MSI Summit MSI Summit A16 AI+ 16" Touchscreen Copilot+ PC Review

If you're hunting for a powerful, AI-focused laptop that's not a gaming machine, the MSI Summit A16 AI+ is a really interesting option. It's a 16-inch Copilot+ PC with a sharp touchscreen, packing AMD's new Ryzen AI 9 365 chip and 32GB of RAM. That combo puts it in a unique spot for developers and creative work, though the integrated Radeon 880M graphics mean it's not built for serious gaming. People searching for a 'thin and light AI laptop' or a 'Copilot+ PC for programming' will find a lot to like here, especially with that high-refresh touch display.

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is the star here, landing in the 81st percentile for CPU power. In practice, that means it chews through code compilation, video editing, and multitasking without breaking a sweat. The 32GB of RAM is also a huge plus, sitting in the 92nd percentile, so you can have a hundred browser tabs open alongside your IDE. Where it stumbles is gaming, scoring a low 17.2/100. The Radeon 880M integrated GPU is fine for older titles or casual games, but it's in the 18th percentile overall, so don't expect to run Cyberpunk at high settings. For everything else, it's plenty fast.

Here's the tricky part: the price for this laptop ranges from $814 to $1699 depending on the vendor. That's a huge $885 spread. At the lower end, around $814, this is a fantastic deal for the CPU, RAM, and screen you're getting. At the high end near $1699, you're entering territory where you could get a dedicated gaming laptop or a MacBook Pro. Your decision really hinges on finding it at a good price and knowing you don't need a powerful GPU.

Let's name some names. Compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 14" with M4 Max, the Summit A16 has a bigger screen, touch input, and often a lower price, but the MacBook will destroy it in GPU tasks and likely battery life. Next to a Lenovo Legion Pro 7i gaming laptop, the Legion has a far more powerful dedicated GPU for gaming, but it'll be thicker, heavier, and probably louder. The ASUS Zenbook Duo offers a dual-screen setup for multitasking, which is a unique advantage, but its CPU likely can't match the Ryzen AI 9 here. For pure coding and office work, the Summit A16's balance is strong, but if gaming is a priority, look at the MSI Vector or Gigabyte AORUS models instead.

So, should you buy the MSI Summit A16 AI+? If you're a developer, data scientist, or power user who needs a fast CPU, lots of RAM, and a great big screen for work, and you found it for a good price (closer to $814 than $1699), then yes, it's a great pick. It's specifically good for that 'Copilot+ PC for programming' use case. But if you want to game, edit high-res video, or need all-day battery life away from an outlet, you should look at the competitors. This laptop knows what it is: a productivity powerhouse that leaves gaming behind.