I tested the MSI Prestige 16 AI+ for two weeks, and its stunning OLED refresh doesn't hit all the marks

Windows laptops are having a field day in 2026, parading around with powerful Intel Panther Lake chips and impressive upgrades that are worth raising a glass to. Now, the MSI Prestige 16 AI+ is joining the party, but maybe it shouldn't be celebrating too hard.

Delivering a complete refresh over its predecessor, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo, the revamped Prestige 16 AI+ now boasts a slimmer, compact design with a swish, signature-like "MSI" logo, the might of an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 chipset, the wonderful switch from IPS to glorious OLED and a tricked-out Action Touchpad to control the laptop with just a swipe. As a laptop geared towards professionals, this already hits all the right marks.

But key features somehow got lost in translation. As a laptop made for business and creative work, it would have been ideal to keep the SD card reader. However, the real kicker is having less battery life and lower performance than its older model, even though this Prestige 16 AI+ comes at a much higher launch price. And boy, does this get hot when under pressure.

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Much of this has to do with the Core Ultra 7 355 CPU inside, but you'll have a much better time with the Intel X7 variant available in the U.S. Even with it, though, does the MSI Prestige 16 AI+ have the right stuff to join the crowd as one of the best Windows laptops? Let's get into it.

MSI Prestige 16 AI+ review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A slim, lightweight 16-inch laptop made for productivity with an innovative touchpad and the latest Intel Panther Lake chip.
• Who is it for? Built for on-the-go professionals after a sizeable yet compact notebook for getting everyday tasks done. Or "business elites," as MSI put it.
• What does it cost? Quite a lot, depending on where you are! The MSI Prestige 16 AI+ is available from $1,799 (with a better Intel Core Ultra X7 chip) or $2,149 (the Flip version with the same specs as our review unit) in the U.S., or £1,279 in the U.K. (a much more welcome price).
• What do we like? The thinner, more attractive design refresh, the stunning 16-inch 2.8K OLED display (with multiple display modes), the multi-talented Action Touchpad and Intel Panther Lake performance.
• What don’t we like? The loss of useful ports (like an SD card reader), battery life getting a downgrade, getting piping hot under pressure and its price being all over the place.

MSI Prestige 16 AI+ review: Specs

MSI Prestige 16 AI+ review: The ups

MSI has clearly done its homework by delivering an extremely attractive refresh, one that's slimmer and more fit for the office (and the road) than ever before. And additions like the Action Touchpad are just the cherry on top.

Trimming where it counts

I've known MSI to make some of the thinnest and lightest laptops around (just like the Prestige 13 AI+), and now it's finally given the same treatment to the Prestige 16 AI+. Even for a 16-inch laptop, it's wonderfully slim and lightweight, making it an immediate boon for me when working on the move.

Coming in at 14 x 10 x 0.46~0.54 inches (the handy rubberized feet give it an extra few millimeters) and weighing just 3.5 pounds, that slightly undercuts the likes of the Dell XPS 16 and Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Pro — all while keeping a premium, modernized look. The gray aluminium alloy chassis keeps its appeal subtle, and it feels good to the touch.

The bigger star of the show here is the massive Action Touchpad. Now, I would have said it's a tad too big, but every corner of this touchpad has a handy function. For example, double-tapping the upper-left corner opens up the Calculator app, swiping up and down on the left side adjusts the volume, sliding left or right at the top scrubs through video and more.

It took a while to get used to, but once it clicked, I was controlling settings straight on the touchpad. That's a clever and helpful feature for productivity, and better yet, it can be customized to your liking (like opening the Xbox Game Bar or taking a screenshot).

Sure, I would have liked the keyboard's keycaps to feel less squishy to type on, but overall, the Prestige 16 AI+ delivers an impressive revamp to the series.

Welcome to OLED!

Was Intel Panther Lake supposed to be the big upgrade? Sorry, I was too busy goggling at the 16-inch 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED display that's finally found its way onto the Prestige 16 AI+. No more IPS screen here, just a gorgeous panel with rich colors and striking detail.

With its buttery smooth variable 120Hz refresh rate and excellent color coverage (100% DCI-P3), you're getting a visual treat no matter what you throw at it — from scrolling through long spreadsheets to binging your way through blockbusters.

Speaking of, I put it to the test by checking out the latest trailer for "Supergirl," and it got me amped for the striking, red laser beam-filled action Kara (Milly Alcock) will be dishing out across the galaxy. And I wouldn't mind watching it all on this screen, with deep blacks stretching across space and great contrasts when Supergirl heats up her laser eyes.

MSI decided to take full advantage of its OLED introduction with different display modes, too. That includes Ture Color Display P3, sRGB, low blue light and more, which makes it an ideal pick for photo or video editing work (well, less demanding creative work, but more on this later).

I'm glad the MSI Prestige 16 AI+ got the display upgrade it deserves, as OLED very much suits the laptop.

Intel Panther Lake strikes again

Coming equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 CPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, this is a recipe for seamless productivity and multitasking for on-the-move work. And that's exactly what the Prestige 16 AI+ delivers.

For my day-to-day workload, it could handle the demands I required without a hiccup. That includes opening up 30 Chrome tabs, listening to music on the side, doing some light photo editing work and watching a show in the background. That's more than enough for everyday tasks.

Even better, while this chip isn't made for graphically demanding tasks (that's left for the Intel Core Ultra X7 lineup), I was able to pull off some light gaming. But I mean light, as I could play the likes of Hollow Knight: Silksong at a steady 60 frames per second (FPS), but not something like Overwatch — even at its lowest settings and resolution.

For getting the job done, though, Intel Panther Lake has made another good case in the Prestige 16 AI+. That said, especially when compared to its 16-inch competitors, the performance on offer doesn't quite match the price.

MSI Prestige 16 AI+ review: The downs

As much as the MSI Prestige 16 AI+ hits its stride with its refresh, it dropped the ball in a few key areas that made this laptop a solid pick for workers in the first place. When you're not reaching the heights of a predecessor in terms of performance, battery life and ports, it's hard to be an "upgrade."

Upgrade to "X"

Firstly, I will say the MSI Prestige 16 AI+ is the more affordable option against its peers, especially at its starting price. That includes the Dell XPS 16 (starting at $1,749, but that's with a lesser Intel Core Ultra 5 325 CPU and IPS display), Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Pro ($2,199) and Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i Gen 11 ($2,149).

However, seeing the difference in performance is a real eye-opener. Not only does it struggle to keep up with laptops in the same price bracket, but the Prestige 16 AI+ actually falls behind its last-gen edition, the MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo. And the starting price for that machine? A much more affordable $1,399.

Check out the results for yourself:

Yes, the ongoing RAM crisis is making prices on the latest machines skyrocket, but it's still a punch in the gut when an all-new, redesigned Prestige 16 AI+ can't beat its older counterpart at an even higher price.

For U.K. buyers, the Prestige 16 AI+ with a Core Ultra 7 355 at least has a more fitting £1,279 price tag. In the U.S., though, you're getting a bad deal, as the 2-in-1 "Flip" model with the exact same specs as our review unit is priced at $2,149. However, for those in the U.S., I also found that you can grab the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H model for $2,229 at Best Buy, and this is the "Flip" 2-in-1 version. So, for $80 more, you get a more powerful chipset. That seems like the far better deal here (even though it's pricier).

That's why it's worth finding the Prestige 16 AI+ with an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H CPU instead, as our testing has shown just how much of a gain in performance you're getting (especially when it comes to graphics power, thanks to the integrated Intel Arc B390 iGPU). Luckily, you can find one for $1,799 at Costco.

That said, with its limited 65W power adapter, you can't expect to push the limit with this laptop, either (don't expect to increase clock speeds with Turbo Boost).

You're missing some ports

MSI has made the Prestige 16 AI+ for "business elites," and even offers multiple display modes with photo- and video-editing in mind. That's a great shout for creative work, so it's puzzling to see it decided to leave the SD card reader behind during its refresh.

Don't get me wrong; having two Thunderbolt 4 ports with Power Delivery (PD) and DisplayPort input, along with two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 and an HDMI 2.1 slot, is great to have. It gives you enough ports to plug in PC peripherals (like one of the best keyboards or best mice) and connect to an external display, but for photographers and the like, the lack of an SD card slot is a shame.

With a slimmer design, it makes sense for MSI to save space, but for the users it's catering towards, the Prestige 16 AI+ would have benefited from taking a page (or slot) from its last-gen sibling.

Piping hot

When a laptop gets so hot that it becomes risky to touch, you know that it really can't handle complex or demanding tasks. That's the case with the Prestige 16 AI+, especially just above the keyboard deck.

During basic daily tasks, the 16 AI+ could keep cool under pressure (as you'd expect from a laptop at this price). However, as I was testing the machine by playing Overwatch, the laptop felt like it was on the verge of melting, as it was too hot to the touch.

Now, the laptop clearly isn't made to play games, but I experienced this just by booting up the main menu of the game at its lowest settings. This doesn't bode well for graphically intensive work, so I'd suggest staying clear of complex video edits and, yes, demanding games.

MSI Prestige 16 AI+ review: Verdict

The MSI Prestige 16 AI+ may not be the life of the party that the best Windows laptops are throwing in 2026, but that doesn't take away from its upgraded party tricks. With its lovely 16-inch 2.8K OLED display offering crisp details and rich colors (with its different color modes), amazingly slim design and a touchpad that does way more than just move a cursor, this is a refresh worth cheering to.

But it can't throw a rager quite like its older sibling. By that, I mean dropping its SD card reader (a downer for creatives), bringing shorter battery life and, most importantly, delivering lower performance despite having a higher launch price than the Prestige 16 AI Evo. And that last one shows by getting way too hot under the hood.

Ergo, if this laptop does pique your interest, I wouldn't recommend getting the base Intel Core Ultra 7 355 model, as you'll not only be losing out on actual performance upgrades the X7 chipset delivers, as the Dell XPS 16 and Samsung Galaxy Book 6 Pro have shown us, but you'll also have to put up with thermal issues (but even the X7 model has to deal with a limited 65W AC adapter).

At its price, especially in the U.S., the Prestige 16 AI+ becomes harder to recommend despite the impressive lengths MSI has gone to deliver an otherwise worthwhile upgrade. Still, for a sleek, portable machine to breeze through work on a premium OLED display, this is a solid business machine.

My two cents? For beefier performance in a design that's fairly similar, I'd point you towards the MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (2026), which also got a glow-up backed by an even better Intel Panther Lake chip.

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