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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
If you prioritize a lightweight and thin laptop for easy travel, the Asus Zenbook S 13 is a solid choice and also more affordable. However, if your focus is more on performance for tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, or running engineering software, the MSI Creator M14, despite being heavier and costing more, provides more powerful hardware suited for those intensive applications. Keep in mind that the higher performance may also mean shorter battery life, so consider how often you'll use the laptop away from a power source. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.6
8.0
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Creator M14 are both very good for general use, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S13, with its powerful CPU and ample RAM, ensures smooth performance for everyday tasks, and its high-quality screen, lightweight design, and long battery life make it ideal for on-the-go users. The MSI Creator M14 also offers a strong CPU and plenty of RAM, prioritizing screen quality and battery life, but focusing on a keyboard that's comfortable for extended use, making it well-suited for content creators who need reliability and comfort for long work sessions.
Gaming and AI
6.5
7.3
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, while having a capable CPU and good screen quality, doesn't match the MSI Creator M14 when it comes to the GPU and screen refresh rate, which are crucial for gaming and 3D performance. The MSI Creator M14 is tailored for more demanding graphics tasks with a stronger GPU and a higher refresh rate display, offering smoother visuals and better handling for gaming and content creation.
Screen Quality
8.1
7.5
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 likely has a high-resolution display with excellent color accuracy, making it vibrant for general use and suitable for engineering and design where precise color representation is crucial. However, its lower refresh rate would be less optimal for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion is a priority. The MSI Creator M14, while also offering a quality display for day-to-day tasks and satisfactory color fidelity for creative work, falls short for gaming and 3D due to similar limitations with refresh rate.
Battery
11.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Best in Class
Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,400
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is well-equipped with sufficient processing power and memory for many engineering tasks, and its high-quality screen enhances visual work, though its graphics capabilities may not handle the most demanding tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14, with its more advanced CPU, ample RAM, and more powerful GPU, excels in running intensive software, and its superior screen quality makes it particularly suited for detailed design work; however, it may be less portable and noisier under load.
Content Creation
8.5
8.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Creator M14 are both very good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.3
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook S 13 to be very good for software development, while the MSI Creator M14 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Build Quality
7.6
7.8
The MSI Creator M14 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook S 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | May 2023
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the MSI Creator M14
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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