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MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V Analysis: Excellent output in an impressively small, transportable package
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V offers a significant performance boost in an unexpectedly small package. Additionally, it includes a QHD+ 14-inch, 240Hz screen, one of the quickest found in a laptop.
Benefits: – Impressive 14-inch, 240Hz screen – Exceptional performance – High-quality speakers – Stylish design despite the high performance – Convenient for everyday portability
Downsides: – Lacks an SD Card slot – Mediocre battery life – Given the cost, a 720p camera is underwhelming – Heat dissipation could be improved
Cost: Rs 1,75,890/- Score: 4 out of 5
In the realm of gaming laptops, MSI often outshines its competitors. The two MSI Titan GT77s models we evaluated in the past two years are undoubtedly the top gaming laptops, regardless of cost. However, similar to other brands, MSI also faces challenges in creating a fully-equipped gaming laptop that is also easy to carry around. This isn't the case if you consider their Stealth series.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V, as indicated by its name, is not exclusively designed for dedicated gamers but also for earnest content creators who are mobile and desire exceptional performance. The Stealth 14 Studio is an impressive laptop with a sleek design and superior functionality. Its slender and chic appearance, combined with its considerable power, makes it ideal for both home and office use. Additionally, it excels at tasks like video creation or art-making, and it also offers an excellent gaming experience.
The ingenious combination of the Intel Core i7 13700H and NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 laptop GPU makes this a powerhouse of performance that leaves its rivals trailing behind. Additionally, it boasts an impressive QHD+ IPS display with a 240Hz refresh rate.
Despite all that's been said, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio remains, at its core, a gaming laptop, and it comes with some of the challenges typically associated with high-performance portable devices. But does that diminish the appeal of this high-powered machine in any way? Let's discover.
Review of MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V: Structure and ConstructionThe MSI Stealth 14 Studio maintains a basic design, something I find pleasing. It's a gaming laptop with a minimalist appeal that I really enjoy. I personally don't prefer excessive RGB lighting on my laptop. If you share my preference, you'll likely admire the subtle design of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio boasts a stylish look, characterized by a white cover adorned with the MSI dragon emblem on a magnesium-aluminium alloy body. The laptop's underside matches the white top, but the inside contrasts with a semi-gloss black finish. Lifting the cover reveals black Chiclet-type keys with white lettering, each with its own RGB illumination.
The layout and RGB configuration aren't overly flashy or suggestive of gaming, making it suitable for use in more formal environments without drawing excess attention. Nonetheless, there are subtle elements of RGB lighting interspersed throughout, demonstrating that MSI has achieved a nice equilibrium.
The laptop's backside, near the screen hinges, features a completely black grill for ventilation and RGB lighting that designates it as a Stealth 14. At the rear corners, you can see soft pink and blue RGB shades. These are referred to as the Afterburner Lighting by MSI, and they are incorporated into the back grill. This grill also displays the word "Stealth", made visible by the RGB lights. Despite the contradiction, this unique design feature is a clear indication that this is a gaming device.
In terms of construction, the Stealth 14 Studio is incredibly sturdy. Its dimensions are 12.4 x 9.69 x 0.75 inches and it weighs approximately 1.7 kg. The Stealth 14 Studio is small and easy to carry due to its frame made of magnesium-aluminium alloy.
The metallic construction gives it a light touch, making it easy to transport in a laptop bag without it feeling burdensome. Its stylish design and stark difference between the exterior and interior make it stand out, whether you're stationed at a coffee shop or traveling.
The Stealth 14 comes equipped with a range of ports and I/O that are likely to satisfy many users' needs. On its right side, it features a 3.5mm combined audio jack, a USB Type-A port and a Thunderbolt 4 port. Meanwhile, its left side houses a USB Type-C port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and an AC power port. To ensure sufficient cooling, there are also air vents on both sides. Nevertheless, it lacks a card slot or a MicroSD Card slot, which could be a drawback for its target market, namely gamers and content creators.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V review focuses on its keyboard and trackpad. Given the sleek design of the device, it's unsurprising that it features a relatively small keyboard. As soon as it's taken out of the box, the keyboard's RGB lighting is in Disco Mode, which could be seen as too flashy for some people. However, users are allowed to customize the RGB backlighting for each key using the SteelSeries GG application that comes with it. This app greatly helps in creating and managing custom profiles, making it a breeze to change the ambiance of your gaming and streaming setup.
Regarding the keyboard, the keys are adequately large and uniformly distributed, providing a somewhat pleasing response with quick key transitions. Although it might require some adjustment initially, typing becomes pleasant once you're familiar with it. Regrettably, there is a discernible flex in the keyboard, which detracts from the high-end feel of the laptop. Speaking of which, the standard colour setting for the RGB lighting doesn't come across as sophisticated; it appears somewhat garish and low-cost. Additionally, MSI could have opted for slightly more luminous RGB lights for the keys, with less intense colours.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V, while primarily intended for gaming, impresses with its reasonably large touchpad. It's situated towards the left to facilitate easy typing, creating additional room on the right. The touchpad provides accurate and sensitive tracking, making it user-friendly and precise. Though it's suitable for daily activities, those who game frequently might prefer to use an external mouse to eliminate any slight touchpad issues.
Review of MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V: Analysis of Webcam and Speakers
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio's webcam delivers a performance that is only mediocre at best. Its quality is subpar compared to most Windows laptops in the same price bracket, mainly due to its resolution of 720p/30FPS. The picture quality is less than satisfactory for a laptop of this cost. Even in brightly lit settings, significant noise is evident. If you have excellent lighting, it may suffice for video calls.
On the plus side, it includes a privacy cover, providing reassurance against unintentional triggering during video chats. The microphone configuration, to look on the bright side, produces crystal clear and evenly distributed sound.
In terms of sound, the four-speaker system, fine-tuned by Dynaudio, elevates the whole listening experience. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is compatible with SteelSeries' Nahimic audio software, which provides features akin to those of DTS-X audio and Dolby Atmos. Users have the freedom to modify the spatial audio and presets according to their likes, with choices such as Music, Movie, Communication, and Gaming presets. The Smart Profile feature intuitively adjusts the audio according to specific tasks, offering further customization possibilities.
The final outcome is that the speakers generate a full-bodied sound with great depth, powerful bass, and acceptable treble, offering a well-rounded output. They can reach high volume levels without compromising sound quality, comfortably permeating a room without the necessity to crank the volume to its limit.
Review of MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V: Screen
The 14-inch screen of our MSI Stealth 14 Studio evaluation model appears bigger than its actual size due to its 16:10 aspect ratio. It offers clear, QHD+ resolution with 2560X1600 pixels. Even though it may not provide the clarity seen in 4K panels found in top-tier work laptops, it still offers sufficient sharpness for mobile tasks and static media operations, particularly gaming.
When it comes to gaming, the standout feature of this display is its remarkable 240Hz refresh rate. There are only a few gaming laptops currently available that provide such elevated refresh rates. This high refresh rate guarantees that the visuals on the MSI Stealth 14 Studio are seamless, devoid of tearing or any other disruptions. Honestly, playing a high-speed game, such as Valorant, feels incredibly smooth and offers an extraordinary gaming experience.
The IPS display does not provide the deep blacks and vibrant colours typically associated with other displays. However, the colours it does produce are sufficiently good for watching your preferred streaming service. This is because the display covers the entire DCI-P3 colour range, resulting in precise and lively colours across the spectrum. Even though we would have liked HDR or Dolby Vision support, the preciseness and sharpness of the display are noteworthy.
The peak brightness of nearly 450 nits makes the screen extremely clear indoors. Moreover, even in outdoor settings, the screen maintains its visibility at maximum brightness, saving me from the need to squint in daylight.
The viewing perspectives are impressive as the colors typically retain their brightness even at unconventional angles. MSI True Color is also included, enabling users to adjust and calibrate the laptop screen to their liking. Although there are about seven modes to select from, there are also extra settings for more in-depth customization.
The screen has a lot of promise, requiring you to sharpen and adjust its settings. Once this is done, both media viewing and gaming become incredibly pleasurable. Despite its accuracy and vibrancy, making it suitable for most professional content editing tasks like video color grading and photo color correction, it's essential to correctly set up and calibrate the display.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V is reviewed here with a focus on its performance. The laptop is powered by a 13th Generation Intel Core i7-13700H Processor that can reach speeds up to 5 GHz. It has a combination of 6 Performance cores and 8 Efficiency cores, making a total of 14 cores, along with a 24M Cache. The laptop also features 16GB of DDR5 RAM, configured in dual-channel and operating at 5200 MT/s, ensuring superb performance.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, which runs at 2250Mhz and boasts 8GB of GDDR6 Memory along with a 128-bit bus, is responsible for managing the graphics. This setup guarantees that the Stealth 14 Studio outperforms many others, particularly when taking its cost into account.
The i7-13700H processor shines in a range of artificial benchmarks, finding an equilibrium between demanding activities and regular operations. It particularly stands out in single-threaded tasks, largely due to its top boost clock speed of 5GHz.
Benchmark scores can provide some understanding, but actual usage gives a more definitive view. When it comes to gaming, the Stealth 14 Studio performs impressively, delivering one of the top experiences for its cost. The testing was done in Discrete Graphics Mode, with the power and performance settings turned up to the max. Games operated seamlessly at a resolution of 1920×1200 and the top possible settings, regularly providing outstanding frame rates without any noticeable lag or significant declines.
We carried out performance tests using games such as Forza Horizon 5, GTA 5, Control, F1 2022, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Valorant, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The outcomes aligned with our artificial benchmarks. All tests were done in performance mode with the laptop connected to power.
In the game Shadow of The Tomb Raider, we managed to hit an average of 133 frames per second. Forza Horizon 5 operated at an average of 139 fps. Grand Theft Auto 5 consistently averaged 160 fps. In F1 2022, we observed an average frame rate of 122. High-speed multiplayer games such as CS: GO and Valorant had average frame rates of 315 fps and 280 fps, respectively.
Given the strong hardware capabilities of the Stealth 14 Studio, these figures are truly remarkable. Users can obtain even greater frame rates without greatly sacrificing visual quality by making minor adjustments to settings, like selecting high over ultra graphics or turning off antialiasing.
In terms of how the MSI Stealth 14 Studio handles heat, it's comparable to other top-of-the-line gaming laptops with robust hardware. The keyboard, particularly towards the upper part, tends to heat up during intense gaming and benchmarking sessions. However, the Stealth 14 Studio features a quite ingenious air circulation system.
There are dual exhaust ports situated on both sides of the laptop's body, with another one positioned at the rear, beyond the hinge. For air intake, there's a sizable vent at the laptop's base. Additionally, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V incorporates a Vapor Chamber, greatly enhancing its ability to dissipate heat.
In addition, the MSI Centre gives you the option to select from a variety of performance levels and fan speeds. In our synthetic and gaming tests, we cranked up the fans to the maximum using the Cooler Boost mode. This helped maintain the temperature within the usual range for the Intel i7 13700H & RTX 4060 package. The fans can be quite noisy, but if you use headphones, this shouldn't be a problem.
Overall, the Stealth 14 Studio is an incredibly powerful computer that performs just as you would expect from such a powerhouse. It has remarkable speed and provides an impressive set of capabilities, particularly when you take into account the size of the laptop.
Review of MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V: Battery PerformanceThe MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V is equipped with a 72W 4-cell battery, accompanied by a large 240W charging adapter. Its battery life is quite impressive for a gaming laptop that contains a dedicated GPU and a super-speed CPU. This is largely due to its ability to manage GPU usage and alternate between Intel's integrated GPU and the RTX 4060, given the user's consent. However, if solely operated on the discrete graphics, the battery longevity significantly diminishes.
That being said, during a typical workday that included a significant amount of writing, some image editing, extensive internet browsing, and a fair amount of viewing on YouTube and Netflix, we achieved roughly 4-5 hours of use at approximately 60 per cent screen brightness, which is quite satisfactory. We conducted the same tests and used the device under the same conditions, but this time solely on discrete graphics, and observed that the battery lasted just over 3 hours.
Fortunately, the package comes with a 240W charger, ensuring the device can be constantly powered. However, it's important to remember that charging the laptop from zero to full capacity using this charger can take significantly more than an hour.
Review Summary of MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V: The MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V perfectly combines efficiency, compactness, and the ability to get work done.
Though it stands out in numerous aspects, it does fall short in certain areas. We really wished for enhanced HDR support and a superior webcam. Also, it's quite odd that a laptop aimed at content creators lacks an SD card slot, considering their reliance on such features. Nevertheless, the powerful performance of the laptop makes up for most of these deficiencies.
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V, in the setup we examined, is highly capable for both gaming enthusiasts and mobile content creators. We did not encounter any problems such as frame loss or screen distortion, and also experienced no difficulties when navigating through 4K timelines during video project work. Throughout our evaluation, we never found ourselves wishing for additional computational capacity.
The standout feature of this laptop is its outstanding capability packed into a genuinely compact design. While enhancements in battery longevity and heat control would be beneficial, the immense strength provided by the Intel i7 13700H CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU cannot be overlooked.
Certainly, there are other options that may be a bit superior and less costly, particularly if you're open to a larger size than a 14-inch screen. Nonetheless, if you're on the hunt for a 14-inch display that provides a refresh rate of 240Hz with a resolution exceeding 1080P, as well as delivering all the performance you could possibly require, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio A13V is the perfect choice.
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