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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
For a balance of performance and cost, the MSI Creator Z16P is a strong contender. It offers a robust Intel i9-12900H processor and an RTX 3070 Ti GPU, which are excellent for engineering tasks and gaming, though not as cutting-edge as the 16 AI Studio's components. The Z16P's 16:10 display with a 165Hz refresh rate is great for fast-motion content, and its color accuracy is superb for creative work. While its battery life is shorter, it's lighter and more portable, making it a versatile choice for both work and play. On the other hand, if budget isn't a concern and you require top-tier performance, especially for 3D rendering, machine learning, or intensive engineering tasks, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio's Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and RTX 4080 are unmatched. Its Mini LED display boasts an impressive resolution and color coverage, ideal for professionals who demand the best visual experience. It's also built for future-proofing with the latest hardware, including DLSS and hardware ray tracing. However, this performance comes with a higher price tag and less portability due to its weight and size. In summary, choose the Z16P for a more cost-effective and portable option with excellent performance for most users, or opt for the Creator 16 AI Studio if you need the absolute best performance and display quality for professional workloads and are willing to compromise on portability and cost. 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 MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Best in class overall display quality
- Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.8
7.8
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
1000.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
8.9
7.6
9.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
9.5
8.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
9.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI Creator Z16P is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
9.1
7.9
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is excellent for content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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
8.9
7.6
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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
9.7
8.3
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
1000.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has a better screen than the MSI Creator Z16P for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P 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.
Build Quality
7.4
8.0
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,999
$1,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has a price of $2,999 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and MSI Creator Z16P both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Creator 16 AI Studio | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,999 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2024 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 10.2'' x 0.79'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.39 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.22" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 1000 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.4/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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MSI Creator Z16P
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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