MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel vs MSI Creator Z16 Comparison

Laptop to replace

Change

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel

15.6 inches | January 2021

CHECK PRICE

Change

MSI Creator Z16

16 inches | September 2021

CHECK PRICE

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel vs MSI Creator Z16 Comparison Overview

MSI GS66 Stealth 11t...

See at AMAZON

MSI Creator Z16

See at AMAZON

MSI GS66 Stealth 11t...

See at AMAZON

MSI Creator Z16

See at AMAZON

In this review, we will be comparing GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and Creator Z16, two laptops by MSI. MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel was introduced to market in January 2021 and MSI Creator Z16 was launched in September 2021. There is only 8 months difference between GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and Creator Z16 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and MSI Creator Z16 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 11800H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
358.3 x 248 x 19.8 mm (14.11 x 9.76 x 0.78 inches)
Weight: 2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)

MSI Creator Z16 Key Specs

Launched in September 2021
16.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 11800H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
359 x 256 x 15.9 mm (14.13 x 10.08 x 0.63 inches)
Weight: 2.2 kg (4.85 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and Creator Z16 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel over MSI Creator Z16

Weight	2.10 kg vs 2.20 kg	0.1 kg lighter
Side Bezel Thickness	6.5 mm vs 7.2 mm	0.7 mm thinner bezels
Refresh Rate	240 Hz vs 120 Hz	Smoother media experience
GPU FLOPS	12 TFLOPS vs 10.4 TFLOPS	Flexible cable positions
Charging Port Position	Left, Right vs Left	Connect more device at the same time
Number of USB-A Ports	3x USB 3.2 vs 2x USB 3.2	Connects to the local network via Ethernet RJ45
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs No

Reasons to choose MSI Creator Z16 over MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel

Screen-to-Body Ratio	~80.8% vs ~75.5%	Larger screen area ratio
Display Size	16 inches vs 15.6 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Screen PPI	189 ppi vs 141 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
Max Brightness	400 nits vs 300 nits	Brighter Screen
HDMI Version	2.1 vs 2.0	Better HDMI connectivity
SD Card Reader	Yes vs No	Read & Write SD Cards with the built-in reader
Numeric Pad	Yes vs No	Fast way to input numbers

Common Strengths of MSI Creator Z16 and MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel

Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the RAM size
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Wi-Fi Standard	v6 vs v6	Fast and Reliable Wi-Fi Connections
Bluetooth Standard	v5.2 vs v5.2	Fast and Reliable Bluetooth Connections
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.0 vs 1x HDMI 2.0	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of MSI Creator Z16 and MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability
HDR Support	No vs No	No HDR Support

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel vs MSI Creator Z16: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and the MSI Creator Z16.

Physical Specs
Weight	2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)	2.2 kg (4.85 lbs)
Surface Area	889 cm2 (137.7 inches2)	919 cm2 (142.4 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~75.5%	~80.8%
Side Bezel Thickness	~6.5 mm	~7.2 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.13 kg/inch	0.14 kg/inch
	0.286 lbs/inch	0.308 lbs/inch
Colors	Black	Black, Gray
Cover Opening Angle	180Â°	180Â°

Comparison of the MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and the MSI Creator Z16 External Dimensions

Weight

GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel weighs 2.1 kg (4.63 lbs), whereas the Creator Z16 weighs 2.2 kg (4.85 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. However, it's important to consider that comparing their weights directly may not provide a complete picture since they also have different display sizes.

Weight Comparison

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel 2.10 kg

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 1.94 kg

MSI Creator Z16 2.20 kg

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 2.08 kg

Thickness Comparison

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel 19.80 mm

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 20.13 mm

MSI Creator Z16 15.90 mm

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 20.33 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel is 0.13 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the MSI Creator Z16 is 0.14 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Microsoft Surface Pro 12: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel vs MSI Creator Z16: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i7 11800H Intel Core i9 11900H Intel Core i9 11980HK	Intel Core i7 11800H Intel Core i9 11900H
Base Frequency	1.9-2.3 GHz	1.9-2.3 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.6 GHz	4.6 GHz
Number of Cores	8	8
Number of Threads	16	16
L3 Cache	24 MB	24 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (32 EU)	Intel UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (32 EU)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	10 nm
Geekbench 5 (Single)	1563	1563
Geekbench 5 (Multi)	8909	8909
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1504	1504
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	12182	12182

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and MSI Creator Z16.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPU ( Intel Core i7 11800H ) and compare them:

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 16GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
Base Clock Frequency	900 MHz	900 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1425 MHz	1425 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	80 W	80 W
Nvidia Optimus	MUX	Yes
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS
Memory Size	6 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	192 bit	192 bit
Memory Speed	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	3840	3840
TMUs	120	120
ROPs	48	48

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel has a FLOPS value of 12 TFLOPS whereas the MSI Creator Z16 ' has a FLOPS value of 10.4 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	16GB 32GB 64GB	16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	2x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	3200 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	DDR4
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	64 GB	64 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

Both laptops, the GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and the Creator Z16, come with similar RAM capacities of 16 GB, providing comparable performance in memory-intensive tasks.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	MSI GS66 Stealth (11th Gen Intel)	MSI Creator Z16
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	99.9 Wh	90 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left, Right	Left
Charge Power	230 W	180 W
Full Charging Time	2:00 hr

Moreover, the GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel boasts a larger battery capacity of 100 Wh, offering extended usage time compared to the Creator Z16's90 Wh.

Battery Comparison

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel 100 Wh

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 62.07 Wh

MSI Creator Z16 90 Wh

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 73.72 Wh

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 4 TB, the GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Creator Z16's max. storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	2	1
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel vs MSI Creator Z16: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and MSI Creator Z16 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel has a display size of 15.6".On the other hand, Creator Z16 has a larger16.0" display.The total usable screen area of the GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel is 670cm² / 104inch² whereas the Creator Z16's total usable screen area is 742cm² / 115inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Creator Z16 features a higher pixel density with 189 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel 141 PPI

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 143 PPI

MSI Creator Z16 189 PPI

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 167 PPI

Refresh Rate
The GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel offers a higher refresh rate of 240 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Brightness
The Creator Z16 offers a higher maximum brightness of 400 nits, delivering a brighter screen.

Brightness Comparison

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel 300 nits

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 319 nits

MSI Creator Z16 400 nits

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 407 nits

MSI GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel vs MSI Creator Z16 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Both laptops offer the same Wi-Fi standard (v6), ensuring fast and reliable wireless connections.

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and Creator Z16 have USB-A ports. GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel has 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while Creator Z16 has 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and Creator Z16 feature 2x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Both GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and Creator Z16 are equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports.

HDMI
Both GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and Creator Z16 feature an HDMI port. GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel offers 1x HDMI 2.0, while Creator Z16 offers 1x HDMI 2.1.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Creator Z16 is equipped with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards. GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel does not have an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both GS66 Stealth 11th Gen Intel and Creator Z16 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6	v6
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	3x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 5)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.0	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No	Optional
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	No
SD CardReader	No	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes