MSI Creator 16 AI Studio vs MSI Creator 15 Comparison

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MSI Creator 16 AI Studio

16 inches | January 2024

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MSI Creator 15

15.6 inches | January 2021

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MSI Creator 16 AI Studio vs MSI Creator 15 Comparison Overview

MSI Creator 16 AI St...

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MSI Creator 15

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MSI Creator 15

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In this review, we will be comparing Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15, two laptops by MSI. MSI Creator 16 AI Studio was introduced to market in January 2024 and MSI Creator 15 was launched in January 2021. As you can see, Creator 15 is 3 years older than Creator 16 AI Studio. Let's see if this age difference between two laptops makes a big difference.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15 are members of MSI's Creator series of laptops. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

MSI Creator Series History

	Release Date	Screen Size	Dimensions	Weight
MSI Creator M16	January 2024	16.0"	359 x 259 x 26.95 mm	2.25 kg (4.96 lbs)
MSI Creator M14	January 2024	14.0"	314.7 x 233.5 x 18.6-22.3 mm	1.6 kg (3.53 lbs)
MSI CreatorPro 16 AI Studio	January 2024	16.0"	355.8 x 259.7 x 19.95-21.55 mm	1.99 kg (4.39 lbs)
MSI Creator 16 AI Studio	January 2024	16.0"	355.8 x 259.7 x 19.95-21.55 mm	1.99 kg (4.39 lbs)
MSI Creator Z17 A12U	January 2022	17.0"	382 x 260 x 19 mm	2.49 kg (5.49 lbs)
MSI Creator Z16	September 2021	16.0"	359 x 256 x 15.9 mm	2.2 kg (4.85 lbs)
MSI Creator 17 B11UX	May 2021	17.3"	396.1 x 259.4 x 20.2 mm	2.45 kg (5.4 lbs)
MSI Creator 15	January 2021	15.6"	358 x 248 x 19.8 mm	2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)

Here is a brief look at the main features of MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and MSI Creator 15 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio Key Specs

Launched in January 2024
16.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
GPU: GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop 12GB
32GB Ram
355.8 x 259.7 x 19.95-21.55 mm (14.01 x 10.22 x 0.79-0.85 inches)
Weight: 1.99 kg (4.39 lbs)

MSI Creator 15 Key Specs

Launched in January 2021
15.6" IPS LCD, 16:9 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i7 10750H
GPU: GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB
16GB Ram
358 x 248 x 19.8 mm (14.09 x 9.76 x 0.78 inches)
Weight: 2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15 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 Creator 16 AI Studio over MSI Creator 15

Weight	1.99 kg vs 2.10 kg	0.11 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~80.3% vs ~75.6%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	5.6 mm vs 6.3 mm	0.7 mm thinner bezels
Display Size	16 inches vs 15.6 inches	Larger Screen Estate
Refresh Rate	165 Hz vs 60 Hz	Smoother media experience
Screen PPI	142 ppi vs 141 ppi	More pixels per inch
Screen Resolution	1920 x 1200 pixels vs 1920 x 1080 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
CPU Fabrication Process	7 nm vs 14 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	5 nm vs 8 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	26.9 TFLOPS vs 12 TFLOPS	Flexible cable positions
Charging Port Position	Left, Right vs Bottom	Faster RAM Type
RAM Type	DDR5 vs DDR4	Higher RAM potential
Max Total RAM	96 GB vs 64 GB	More advanced Wi-fi connectivity
WiFi Standard	v7 vs v6E	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.4 vs v5.2	Easy login with fingerprint
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes vs No	Higher Resolution Camera
Webcam Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Faster USB-C connection
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Fast way to input numbers
Numeric Pad	Yes vs No

Reasons to choose MSI Creator 15 over MSI Creator 16 AI Studio

Number of USB-A Ports	3x USB 3.2 vs 1x USB 3.2	Connect more device at the same time

Common Strengths of MSI Creator 15 and MSI Creator 16 AI Studio

Screen Coating	Matte vs Matte	Less reflections on the screen
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
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
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v3	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.1 vs 1x HDMI 2.1	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs Yes	Fast connection to Network via ethernet cable
Built-in SD Card Reader	Yes vs Yes	Read & Write SD Cards
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Common Weaknesses of MSI Creator 15 and MSI Creator 16 AI Studio

Touchscreen Capability	No vs No	No Touchscreen Capability

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio vs MSI Creator 15: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and the MSI Creator 15.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.99 kg (4.39 lbs)	2.1 kg (4.63 lbs)
Surface Area	924 cm2 (143.2 inches2)	888 cm2 (137.5 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~80.3%	~75.6%
Side Bezel Thickness	~5.6 mm	~6.3 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.12 kg/inch	0.13 kg/inch
	0.264 lbs/inch	0.286 lbs/inch
Colors	Gray	Gray
Cover Opening Angle	180Â°	180Â°

Comparison of the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and the MSI Creator 15 External Dimensions

Weight

Creator 16 AI Studio weighs 1.99 kg (4.39 lbs), whereas the Creator 15 weighs 2.1 kg (4.63 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 Creator 16 AI Studio 1.99 kg

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 2.07 kg

MSI Creator 15 2.10 kg

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 1.95 kg

Thickness Comparison

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio 21.55 mm

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 20.35 mm

MSI Creator 15 19.80 mm

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 20.17 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 Creator 16 AI Studio is 0.12 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the MSI Creator 15 is 0.13 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
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
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio vs MSI Creator 15: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core Ultra 9 185H	Intel Core i7 10750H Intel Core i7 10870H Intel Core i7 10875H Intel Core i7 11370H Intel Core i7 11375H
Base Frequency	2.3 GHz	2.6 GHz
Turbo Frequency	5.1 GHz	5 GHz
Number of Cores	Arc Graphics (8-	6
Number of Threads	22	12
L3 Cache	24 MB	12 MB
Integrated GPU	Arc Graphics (8-Cores)	Intel UHD Graphics 630
CPU Fabrication Process	7 nm	14 nm
Cinebench 23 (Single)	2055	1183
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	18640	7338

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 Creator 16 AI Studio and MSI Creator 15.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H

Laptops with: Intel Core i7 10750H

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop 12GB GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop 16GB	GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile 6GB GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile 8GB GeForce RTX 3080 Mobile 16GB
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	105 W	80 W
Nvidia Optimus	Yes, Advanced Optimus	Yes
Type	Dedicated	Dedicated
FLOPS	26.9 TFLOPS	10.94 TFLOPS
Memory Size	12 GB	6 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bus	192 bit	192 bit
Memory Speed	~16 Gbps	1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective
Shading Units Cores	7424	3840
TMUs	232	120
ROPs	80	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 Creator 16 AI Studio has a FLOPS value of 26.9 TFLOPS whereas the MSI Creator 15 ' has a FLOPS value of 12 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	32GB 64GB 96GB	16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	2x16 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	5600 MHz	3200 MHz
RAM Type	DDR5	DDR4
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Max RAM Size	96 GB	64 GB
Total Slots	2	2
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

With a larger RAM capacity of 32 GB, the Creator 16 AI Studio offers an advantage for multitasking and resource-intensive applications compared to the Creator 15's RAM capacity of 16 GB.

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.

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio

MSI Creator 15

Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B

✔Run smoothly.

Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B

✔Good performance.

✖Not supported.

Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B

⚠Can run using CPU + RAM fallback. Expect slower performance.

✖Not supported.

Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B

✖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.

In addition to RAM capacity, the type of RAM can significantly impact performance, with newer RAM types often offering higher speeds compared to others. Therefore, selecting RAM types with the latest DDR number can be a suitable choice based on your requirements.

BATTERY

BATTERY	99.9 Wh	99.9 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left, Right	Bottom
Charge Power	240 W	150 / 180 / 230 W

Furthermore, both laptops have the same battery capacity of 100 Wh, ensuring comparable battery performance.

Battery Comparison

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio 100 Wh

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 74.15 Wh

MSI Creator 15 100 Wh

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 62.1 Wh

STORAGE
With a larger storage capacity up to 4 TB, the Creator 16 AI Studio provides more space for storing files and applications compared to the Creator 15's max. storage capacity of 2 TB.

Storage Options	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB	512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
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 Creator 16 AI Studio vs MSI Creator 15: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and MSI Creator 15 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. Creator 16 AI Studio has a display size of 16.0".On the other hand, Creator 15 has a smaller 15.6" display.The total usable screen area of the Creator 16 AI Studio is 742cm² / 115inch² whereas the Creator 15's total usable screen area is 670cm² / 104inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the Creator 16 AI Studio features a higher pixel density with 142 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio 142 PPI

Avg: 16.0-16.9" 169 PPI

MSI Creator 15 141 PPI

Avg: 15.0-15.9" 144 PPI

Refresh Rate
The Creator 16 AI Studio offers a higher refresh rate of 165 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio vs MSI Creator 15 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
Creator 16 AI Studio features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v7, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to Creator 15 (v6E).

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 Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15 have USB-A ports. Creator 16 AI Studio has 1x USB 3.2 USB-A ports, while Creator 15 has 3x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15 have USB Type-C ports. Creator 16 AI Studio has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports, while Creator 15 has 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 Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15 feature Thunderbolt ports. Creator 16 AI Studio has Thunderbolt 4, while Creator 15 has Thunderbolt 3.

HDMI
Both Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15 feature an HDMI port (1x HDMI 2.1) for connecting to external monitors.

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
Both Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15 come with an SD Card Reader for easy access to memory cards.

Audio Jack
Both Creator 16 AI Studio and Creator 15 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)	v7	v6E
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.4	v5.2
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	1x USB 3.2	3x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 4.0	2x USB 3.2
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 3
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.1	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Yes	No
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	Yes
SD CardReader	Yes	Yes
Proprietary Charging Port	Yes	Yes