The HP Envy 17 has 8 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.
Portability
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
18.0in
5.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP Envy 17 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
7.2/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the HP Envy 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The HP Envy 17 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
"In our test, the HP Envy 17-cr0079ng presents itself as a balanced multimedia laptop. Thanks to its solid CPU performance and dedicated entry-level GeForce, it can also be used for playing video games, as long as the demands aren't too high. Those looking for more can find it in the Dell XPS 17 for example."
Get a great deal on the HP Envy 17 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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