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Updated January 10, 2024·
If your priority is a highly portable and affordable laptop for general use, the LG Ultra 13 makes more sense as it's lighter, has a smaller screen, and is significantly less expensive. However, if you need top performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering software, the MSI Stealth 17 is the superior choice with a more powerful processor and graphics card, albeit with a much higher price tag and greater weight. The MSI also offers a larger and higher-resolution screen which could be better for multitasking and entertainment, but this does come at the expense of battery life 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 LG Ultra 13
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for general use, while the LG Ultra 13 is good.
The LG Ultra 13 is deemed good for general use due to its moderate CPU and sufficient RAM for everyday tasks, combined with its high portability and battery life that comfortably sustains common workloads. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 17 is considered very good for general use because it not only offers a high-end CPU and ample RAM for demanding applications but also boasts superior screen quality, although its larger size and weight reduce portability and its powerful components result in shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.1
9.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 17 outperforms the LG Ultra 13 in gaming and 3D applications because it has a high-end Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a high refresh rate screen suitable for fast-paced gaming, whereas the LG Ultra 13's AMD Ryzen 7 4700U's built-in Vega 7 graphics and standard refresh rate display are less suited for such intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.6
9.4
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3.6/10
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 LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The LG Ultra 13, with its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and integrated Vega 7 graphics, offers adequate power for engineering and design tasks but may fall short in more intensive operations, while the MSI Stealth 17's powerful Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU can handle demanding software with ease, making it excellent for these purposes. Additionally, the MSI's larger, higher-resolution screen provides a clearer and more detailed visual workspace which is crucial for design accuracy, but its increased size and weight impact its portability compared to the more mobile-friendly LG.
Content Creation
7.2
8.8
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for content creation, while the LG Ultra 13 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
7.2
8.5
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for software development, while the LG Ultra 13 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
6.9
8.6
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the LG Ultra 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The LG Ultra 13's screen offers a sharp image and brightness that make it suitable for everyday tasks and viewing fine details in design work, but its lower refresh rate can hinder the smoothness required for 3D applications and gaming. The MSI Stealth 17 likely has a similar high resolution and brightness, which benefits both general and engineering uses by providing clear visuals and accurate colors, but like the LG Ultra, it falls short on refresh rate, affecting gaming and 3D performance. The importance of high refresh rates for 3D work and gaming cannot be understated as it ensures fluid motion and better user experience in fast-paced environments, which neither laptop seems to support optimally.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The LG Ultra 13 has 10 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
Excellent
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The LG Ultra 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$529
$3,899
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The LG Ultra 13 has a price of $529 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The MSI Stealth 17 and LG Ultra 13 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the LG Ultra 13 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 13 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$529 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.1'' x 0.6'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.16 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.08" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.14" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 4700U | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 13
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | April 2017
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
MSI Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"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 LG Ultra 13 or the MSI Stealth 17
About LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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.
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