If you prioritize portability and battery life over raw performance and are looking for a sleek design, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is a more suitable choice. Its lighter weight and longer battery life make it ideal for on-the-go usage. However, if you need a machine for more intensive tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning, the MSI Raider GE66, with its powerful dedicated graphics card and high-performance processor, is better equipped to handle those demands. The MSI Raider GE66 also has a higher refresh rate screen for smooth visuals but is significantly heavier, which hampers its portability. Both laptops offer ample storage and memory for various tasks. Give Feedback
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Advantages of the ASUS Zenbook S 13
Best in class portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE66
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good overall build quality
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
8.5/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Raider GE66 is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE66 and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for engineering and design, though the MSI Raider GE66 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a high-resolution OLED screen and a lightweight design suited for engineering and design tasks, while the MSI Raider GE66 boasts a more powerful CPU and GPU with a higher refresh rate display, better suited for intensive graphics work but significantly heavier in weight. Both provide ample RAM and high screen quality, but the Zenbook prioritizes portability and the Raider emphasizes top-tier performance at the cost of portability.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
8.4/10
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the MSI Raider GE66 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the MSI Raider GE66 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers crisp images and vibrant colors due to its high resolution and brightness, making it ideal for browsing and media consumption, while its extensive color gamut appeals to professionals in engineering and design who require color accuracy. The MSI Raider GE66, with similar screen characteristics, ensures sharp and vivid visuals for everyday tasks and also excels in professional design work. However, both laptops lack high refresh rates, reducing their appeal for gaming or 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial.
Battery
11.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE66 has 6 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
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the MSI Raider GE66 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE66 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$2,499
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Raider GE66 costs $2,499.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Raider GE66 are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Content Creation
8.5/10
8.3/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Raider GE66 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
8.3/10
8.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Raider GE66 are both very good for software development.
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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the MSI Raider GE66 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 Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the MSI Raider GE66
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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