The MSI Creator Z16P is a more affordable choice with a midrange price that still offers solid performance for creative tasks and general use, with its Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card, suitable for many users. For those who need higher performance for 3D work, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Stealth 17 boasts a high-end price tag, a more powerful Intel i9 processor, and a superior Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, which also makes it excellent for intensive engineering tasks. Bear in mind, the Stealth 17 is heavier and thus less portable than the Z16P, and the higher capabilities come with added 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 Z16P
Very good overall build quality
Good portability
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
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.8/10
8.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
394.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for general use, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for general use due to its sufficient CPU and RAM for multitasking, high-quality IPS screen, and relatively lighter weight for better portability, although its battery life is moderate. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17 offers higher RAM and a more powerful CPU, a larger and higher refresh rate screen with excellent color coverage for superior screen quality, but it is less portable and has similar battery performance, making it very good for more demanding general use tasks as well.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
9.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent 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
8.3/10
9.4/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
7.4/10
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 MSI Creator Z16P is very good.
The MSI Stealth 17 surpasses the MSI Creator Z16P in engineering and design capabilities mainly due to its more powerful CPU and GPU, and the inclusion of substantial additional memory which is crucial for resource-intensive tasks. However, the Creator Z16P offers more portability and a higher-quality keyboard, which may be more suitable for users who value mobility and typing comfort alongside decent performance for professional creative work.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.8/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
2560 x 1600
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 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
7.6/10
8.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 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
8.3/10
8.6/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
394.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the MSI Creator Z16P for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the MSI Creator Z16P and the MSI Stealth 17 offer crisp visuals and are easy to view in various lighting conditions due to their panel type, high resolution, and brightness. They shine in engineering and design work because their displays cover a broad spectrum of colors, ensuring accuracy and vibrancy essential for these tasks. However, they fall short for gaming and 3D mainly because they have lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and longer response times during fast-paced activities.
Portability
Good
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator Z16P has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,300
$3,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Creator Z16P has a price of $1,300 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
The MSI Creator Z16P has 5 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.
Build Quality
8.0/10
7.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator Z16P to have 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.
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How the MSI Creator Z16P and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
"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."
"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 MSI Creator Z16P or the MSI Stealth 17
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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