- The MSI Stealth A16 AI Plus is thin, light, and powerful with strong gaming performance.
- It features a vibrant 16-inch OLED screen and a sleek, portable design.
- Battery life is weak, lasting about six hours for light use and one hour for gaming.
- The laptop gets hot and loud under heavy workloads but remains a premium choice for gaming.
The new MSI Stealth A16 AI Plus has entered the gaming laptop scene with a bold promise. It offers strong gaming performance in a body that is surprisingly thin and light. Yet this sleek machine struggles with battery life and heat management, two areas that can make or break the experience for gamers on the go.
Priced at 2,899 dollars in the United States and 2,199 pounds in the United Kingdom, this laptop sits firmly in the premium range. The price increases if you opt for higher-end configurations. Even so, it remains competitive when compared to other thin gaming laptops with similar hardware.
A Portable Design Built for Gamers and Professionals
MSI has crafted the Stealth A16 AI Plus with portability in mind. It weighs only 2.1 kilograms, making it lighter than many rivals. At under 2 centimeters thick, it slips easily into a backpack without feeling bulky.
The laptop features a minimalist and modern look that works equally well in an office or a gaming setup. Its sturdy chassis feels premium without being flashy. Narrow bezels around the display give it a contemporary feel while maximizing the screen space.
Port selection is generous for a slim gaming laptop. It includes two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, HDMI, Ethernet, and an audio jack. Gamers and professionals who rely on peripherals will appreciate this flexibility. However, dedicated streamers may still need an extra adapter for more USB connections.
The 16-inch OLED screen is a clear highlight. It delivers vibrant colors and sharp details with a 240 Hz refresh rate. Movies, creative projects, and games look stunning on it. The display’s quality adds to the premium feel of the laptop and is likely to spoil users for anything less.
Gaming Performance That Pushes Limits
The Stealth A16 AI Plus is powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor and can be configured with up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card. The base model ships with an RTX 5070 Ti, which already delivers impressive results.
During testing, the laptop handled AAA games with ease. Titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 ran smoothly at ultra settings. High frame rates were consistent even in graphically demanding scenes. Enabling ray tracing did not slow the machine down noticeably.
Benchmarks reflect the strong performance. Cyberpunk 2077 reached 105 frames per second on ultra settings at 1080p. Total War: Warhammer III hit 176 frames per second at the same resolution. These numbers show that the laptop is ready for both competitive play and cinematic single-player experiences.
The powerful processor also makes multitasking easy. Running demanding applications alongside games does not cause slowdowns. This makes the laptop appealing to users who balance work and play on the same device.
However, the thin design comes at a cost. The laptop gets hot under heavy loads, and the fans become quite loud. While the keyboard remains comfortable to use, the overall heat and noise can be distracting during long sessions.
Battery Life Falls Short of Promises
MSI claims that the Stealth A16 AI Plus can provide up to 13 hours of video playback. Testing revealed a much shorter reality. The laptop lasted about six hours during casual browsing and video streaming. When gaming, the battery drained in roughly one hour.
In benchmark tests, it ran for just under five hours. This makes the laptop less suitable for long periods away from a power outlet. For serious gaming sessions or creative work, keeping the charger nearby is essential.
The battery performance is one of the most notable drawbacks. For a machine marketed as portable, this limitation may disappoint frequent travelers and commuters.
A Premium Choice With Tough Competition
The MSI Stealth A16 AI Plus is positioned as a premium thin gaming laptop. Its closest rivals include the Asus Zenbook A14 for ultra-portability and the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch for professional creative workloads.
The Asus Zenbook A14 is lighter and more affordable but lacks the raw gaming power of the Stealth A16 AI Plus. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, excels in demanding creative tasks but is not built for AAA gaming.
For buyers who prioritize gaming performance in a portable design, the Stealth A16 AI Plus is a strong contender. It combines a vibrant OLED screen, top-tier components, and a sleek form factor. Its compromises in battery life and heat may not suit everyone, but it delivers where it matters most for serious gamers.
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