MSI Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Review – Power of a Sports Car In Your Hands

At Computex Taipei 2024, MSI showcased the new limited edition Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, a product of their continued collaboration with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. Building on last year’s successful partnership, MSI and Mercedes-AMG have once again joined forces to create this exclusive model.

Design

The Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport seamlessly blends MSI’s technological prowess with Mercedes-AMG’s luxury and high-performance ethos. Its design is distinctive, reflecting the dynamic and unique characteristics of a sports car. 

Weighing 2.85 kg and measuring 19.9 mm in thickness, the laptop features a sleek matte black finish with a mirror-finish MSI and Mercedes-AMG Motorsport logo on the lid. The chassis is made from magnesium-aluminum alloy, maintaining the Stealth series’ understated style while resisting fingerprint smudges.

 

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Image Credit: Digital Braves

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The design includes signature metal badges on the bottom, as well as the Mercedes-AMG Motorsport logos on the back cover, screen bezel, and bottom.

I/O Ports

The Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport comes equipped with a comprehensive array of I/O ports, including 1 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1 Thunderbolt 4 Type-C, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, HDMI 2.1, an SD card reader, an RJ-45 Ethernet port, and a 3.5 mm audio jack.

 

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Left Ports | Image Credit: Digital Braves

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The rear features AMG diamond-patterned accents and cooling vents inspired by automotive air intakes, enhancing the laptop’s stylish appearance.

Keyboard and Touchpad

This model includes a full-sized RGB keyboard with a separate numeric keypad. Due to the 18-inch size of the laptop, the numeric keys are the same size as the main keys, ensuring a consistent typing experience and reducing accidental presses.

The power button, designed to resemble a car engine’s start button, adds a unique branding element. Specially designed AWSD arrow keys with a glass-like texture provide durability and a distinctive look.

A decorative light strip along the keyboard and palm rest illuminates with a blue glow when powered on, creating a cool visual effect. Additionally, red rubber pads situated above and around the keyboard provide cushioning to reduce impact when closing the lid. The laptop is equipped with a large, smooth touchpad that includes a fingerprint sensor located in the top right corner.

The ample touchpad area enhances productivity, and a Co-Pilot button on the keyboard allows for one-touch access to the AI assistant.

Display and Audio

The Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport comes with an 18-inch Mini LED IPS display featuring a UHD+ resolution of 3840 x 2400, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 16:10 aspect ratio, VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification, and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. This high-caliber display, combined with its robust performance, significantly enhances the gaming experience.

The palm rest on either side of the large touchpad features AMG diamond-patterned accents. The audio system, developed by Dynaudio, includes two 2W full-range speakers and four 2W subwoofers for an immersive sound experience. Additionally, a physical webcam privacy shutter complements the IR FHD webcam located above the display to ensure user privacy.

Battery and Cooling System

The Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport features a robust 99.9Wh battery that delivers extended battery life. Despite the high power demands of its advanced hardware and high-resolution display, this substantial battery allows for prolonged usage even when unplugged.

The bottom cover of the Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport boasts an elegant design, featuring a metal badge with the signatures of the CEOs of MSI and AMG. Equally crucial to its performance is the cooling system, which is as vital as the graphics processor. The MSI Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport is equipped with a Vapor Chamber Cooler system that effectively manages heat during intensive tasks, preventing system or software crashes due to overheating. The laptop maintains excellent thermal performance even while running high-resolution games. However, the cooling fans can become quite noisy when operating under heavy load.

Performance

The Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport not only boasts a distinctive design but also delivers exceptional performance. It is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, providing strong computing and graphics capabilities that cater to modern AI applications and high-performance gaming. The MSI Center allows users to activate the MSI AI Engine or Sport mode via a dedicated interface, enabling the laptop to operate at maximum speed intelligently.

In the PCMark and 3DMark tests, the Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport displayed impressive performance. The laptop excelled in the PCMark test, efficiently handling everyday tasks, productivity, and digital content creation, meeting the needs of office and creative applications. In the 3DMark test, the Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport performed exceptionally well in gaming and graphics-intensive tasks, thanks to its powerful GPU, delivering smooth and realistic visuals.

PCMARK: 4890

Gaming Tests

The Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport also excels in gaming tests. 3 games were tested: Ghost of Tsushima, Tekken 8, and Apex Legends.

In Ghost of Tsushima, whether during intense combat scenes or while exploring the detailed game world, the frame rate consistently stayed between 80-100 FPS, ensuring smooth visuals and immediate responsiveness for a highly immersive experience.

The gameplay experience in Tekken 8 is incredibly smooth. The laptop effortlessly handles intense battles without any lag, maintaining a consistent frame rate between 60 – 70 FPS, ensuring that every move responds swiftly and precisely.

In Apex Legends, even during intense combat, the frame rate remains consistently high, staying between 100 – 110FPS without any drops. This stability allows players to execute precise maneuvers and react quickly in high-pressure situations.

Overall, the Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport excels in both performance tests and actual gaming, meeting high demands for both high-performance tasks and immersive gaming experiences.

Verdict

The MSI Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport distinguishes itself with remarkable performance and design. Blending MSI’s advanced technology with Mercedes-AMG’s luxury aesthetics, it exudes the dynamism and unique style of a sports car. Though this flagship creator laptop carries a premium price, its top-tier specifications and design justify its elite status. However, the battery life could see some improvement.

In comparison to MSI’s gaming-focused Titan 18 HX and Raider 18 HX models, the Stealth 18 offers not only high-end performance but also a slimmer profile, making it ideal for both professional creators and gamers. Its excellent cooling and thermal management system further enhances the user experience, particularly under demanding conditions.

 

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The MSI Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport is available for RM18,999. Buyers of this limited edition laptop will also receive a 1:18 scale MSI Mercedes-AMG Motorsport model car. With limited quantities available, it’s a first-come, first-served opportunity. If you’re interested, head on over to the official website to check it out.

MSI Stealth 18 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Specs

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