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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance is crucial, particularly for work involving 3D modeling, machine learning, or engineering, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 with its advanced processor and ample memory is a superior choice. However, it comes at a higher price. Its OLED screen offers better color accuracy and brightness, favoring creative professionals who need precision in visuals. In contrast, the MSI GF63 Thin is less expensive and has a dedicated graphics card suitable for gaming, but it lags behind in processing power and is heavier, making it less portable. Its IPS display delivers good quality but not as vibrant as OLED. For long hours away from the power outlet, the ASUS has a longer battery life. 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 general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Best in class portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6
6.0
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a superior combination of a high-end CPU, more RAM, and an OLED screen with better resolution and color accuracy, which contributes to an excellent experience for general use, while being lightweight and having strong battery life for better portability.
Gaming and AI
6.5
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with a newer integrated GPU, is better suited for gaming and 3D tasks than the MSI GF63 Thin, which sports an older dedicated Nvidia GPU that is more modest in performance. Both have similar screen refresh rates, but the superior screen quality of the ASUS, including higher resolution and OLED technology, contributes to a more vibrant gaming and 3D experience compared to the MSI's standard IPS display.
Engineering and Design
8.2
6.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 typically boasts a more potent CPU, higher RAM capacity, and a superior GPU, coupled with a higher-quality screen which are crucial for demanding engineering applications and graphical tasks. While the MSI GF63 Thin offers decent performance, it sacrifices some power and display finesse in exchange for better portability and a more budget-friendly price, which may suffice for less intensive workloads.
Content Creation
8.5
6.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
8.1
6.1
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 presents a clear and sharp display due to its higher resolution and brightness, which is key for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, while its panel type enriches color representation, but its lower refresh rate impairs smoothness required for 3D applications and gaming. The MSI GF63 Thin, with modest resolution and brightness, offers adequate visuals for typical day-to-day activities and some professional design tasks, but limited color range may not meet the needs of those requiring precise color accuracy. Both laptops fall short for gaming or 3D content creation due to poor refresh rates, which lead to less fluid motion and responsiveness.
Battery
11.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
15.6in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
6.5
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$599
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook S 13 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,400 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | April 1, 2023 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11.7'' x 8.5'' x 0.46'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.2 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.66" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.52" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-1355U | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 63 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 365 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.4/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
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 | 1 | |
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."
MSI GF63 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the MSI GF63 Thin
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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