Finally, an ultraportable Windows laptop I’d use at the office (even though it’s for gamers)

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The MSI Stealth 16 AI is on sale at Greatest Purchase for $2,030.
• It is a gaming laptop computer with highly effective {hardware} and a vibrant OLED show that is very best for each gaming and graphic design.
• Nevertheless, like its predecessor, it has a hungry battery and runs scorching.

The 2025 MSI Stealth 16 is the most recent entry within the tech firm’s glossy gaming laptop computer collection. I am fairly accustomed to the Stealth line, having reviewed several models up to now. This model would not reinvent the wheel. In reality, it shares many similarities with its predecessor, the Stealth A16 AI+, to its profit and to a fault.

Additionally: The best laptops for graphic designers: Expert tested

First off: on the floor, I genuinely cannot inform the distinction between this mannequin and the earlier era. The Stealth 16 measures 14″x 10.22″x 0.85″ inches — the very same dimensions because the A16. It even weighs the identical at 4.63 kilos. 

What’s humorous is I used to assume that was actually heavy, however after carrying round chunky laptops, MSI’s gadget feels light-weight. Even with the ability adapter, I did not thoughts carrying it round city. By the best way, I issue that adapter into the general weight since you will want it readily available. Extra on that later.

Bringing again the classics

A number of different nice design components make their triumphant return. Taking place the listing, you will have a full-size gaming keyboard. Every button has a 1.5mm journey distance, guaranteeing a snug typing really feel. Six encompass sound audio system are positioned at both finish beneath the keyboard for immersive audio. 

One among my favourite moments testing this laptop computer got here from listening to “Doomsday” by MF Doom. The lyrical move from Doom sounded crystal clear and highly effective by the laptop computer’s audio system, filling my total room along with his supervillainy. 

Above the keyboard is the 16-inch OLED show. At QuadHD+ (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) decision, it is not fairly 4K, nevertheless it’s shut sufficient — the display screen nonetheless delivers spectacular visible output. Colours are vibrant, the excessive decision delivers detailed photographs, and the 240Hz refresh fee ensures easy on-screen movement. 

Energy enhance

One among my favourite issues about MSI laptops is how simple it’s to tweak their efficiency. On many Home windows 11 laptops, all you may actually do is change the Energy mode within the Settings, however MSI Heart, its inner settings program is definitely fairly sturdy. Right here, you  can alter the pc’s output on the fly. For instance, enabling Excessive Efficiency and Discrete Graphics Mode delivers one of the best {hardware} outcomes.

Additionally: I tested Dell’s XPS successor, and it beat my $3,000 Windows laptop in almost every way

Inside my overview unit was an Intel Core Extremely 9 285H, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. It is a fairly good configuration, if I say so myself, and it reveals within the efficiency numbers.

Beneath is an inventory evaluating MSI’s Stealth 16 with its predecessor, the Stealth A16 AI Plus, and the Dell Premium 16. You may discover that the newer mannequin has higher uncooked processing and rendering energy than the others, indicating it excels at dealing with heavy workloads and rendering advanced 3D graphics. 

There’s a little bit of a spot between the Stealth 16 and the A16 on PCMark 10, suggesting that the older mannequin has higher normal efficiency; it is capable of hop between internet pages and apps with out a lot problem. Nevertheless, I did not expertise any slowdown. This laptop computer ran nice all over the place.

Having Dell’s machine could seem random, however you must perceive that the Stealth 16 is not only a strong gaming laptop. It is also a strong graphic design laptop computer, too. For testing, I put in Blender, a free 3D creation app, and edited photographs on Pixlr. I am not a lot of an artist, however I did handle to create and render easy scenes starring Blender’s advanced monkey mannequin.

I had the same expertise with Pixlr, as I used to be capable of edit 4K pictures with none main hiccups. Your entire course of went easily. MSI’s laptop computer is a powerhouse in virtually each sense of the phrase. 

Additionally: I switched to the Dell 14 Premium for a week, and it makes even the XPS feel outdated

As highly effective because the laptop computer could also be, it has its limits. I ran a number of 4K YouTube livestreams as a part of my typical 50-tab Chrome browser check. Every part ran effective when there have been solely three livestreams, though as soon as I hit six, I observed a slowdown. Livestreams have been gradual to load. It took a number of seconds earlier than the Stealth 16 might play the video as regular.

Staying cool

Heavy workloads do trigger the Stealth 16 to warmth up a bit, however excessive temperatures have been by no means a difficulty. Warmth vents are strategically positioned above the keyboard, on the facet of the laptop computer, and on the underside, so your fingers are by no means liable to touching a scorching keyboard. In reality, the keys stayed good and funky the complete time. Sadly, this implies you may’t place the pc in your lap; in any other case, your legs can be blasted by scorching air. 

This capability to remain cool beneath duress is due to the Cooler Enhance 5 cooling system, which consists of two giant followers and 5 warmth pipes directing scorching air out by the vents. This method can also be on the vastly extra highly effective MSI Raider 18 HX. 

Unsurprisingly, MSI’s Stealth 16 shouldn’t be designed to be away from its charger for lengthy. You’ll be able to push its endurance by enabling ECO-Silent and Built-in Graphics Mode within the MSI Heart app, and Greatest Energy Effectivity in Home windows, however even then, it should final round six hours on a single cost, relying on what you are doing. 

Like many gaming laptops with this sort of {hardware}, it could have energy, nevertheless it lacks in stamina. For that motive, I might counsel this for customers who do not want an all-day battery sort of laptop computer, however are effective with a number of hour stints all through the day. 

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

The MSI Stealth 16 AI is on sale at Greatest Purchase for $2,030, which is an effective worth for a laptop computer with this sort of {hardware}. I like to recommend this gadget to anybody in search of an reasonably priced gaming laptop computer that will also be used as a piece machine. For those who like this laptop computer however wish to avoid wasting money, its predecessor, the Stealth A16 AI+, could be very related and nonetheless related in 2025, retailing for $1,800.

If you need a extra powerful graphic design computer, I counsel the Alienware 18 Area-51. It’s a far more highly effective gaming laptop computer that leaves each laptop computer I discussed to this point within the mud. I believe it is probably the greatest for the 12 months. It’s, nonetheless, very costly; my overview unit value $3,200.