MSI unveils 'world's first' 17-inch laptop to support a pen, the Creator Z17
By Sean Endicott last updated
MSI's new creator laptops pack a punch into some seriously thin bodies.

What you need to know
- MSI announced the Creator Z17, Creator Z16P, and Creator M16 laptops at CES 2022.
- The new laptops run on 12th Gen Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics.
- CPU performance in the laptops is 45% better than previous generations thanks to a new vapor chamber cooler.
In addition to announcing several gaming devices, MSI expanded its range of creator laptops at CES 2022. The company unveiled the Creator Z17, Creator Z16P, and Creator M16 laptops, all of which run on 12th Gen Intel CPUs and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs. In addition to packing high-end specs into the thin bodies of its new laptops, MSI worked on CPU performance by improving cooling.
To improve the versatility of the devices, MSI added pen support to the Creator Z17. According to the company, the Creator Z17 is the first-ever 17-inch laptop to support a pen. The touch-friendly screens are also Calman verified True Pixel Displays.
MSI Creator Z17
Category | MSI Creator Z17 |
---|---|
Display | 17" QHD+ (2560 x 1600), 165Hz DCI-P3 100% Touch panel |
CPU | Core i9-12900H, 1.8-5 GHz Core i7-12700H, 1.7-4.7 GHz |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti laptop |
VRAM | 16GB GDDR6 8GB GDDR6 |
Memory | 64GB (32GB x 2) DDR5 4800MHz 32GB (16GB x 2) DDR5 4800MHz |
Storage | 2TB NVMe SSD 1TB NVMe SSD |
Wireless | Killer WiFi 6E AX1675 (2x2), Bluetooth 5.2 |
Camera | IR FHD |
Media | Full size SD |
Ports | HDMI, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, microphone in/out |
Security | Fingerprint reader, IR camera |
Color | Lunar gray |
Battery | 90 Whr |
Dimensions | 15.04 x 10.24 x 0.75 in (38.2 x 26 x 1.9 cm)# |
Weight | 5.49 lbs (2.49 kg) |
Price | $2,499-$4,599 |
MSI Creator Z16P
Category | MSI Creator Z16 |
---|---|
Display | 16" QHD+ (2560 x 1600), 165Hz DCI-P3 100% Touch panel 16" QHD+ (2560 x 1600), 120Hz DCI-P3 100% typical, Finger Touch panel |
CPU | Core i9-12900H, 1.8-5 GHz Core i7-12700H, 1.7-4.7 GHz |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti laptop NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 laptop |
VRAM | 16GB GDDR6 8GB GDDR6 6GB GDDR6 |
Memory | 64GB (32GB x 2) DDR5 4800MHz 32GB (16GB x 2) DDR5 4800MHz 16GB (8GB x 2) DDR5 4800MHz |
Storage | 2TB NVMe SSD 1TB NVMe SSD |
Wireless | Killer WiFi 6E AX1675 (2x2), Bluetooth 5.2 |
Camera | IR FHD |
Media | Full size SD |
Ports | 1x USB-C Thunderbolt 4/USB4, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, microphone in/out |
Security | Fingerprint reader, IR camera |
Color | Lunar gray |
Battery | 90 Whr |
Dimensions | 15.04 x 10.24 x 0.75 in (38.2 x 26 x 1.9 cm) |
Weight | 5.27 lbs (2.39 kg) |
Price | $2,499-$4,399 |
MSI Creator M16
Category | MSI Creator M16 |
---|---|
Display | 16" QHD+ (2560 x 1600), 60Hz DCI-P3 100% |
CPU | Core i7-12650H, 1.7-4.7GHz |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU |
VRAM | 6GB GDDR6 4GB GDDR6 |
Memory | 32GB (16GB x 2) DDR4 3200MHz 16GB (8GB x 2) DDR4 3200MHz |
Storage | 1TB NVMe SSD 512GB NVMe SSD |
Wireless | Killer WiFi 6E AX1675 (2x2), Bluetooth 5.2 |
Camera | 720 HD |
Media | Full size SD |
Ports | HDMI, USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, USB-A 2.0, audio combo |
Security | Fingerprint reader |
Color | Black |
Battery | 53 Whr |
Dimensions | 14.13 x 10.2 x 0.94 in (35.9 x 25.9 x 2.4 cm) |
Weight | 6.06 lbs (2.75 kg) |
Price | $21,499-$1,599 |
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MSI states that the Z16P gets a 20% performance boost thanks to its vapor chamber cooler. That chamber provides 76% more area to cool the device and allows for 65% more airflow.
The Creator M16 is a more affordable laptop for creators. Its display can lay completely flat, making it easy to share media in-person in a classroom or workplace.
MSI has not shared availability details for its new Creator laptops at this time.
Sean Endicott is the news writer for Windows Central. If it runs Windows, is made by Microsoft, or has anything to do with either, he's on it. Sean's been with Windows Central since 2017 and is also our resident app expert. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at sean.endicott@futurenet.com.
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