HP OMEN MAX 16 vs MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (B3WH)
The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is the better laptop on paper: it has an OLED screen, is lighter and has more accurate colour. Pick the HP OMEN MAX 16 only if it matters to you that it has a number pad.
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Key differences
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Performance
Evenly matched
Both are built for heavy creative work, with 32 GB of memory each.
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Gaming
Evenly matched
Both play the latest games at very high settings.
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Display
Evenly matched
Closely matched screens: 16" 2.5K 500 nits 240 Hz against 16" 2.5K OLED 240 Hz.
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Battery life
Evenly matched
Similar battery life: a 83 Wh battery against up to 12 hours.
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Connectivity
Evenly matched
Much the same ports and wireless on both.
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Portability
MSI Stealth 16 AI+ wins
The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is easier to carry at 1.99 kg, against 2.71 kg.
Other differences
- Colour MSI Stealth 16 AI+ wins
The MSI Stealth 16 AI+'s screen shows a wider range of colour (100% DCI-P3 (Typical) against 100% sRGB), so photos and films look richer and truer.
- Extras HP OMEN MAX 16 wins
Only the HP OMEN MAX 16 has a number pad.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the HP OMEN MAX 16 if…
- You want a number pad, handy for spreadsheets and numbers.
- You do demanding work: its AMD Ryzen AI 9 is built for heavy creative work.
- You want to play games too: it plays the latest games at very high settings.
Choose the MSI Stealth 16 AI+ if…
- You watch a lot of films and video, or edit photos: its OLED screen has true blacks and rich colour.
- You'll move it around the house or office: it's 0.7 kg lighter.
- You edit photos or care about colour: its screen covers 100% DCI-P3 (Typical).
Full spec comparison
The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ leads on the screen and battery and weight; elsewhere the two are closely matched.
Green cells with a ✓ mark the better spec in that row. Tick "Show differences only" to hide the rows where they match.
Performance
Both laptops are very close on performance.
Their processors are in the same class: both are built for heavy creative work, and both have 32 GB of memory.
| Spec | HP OMEN MAX 16 | MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (B3WH) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU |
| Graphics memory | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Graphics power (TGP) | — | 125 W |
| AI engine (NPU) | — | 50 TOPS |
| Memory (RAM) | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory type | DDR5-5600 | DDR5 (up to DDR5-7200) |
| Maximum memory | 32 GB | 128 GB |
| Memory upgrades | Upgradeable (slots) | Upgradeable (slots) |
| Storage | 1 TB | 1 TB |
| Storage type | SSD | SSD |
| Storage interface | PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 | PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 |
| Storage slots | 2 | 2 |
Screen
The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is ahead on the screen.
It has an OLED screen and has more accurate colour, and the HP OMEN MAX 16 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | HP OMEN MAX 16 | MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (B3WH) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 16" | 16" |
| Resolution | 2.5K (2560 x 1600) | 2.5K (2560 x 1600) |
| Aspect ratio | 16:10 | 16:10 |
| Panel | IPS | OLED |
| Refresh rate | 240 Hz | 240 Hz |
| Variable refresh (VRR) | Yes | — |
| Brightness | 500 nits | — |
| Colour range | 100% sRGB | 100% DCI-P3 (Typical) |
| HDR | — | VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600 |
| Finish | Matte | — |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
Battery and size
The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is ahead on battery and weight.
It is lighter, has a bigger battery and is slimmer, and the HP OMEN MAX 16 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | HP OMEN MAX 16 | MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (B3WH) |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life (maker claim) | — | Up to 12 hours |
| Battery capacity | 83 Wh | 90 Wh |
| Charger | 330 W | 240 W |
| Charges via | AC smart pin (barrel) | — |
| Fast charging | approximately 50% in 30 minutes | — |
| Weight | 2.71 kg | 1.99 kg |
| Dimensions | 356.5 x 269 x 22.9-24.8 mm | 354 x 246 x 16.65-19.99 mm |
| Materials | Sandblasted cover, paint finish base and keyboard frame; recycled metal in cover, base and hinge caps | all-aluminium alloy chassis |
| Colour | Shadow black | Charcoal Black |
| Colours available | Shadow black | Charcoal Black |
Ports and wireless
Both have much the same ports and wireless.
You can plug in the same things on either.
| Spec | HP OMEN MAX 16 | MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (B3WH) |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 2x USB-A 10Gbps, 2x USB-C 40Gbps (USB Power Delivery 3.1 charging, DisplayPort 2.1, Sleep and Charge), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45 (2.5 GbE), 1x 3.5 mm headphone/mic combo, 1x AC smart pin (power) | 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 2x Thunderbolt 4 (DisplayPort, Power Delivery 3.0), 1x HDMI 2.1 (8K@60Hz / 4K@120Hz), 1x 2.5 GbE RJ-45, 1x 3.5 mm mic-in/headphone-out combo |
| Thunderbolt / USB4 | USB4 40Gbps | Thunderbolt 4 |
| Card reader | None | None |
| Ethernet | 2.5 GbE RJ-45 (10/100/1000/2500) | 2.5 GbE |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Wi-Fi card | MediaTek MT7925 | Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE213 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4 | Bluetooth 6.0 |
| Mobile data | None | None |
Features
The HP OMEN MAX 16 is ahead on extras.
It has a number pad, and the MSI Stealth 16 AI+ doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | HP OMEN MAX 16 | MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (B3WH) |
|---|---|---|
| Webcam | 1080p + IR | 1080p + IR |
| Webcam privacy | physical shutter | physical shutter |
| Backlit keyboard | Yes | Yes |
| Keyboard | Full-size, per-key RGB backlit, numeric keypad, NKRO anti-ghosting | 4-zone RGB, Copilot key, smudge-resistant |
| Login | — | Fingerprint |
| Number pad | Yes | No |
| Touchpad | HP Imagepad | — |
| Speakers | Dual speakers, HP Audio Boost, HyperX, DTS:X Ultra | 2x 2W speakers + 2x 2W woofers, Hi-Res Audio Ready, Nahimic 3 |
| Microphones | dual-array digital | array microphone |
| Pen | No | No |
| Security | Camera privacy shutter, TPM (firmware TPM) | Fingerprint, fTPM 2.0, Kensington lock, Secured-core PC, Webcam shutter |
Software and model
The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is ahead on software and updates.
It is newer, and the HP OMEN MAX 16 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | HP OMEN MAX 16 | MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (B3WH) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Model number | BV3G1EA#ABU | 9S7-263111-070 |
| Released | 2025 | 2026 |