MSI SummitPro 16 AI A2HVETG-074US

The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H puts this laptop in the 86th percentile for CPU performance, making it a multitasking and rendering beast. The 16-inch QHD+ touchscreen is gorgeous and the 32GB of RAM is generous, but the RTX 4050 is just okay for gaming and the whole package is pretty hefty at 2.43kg. It's a killer deal if you can find it near the $975 mark, but the spotty reliability record and scarce user reviews mean you should buy with a solid return policy.

The Core Ultra 7 255H is the star here. With 16 cores, it chews through video exports and code compilation faster than the vast majority of laptops in our database. In practical terms, you're looking at a machine that can handle 4K timelines in Premiere Pro without constantly dropping frames, and it'll run dozens of browser tabs alongside Slack and Spotify without breaking a sweat. The 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM gives you plenty of headroom for large Photoshop files or running virtual machines. The RTX 4050 is a step down from the CPU's prowess. It's got 6GB of VRAM, which is enough for GPU-accelerated effects in DaVinci Resolve or playing most AAA titles at 1080p with medium settings, but it's not going to set any benchmark records. It's a balanced pairing for a creator laptop, but the CPU clearly outclasses the GPU here. The 1TB NVMe SSD delivers snappy load times, and while it's not the absolute fastest drive we've seen, it's well above average and won't leave you waiting on file transfers.

Stacked against the competition, the Summit Pro 16 carves out a weird niche. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 will run circles around it in games with a much stronger GPU and is far more portable, but it gives up the 2-in-1 form factor and the larger 16-inch screen. The Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max is in a different universe for CPU and GPU performance and battery life, but it's also locked into macOS and costs significantly more. The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is a better pure gaming and performance pick, while the HP OMEN Transcend 14 is a more compact alternative with a better GPU. The Microsoft Surface Laptop is a direct competitor in the premium Windows space, but it can't match the Summit's raw CPU power or RAM at this price. The MSI's main advantage is that big, bright touchscreen and the included pen, making it a solid choice if you specifically need a large canvas for creative work that can also fold into a tablet.

Pricing on this thing is all over the map, with a spread from $975 to $1720 across vendors. At the low end, especially if you can snag an open-box unit around that $975 mark, it's a fantastic deal for a 32GB creator laptop with a great screen and a strong CPU. You're getting a lot of hardware for under a grand. At the full $1720, the value proposition gets shaky. You're creeping into territory where you can find laptops with a more powerful GPU or a more polished, compact design. If you're buying, hunt for a deal closer to the bottom of that range to really make it worth your while.

The MSI Summit Pro 16 is a creator-focused 2-in-1 that lands in the 86th percentile for CPU performance in our database, thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H. That puts it ahead of most laptops we've tested for raw processing grunt. You also get 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, both sitting comfortably in the 82nd percentile, so multitasking and storage won't be bottlenecks. The 16-inch QHD+ touchscreen is a standout, ranking in the 83rd percentile, and it comes with a pen in the box. Just don't expect a gaming monster. The RTX 4050 is a capable entry-level GPU, but it's in the 77th percentile, which means it's fine for moderate creative work and light gaming, not maxed-out Cyberpunk.

Skip this if you're a serious gamer or need a truly portable machine. The RTX 4050 is in the 77th percentile, which means it'll struggle with demanding AAA titles at high settings, and you can get a much more powerful gaming laptop for the same price. At 2.43kg and in the 13th percentile for compactness, this is not a laptop you'll want to lug around in tablet mode all day. If you don't need the 2-in-1 form factor or the pen, there are lighter, more powerful clamshell laptops that will serve you better.

The MSI Summit Pro 16 is a purpose-built machine that nails its target. If you're a creator who wants a large, color-accurate touchscreen with a pen for drawing or photo editing, and you need serious CPU horsepower for rendering or compiling, this is a strong pick. The 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD are generous, and the 2-in-1 design adds real flexibility. Just know what you're getting into: it's heavy for a convertible, the GPU is merely adequate, and long-term reliability is a question mark given the limited user feedback. If you can find it at the lower end of its price range, it's an easy recommendation for the right person.