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| MSI Stealth 16 AI+ now gets Panther Lake smarts. |
CES has always been where laptop dreams get real, and MSI just made a bold move for 2026. The company is streamlining its premium thin-and-light gaming lineup, retiring the Stealth 18 HX AI and placing its biggest bet yet on a new, more powerful iteration of the 16-inch form factor. Meet the MSI Stealth 16 AI+, a Copilot+ PC that’s not just a spec bump—it’s a complete reimagining built around Intel’s hotly anticipated Panther Lake-H processors and the formidable NVIDIA RTX 50 Series laptop GPUs.
This shift marks a clear strategy. Last year, MSI divided its AI-powered Stealth series by chipset: AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 Strix Point powered the Stealth A16 AI+, while Intel’s Arrow Lake-HX was exclusive to the larger Stealth 18 HX AI. For 2026, MSI is consolidating its top-tier Intel offerings into this new, refined 16-inch chassis, seemingly positioning it as the ultimate Intel-based thin gaming laptop.
The Heart of the Beast: Panther Lake and RTX 50 Series, Unleashed
The headline specs are as serious as it gets. The Stealth 16 AI+ will be powered by Intel’s next-generation Core Ultra 9 386H processor from the Panther Lake-H Series. This 45W CPU is poised to deliver significant gains in both pure performance and AI computing, essential for a Copilot+ PC.
It’s paired with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, a combination that promises to blur the lines between desktop and laptop gaming. Interestingly, MSI is offering the GPU in two distinct TGP (Total Graphics Power) configurations: a top-tier Board 1 with 100W + 25W Dynamic Boost, and a slightly tempered Board 2 with 100W + 15W Dynamic Boost. This gives buyers a choice between maximum performance and potentially better thermals or battery life.
For those considering last year's powerful alternative, the AMD-based model remains a compelling option.
Buy the MSI Stealth A16 AI+ with Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and RTX 5070 Ti Laptop on Amazon
A Sleeker, Cooler, and More Powerful Design
MSI didn’t just upgrade the internals; they redesigned the shell. The new Stealth 16 AI+ is notably lighter and slimmer than its predecessor, now weighing 1.9 kg (down from 2.1 kg) and measuring 354 x 246 x 16.65-19.9 mm. This shaves off precious millimeters and grams without sacrificing power, thanks to an all-new Cooler Boost Intra Flow cooling system.
MSI claims this multi-directional exhaust design is a game-changer for thin chassis, enabling greater heat dissipation and allowing for 20% more system power overall. If it lives up to the promise, it means sustained performance during marathon gaming or intensive creative work.
Display and Features Fit for a Flagship
The laptop will feature a stunning 16-inch 16:10 OLED display with thin bezels for a 90% screen-to-body ratio, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. Buyers can choose between FHD+ and QHD+ resolutions, with the top-tier QHD+ panel boasting a buttery-smooth 240 Hz refresh rate and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification for breathtaking contrast and color.
Under the hood, configurability reigns supreme. Users can spec up to a massive 128 GB of DDR5 RAM (at speeds up to 7200 MT/s) and twin M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 SSD slots for lightning-fast storage. Modern essentials are all present: a FHD IR webcam with privacy shutter, a fingerprint reader in the power button, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, a quad-speaker setup, and a 4-zone RGB keyboard with a spacious glass touchpad.
Port selection is comprehensive, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 output, and Gigabit Ethernet. The Board 1 configuration packs a substantial 90 Whr battery, while the Board 2 variant uses a 75 Whr cell.
Pricing, Availability, and Final Thoughts
As expected for a no-compromise machine, the MSI Stealth 16 AI+ commands a premium price. Pricing is expected to start around $2,000 for a configuration with an RTX 5060 GPU and can easily exceed $3,000 when equipped with an RTX 5080 or higher. While official availability is still under wraps, a release in Q2 of 2026 seems highly likely based on the CES unveiling.
With the Stealth 16 AI+, MSI is making a definitive statement: the future of high-performance, Intel-based portable gaming is not about getting bigger, but about getting smarter, cooler, and more powerfully condensed into a sleek, 16-inch frame. For gamers and creators waiting for the Panther Lake and RTX 50 series union in a thin-and-light design, this might just be the catalyst for an upgrade.
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| MSI Stealth 16 AI+. |
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| MSI Stealth 16 AI+. |
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| MSI Stealth 16 AI+. |
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| MSI Stealth 16 AI+. |
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| MSI Stealth 16 AI+: Feature overview. |
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| MSI Stealth 16 AI+: Specifications. |