With nearly 20 years under my belt as a tech journalist, I’ve become pretty jaded to design gimmicks in laptops. It’s going to take more than a painted lid to get me to fall in love with a laptop — at least that’s what I thought before I laid my eyes on MSI’s new Prestige 13 AI+ Ukiyo-e Edition at Computex 2025.
At first, the crush felt purely skin deep. The use of Ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai’s “Great Wave off Kanagawa” artwork for the lid is an eye catching choice to say the least.
But there’s levels to this. Part of the company’s Artisan Collection, it’s a collaboration with Japanese lacquerware company OKADAYA that runs deep into the aesthetic — I’m talking authentic traditional handcrafted lacquerware on each of these using pure gold leaf powder.
MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Ukiyo-e Edition specs
CPU | Up to Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor 288V |
RAM | Up to 32GB LPDDR5x-8533 Memory on Package |
Storage | 1 x NVMe M.2 SSD by PCIe Gen4 |
Display | 13.3" 2.8K (2880 x 1800), 16:10, 100% DCI-P3 (Typical), VESA DisplayHDR™ True Black 500, OLED panel |
Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, microSD card reader, HDMI 2.1 |
Battery size | 75Whr |
Dimensions | 11.8 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches |
Weight | 2.2 pounds |
Waves of innovation
So you’re getting all the same feature set that made us really enjoy the OG Prestige 13 AI+ Evo a few months ago. That Intel Core Ultra 9 makes it truly sing, the LPDDR5 RAM directly on the chip delivers zippy fast multitasking and that 2.8K OLED display is a feast for the eyes. Oh, and don’t forget that surprising stunner in the 5MP webcam.
But the true statement piece here has to be that one-of-a-kind laptop artwork crafted with 8 layers of lacquer painting. Every layer is added on by hand, and the adhesive is applied as a base for the gold powder that really stands out within the waves, the MSI logo and the artist’s signature.
Cap it all off with the subtle details like golden text on the ports, the piano gloss finish atop the keyboard with gold lettering, and the fact that there will only be 1,000 of these made (laser engraved with a unique number to let you know which one you got), and not only does this look like a work of art, it feels like a work of art and has the exclusivity of a work of art.
Feeling the ripples of each lacquer layer is a simply irresistible activity for pretty much the entire time I went hands-on with this thing. Pretty on the eyes and in the hands.
But how much will it cost?
Yes, this is a question I’m just as terrified of as you are. With how complex the handcrafting process is, the amount of tech crammed into such a thin and light system and all the things you get in the bundle, this is not going to be cheap.
We’ve already seen MSI do something similar with the Titan 18 HX Dragon Norse Myth edition, and while I don’t expect this Prestige 13 to be $7,000, it’s going to come with a premium. That’s a little heartbreaking, given just how mesmerizing this Ukiyo-e Edition is from all angles.
That sleek utilitarian build with ultra portability in mind blends with the uber-premium lacquerware art atop the lid to make this almost feel like you’re working on a work of art.
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