The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a balance between performance, with its strong main processor and portability owing to its light weight and compact size. It has an OLED screen with higher resolution and better color accuracy which is ideal for design and creative work but at a higher price. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 15 provides a dedicated graphics card that's better suited for tasks like video editing and casual gaming. It has a larger screen size but is heavier, potentially impacting its portability. The Prestige also has a significantly longer battery life, making it more suitable for prolonged use without access to a charger. Ultimately, if you prioritize high-resolution creative work and portability, the Zenbook is the better choice, while the Prestige is more suitable for gaming or video editing and longer usage times between charges. 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
Best in class portability
Very good battery life
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
The MSI Prestige 15 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.7/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 stands out for general use due to its superior CPU, higher RAM capacity, exceptional OLED screen quality, lighter weight for portability, and longer battery life, making it a strong performer for a broad range of tasks. Conversely, the MSI Prestige 15, while adequate for general use, features a less powerful CPU, lower screen resolution and quality, less RAM, and is heavier, which may impact its convenience for on-the-go use despite its larger screen and better-equipped storage.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with its powerful CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality GPU, excels in handling demanding engineering software and rendering, complemented by its superior screen quality for precise design work. Although the MSI Prestige 15 offers similar capabilities, the Zenbook has an edge in performance for intensive tasks, but if weight and keyboard comfort are significant, the Prestige 15's advantages in portability and keyboard quality might sway your decision.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
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
8.3/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the MSI Prestige 15 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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
6.8/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 stands out for general use and engineering design due to its high-resolution display and brightness, enhancing visual clarity and detail, while its expansive color gamut supports precise color work required in design fields. The MSI Prestige 15’s display offers a balance of resolution and color accuracy, making it suitable for a variety of tasks, though not exceptional in any specific domain. However, both the ASUS and MSI laptops have screens with lower refresh rates, making them less ideal for 3D applications and gaming where smoother motion is key.
Battery
11.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 15 has 7.5 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
15.6in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the MSI Prestige 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,400
$1,044
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Prestige 15 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is equipped with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU which is decent for light gaming and 3D tasks, but the MSI Prestige 15 comes with a dedicated Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU that offers better performance for gaming and 3D applications; however, both have the same screen refresh rate, which is a limiting factor for high-end gaming performance. Screen quality, which includes color accuracy and brightness, is higher on the ASUS OLED display, while the MSI's IPS display offers good quality but doesn't match the ASUS in these regards.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.4/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Prestige 15 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 Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the MSI Prestige 15
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.
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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