MSI has been making strides in the gaming laptop market with its Stealth series, which is aimed at both gamers and creators. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is the company's latest addition to the lineup, and it features an Intel Core i9-13900H processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card, and a 4K mini-LED display. The laptop is designed to find a middle ground between a laptop for creators and gamers, and it provides an excellent basis for both, with some minor flaws.
Design and Build Quality
The MSI Stealth 17 Studio has a flat design with a white keyboard backlighting, which gives it a sober work device appearance. Despite extensive hardware resources and bags of power, the cooling noise is hardly audible. In the evening, the laptop turns into a potent gaming machine, with the key lighting changing to a rainbow effect, and the fans kick in. The laptop treads a fine line between being a work device and a gaming machine.
Display
The laptop comes with a 17.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 255 PPI, AUO41A2 B173ZAN06.C, Mini LED, glossy, HDR, 144 Hz display. The mini-LED technology provides a brilliant display with excellent color accuracy, deep blacks, and bright whites. The laptop's display is perfect for both creators and gamers, providing a clear and vibrant viewing experience.
Performance
The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a high-performance laptop, with an Intel Core i9-13900H 14 x 1.9 - 5.4 GHz, 135 W PL2 / Short Burst, 115 W PL1 / Sustained, Raptor Lake-H processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop GPU - 12 GB VRAM, Core: 1665 MHz, Memory: 2250 MHz, 105 W TDP (including 25 W Dynamic Boost), GDDR6, Game Ready 531.41, MUX Switch graphics adapter, and 64 GB DDR5-5600, Quad-Channel, SK Hynix memory. The laptop provides a smooth and fast experience for video editing, gaming, and other demanding tasks.
Ports and Connectivity
The MSI Stealth 17 Studio comes with a total of three video outputs, four USB ports, including Thunderbolt 4, a card reader for normal SD cards, and 2.5 Gbit LAN. The laptop covers the basics for gaming, fast data transfer, and variable connections to other devices, monitors, and streaming accessories. The USB-A and USB-C ports would be more practical on the left and right. The manufacturer could have gone for a dedicated headphone jack as well as the built-in headset connector.
Webcam
The laptop's Full HD resolution webcam works decently but not outstandingly. It adapts quickly and without visual artefacts, especially when it comes to poor or changeable lighting conditions. What's not as easy on the eye is the permanent and visibly noticeable image noise. The camera is pretty good for a laptop, and the Full HD resolution ensures decent quality video calls on the go with only moderate bandwidth requirements and delivers attractive images under good lighting conditions.
Maintenance
The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is easy to maintain, with a seal covering the middle screw. Opening the device is uncomplicated if you are not discouraged by the seal. The laptop has two M.2 slots and two RAM slots, which make it easy to upgrade or replace the components.
Battery Life
The MSI Stealth 17 Studio has a 99.9 Wh battery, which provides a decent battery life of around 6-7 hours under normal use. The laptop's battery life is impressive, considering its powerful hardware and large, high-resolution display. However, it's worth noting that the battery life may vary depending on the specific use case, such as running resource-intensive applications or playing graphics-heavy games.
Another feature worth mentioning is the laptop's connectivity options. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio comes with a range of ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI, and Ethernet ports. This means that users can connect to a wide range of external devices and peripherals, making it a great choice for creative professionals who need to work with various equipment.
In terms of design, the MSI Stealth 17 Studio looks sleek and professional. It has a slim profile and a stylish brushed metal finish that gives it a premium look and feel. The laptop's keyboard is also well-designed, with responsive keys that make typing comfortable and efficient.
Overall, the MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a powerful and versatile laptop that's ideal for creative professionals who need a portable workstation that can handle demanding tasks. Its powerful hardware, large display, and excellent connectivity options make it a great choice for photographers, video editors, and graphic designers who need a high-performance machine that they can take on the go.
