If you're looking for a more budget-friendly laptop that is easily portable and versatile, with a touch screen for everyday use like browsing and productivity tasks, the HP Spectre x360 14 is an excellent choice. However, if you require a laptop for more demanding applications such as high-end gaming, 3D modeling, or machine learning, and you're willing to invest more and manage a larger device, the MSI Stealth 17, with its more powerful hardware, will be the better option despite its higher price and reduced battery life. 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 14
Very good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
9.1/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the HP Spectre x360 14 is only fair.
The HP Spectre x360 14, while versatile for everyday tasks, has a less powerful graphics processing unit (GPU) and a standard screen refresh rate, which limits its gaming and 3D capabilities. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17 is equipped with a high-end GPU and a faster screen refresh rate, making it better suited for high-performance gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.4/10
9.4/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP Spectre x360 14 is very good.
The HP Spectre x360 14 offers a balance of performance with its solid CPU and RAM, along with a high-quality screen for detailed work in engineering and design; however, the MSI Stealth 17 outshines it with a more powerful GPU for demanding tasks, larger screen, and additional memory, making it better suited for intensive engineering software. While both laptops have quality keyboards and are built to manage noise and heat well, the MSI's superior performance makes it less portable, and its larger size and weight may make it less convenient for on-the-go use compared to the more compact HP Spectre.
Screen Quality
8.6/10
8.6/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
384.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The HP Spectre x360 14 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 17 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The HP Spectre x360 14 and MSI Stealth 17 both offer high-resolution displays and panel types that render sharp images and accurate colors, which is why they excel in general use and are suitable for engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is key. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial, their lower refresh rates can't match the more fluid visuals that dedicated gaming laptops offer. Despite having commendable brightness and overall screen quality, professionals in gaming or 3D fields should consider other models with higher refresh rates to ensure the best experience.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The HP Spectre x360 14 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The HP Spectre x360 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.8/10
The HP Spectre x360 14 has very good build quality, while the MSI Stealth 17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,630
$3,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The HP Spectre x360 14 has a price of $1,630 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
The MSI Stealth 17 and HP Spectre x360 14 are both very good for general use.
The HP Spectre x360 14 offers a balance of performance and portability with a high-quality screen, making it ideal for everyday tasks, while its longer battery life suits users who need to work on the go without frequent charging. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17, with its larger screen and powerful CPU and RAM, excels in handling more demanding applications but is less portable and has a shorter battery life, which might be less convenient for users who prioritize mobility.
Content Creation
8.7/10
8.8/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 and HP Spectre x360 14 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
8.4/10
8.5/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and HP Spectre x360 14 are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the HP Spectre x360 14 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
"The numbers don’t lie — the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is a star, and a hell of a one at that. From performance to battery life, this machine is a dream. But why didn’t I give it a perfect score? Well, I wish the display performed better and that there were more ports to go around. If you’re itching for someone a little cheaper that offers a brighter display and significantly more battery life, I can only recommend the MacBook Pro 14 as a suitable substitute. Otherwise, the HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is the perfect choice for those who want a reliable premium laptop."
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the HP Spectre x360 14 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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