The MSI Prestige 16 is a more budget-conscious choice with a solid performance suitable for general use, light engineering tasks, and portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78, while more expensive, offers much higher performance ideal for intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming, thanks to its more powerful processor and high-end graphics card. However, the Raider is heavier and larger, making it less portable, and its battery life may be shorter because of its more power-hungry components. If portability and price are your main concerns, go for the Prestige 16, but if performance for demanding tasks is a priority and you don't mind the extra cost and bulk, then the Raider GE78 is better suited for you. 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 Prestige 16
Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
Excellent for engineering and design
Best in class for gaming and AI
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
9.5/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 is only fair.
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
8.2/10
9.4/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 16 is very good.
The MSI Prestige 16 with its high performance CPU, abundant RAM, and integrated graphics caters well to engineering and design, offering a balance of power and portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 steps it up with an even more powerful CPU, top-tier discrete graphics, and a larger, more vibrant screen, presenting a superior tool for the most demanding engineering and design tasks at the expense of portability.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
8.6/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 16 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
When assessing screen quality for general use, both the MSI Prestige 16 and MSI Raider GE78 boast high-resolution displays with bright, vibrant panels, offering clarity and comfort for a variety of tasks from browsing to video streaming. For engineering and design work, both laptops provide wide color gamuts ensuring color accuracy for professional photo-editing and CAD work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both models fall short due to lower refresh rates, which can limit the fluidity of motion and responsiveness crucial in fast-paced gaming scenarios.
Battery
7.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The MSI Prestige 16 has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,611
$4,386
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Prestige 16 has a price of $1,611 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
The MSI Raider GE78 and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
8.3/10
8.8/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 and MSI Prestige 16 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
8.1/10
8.5/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and MSI Prestige 16 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 MSI Prestige 16 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the MSI Prestige 16 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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