MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio review: A big laptop with a big price tag

IDG / Matthew Smith

IDG / Matthew Smith

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    </div></figure><p class="imageCredit">IDG / Matthew Smith</p></div>

A laptop as expensive as the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio sets a high standard for itself. Not only must the hardware be top-notch, but the exterior must appear attractive and luxurious. Unfortunately, the Stealth 18 AI Studio fails to meet this standard.

MSI’s Stealth lineup tries to offer professionals and gamers a slimmer, lighter alternative to workstation and gaming laptops. To achieve this, MSI opts for a magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis, which keeps the laptop’s weight under 6.4 pounds.

But while magnesium-aluminum delivers durability and low weight, it’s not rigid and feels like plastic when touched. As a result, the Stealth 18 AI Studio would seem mediocre even with a $2,000 price tag. At $4,200—not far off a Razer Blade 18—it’s hard to understand what MSI was thinking.

Build quality did not impress. Handling the Stealth caused a variety of creaks, groans, and snaps as various panels flexed and shifted. The most unfortunate of these repeatedly occurred when I removed my right hand from the palm rest. Apparently, the weight of my hand was enough to slightly deform the panel, causing it to snap back into place when I lifted my hand. 

That’s disappointing for a laptop that costs north of $4,000. But the laptop’s problems begin even before you touch it. Compared to alternatives like the Razer Blade 18 or Dell XPS 16, the Stealth looks generic and unappealing. A couple of RGB-LED accents are its only attempt to add flair, and they don’t do enough to make the laptop stand out.

It’s a shame, because it’s not as if MSI can’t execute on design. The MSI Titan 18 HX, which I reviewed earlier in 2024, is a gorgeous laptop that looks distinct and feels sturdy. Unfortunately, MSI’s effort to make the Stealth thinner and lighter results in a compromised design.

MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Keyboard, trackpad

IDG / Matthew Smith

            <div class="lightbox-image-container foundry-lightbox"><div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large enlarged-image"><img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" src="" alt="MSI Stealth 18 keyboard" class="wp-image-2438566" width="1200" height="800" loading="lazy" /></figure><p class="imageCredit">IDG / Matthew Smith</p></div>

    </div></figure><p class="imageCredit">IDG / Matthew Smith</p></div>

The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio’s keyboard is better than its overall design, but it’s still mediocre for the price. 

Upon opening the laptop, you’ll find a spacious keyboard with a number pad. Nearly all keys are full-sized, including the numpad keys, which is unusual even for an 18-inch laptop. Only a few keys, like the right-side shift key, are noticeably reduced in size. The keyboard is immediately comfortable and intuitive to type on.

Key feel is acceptable. Each key has respectable travel and bottoms out with a definitive action. However, there’s nothing about the experience that’s worthy of the laptop’s high price tag. It’s not a mechanical keyboard and lacks unique knobs, dials, or macro keys. It does have customizable RGB backlighting, but that feature is common among laptops that cost a couple of thousand dollars less. 

The touchpad continues the trend of adequate features that don’t live up to the price. It’s smooth and responsive, but it measures about five and a quarter inches wide by three and a half inches deep, which isn’t large for an 18-inch laptop. Many competitors like the Razer Blade 18, Dell XPS 16, and Apple’s MacBook Pro 16, offer much larger touchpads. The touchpad also doesn’t support haptics, which is a common feature at this price point, though also missing from competitors like the Razer Blade 18.

MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio: Display, audio