If you prioritize versatility and are okay with spending more, the HP Spectre x360's 2-in-1 design allows it to double as a tablet and might suit you, though it's slightly heavier. For more demanding tasks like gaming or video editing, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio with its better graphics card is the stronger performer and is also lighter, enhancing portability, but it lacks the 2-in-1 capability. Battery life is a consideration; the Spectre has a slightly longer battery life, giving it an edge for all-day use. Your choice should hinge on whether you value 2-in-1 functionality and longer battery life over gaming performance and portability. 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 Spectre x360
Very good for general use
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.6/10
7.8/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the HP Spectre x360 is only fair.
The HP Spectre x360 is built for gaming and 3D tasks with its Intel Iris Xe GPU and a high-resolution screen, providing good image quality, but its standard screen refresh rate limits fast-paced visuals. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio, on the other hand, boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a significantly higher screen refresh rate, offering smoother gameplay, which makes it more suitable for demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The HP Spectre x360 is very good for software development, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.6/10
7.6/10
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
406.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The HP Spectre x360 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 14 Studio for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The HP Spectre x360 boasts a high-resolution display and bright panel, making it great for general browsing and video watching, but its likely lower refresh rate can disappoint gamers used to smooth motion. Its strong color accuracy and range appeal to engineers and designers who need precision for their visual work. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers a balance with satisfactory resolution and color representation for day-to-day tasks and professional design work but falls short for gaming due to a less suitable refresh rate.
Battery
11.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The HP Spectre x360 has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 5 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
Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and HP Spectre x360 both have good portability, though the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.6/10
The HP Spectre x360 has very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,432
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The HP Spectre x360 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,432.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Spectre x360 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good.
The HP Spectre x360 stands out for general use with its high-resolution touchscreen which enhances user interaction and vibrant display quality, along with longer battery life for extended use without frequent charging. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio, however, offers higher storage capacity and a discrete graphics unit that improves performance for more demanding applications, but with a tradeoff in terms of heavier weight and shorter battery life, making it less ideal for users seeking the utmost portability and battery endurance.
Engineering and Design
8.0/10
8.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and HP Spectre x360 are both very good for engineering and design.
The HP Spectre x360, with its Intel i7-13700H processor, Iris Xe integrated graphics, and high-resolution IPS display, offers robust performance for engineering and design tasks, yet less powerful graphics than the MSI Stealth 14 Studio, which features the same class of Intel processor paired with a more potent Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, making it superior for more graphically intensive engineering applications. While both have high-quality screens and ample RAM for multitasking, the MSI's GPU advantage is significant for 3D design or simulation tasks, whereas the HP offers a higher resolution and a 2-in-1 convertible form factor that may benefit design flexibility and portability.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.9/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers HP Spectre x360 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the HP Spectre x360 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
"As we said, Lenovo's Yoga 9i is a tough competitor to the Spectre with an equally admirable OLED display. We're sad that neither of them has an HDMI port nor a niche or slot to hold the stylus, though the HP wins points for its bundled mini docking station and magnetically attached pen. Your choice will come down to screen shape—and in our eyes, just as seeing an OLED screen spoils you for an IPS panel, enjoying a tall 3:2 display spoils you for a more conventional view. The HP Spectre x360 13.5 is our new favorite 2-in-1."
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the HP Spectre x360 or the MSI Stealth 14 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
100,395
Recommendations made
21,753
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.