If you prioritize a balance between cost and everyday performance with the benefit of easy transport, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is a solid choice, offering a sleek design and good battery life for common tasks and light work. However, if your work involves complex engineering software, 3D rendering, machine learning, or you're an avid gamer looking for top-notch performance, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while more expensive and heavier, will provide the powerful capabilities needed for those intensive tasks, albeit at the expense of battery life and portability. 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
Best in class portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
9.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, while offering a solid build and good screen quality, comes with a less powerful GPU and lower screen refresh rate that may not handle the most demanding gaming and 3D tasks as smoothly as desired. In contrast, the MSI Titan 18 HX is equipped with a top-tier GPU and higher refresh rate screen, enabling far superior performance for gaming and 3D applications, but often comes at a higher cost and with less portability.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
9.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 offers a balance of portability and power, with a high-quality screen, but the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its superior CPU, RAM, and GPU, excels in handling demanding engineering tasks though it sacrifices portability. While the ASUS might be more comfortable for daily use and travel due to its lighter build and quieter operation, the MSI's performance edge makes it more suitable for intensive design work, despite its heavier weight and louder fans.
Content Creation
8.5/10
9.0/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very 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
8.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Titan 18 HX is somewhat better.
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
9.2/10
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook S 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with its high-resolution display and brightness, provides a pleasing visual experience for daily tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate limits its appeal to gamers and those working with rapid motion graphics. The MSI Titan 18 HX, on the other hand, offers a top-tier display that excels in clarity and color accuracy needed in professional engineering and design fields, while still offering excellent general use qualities, but like the Zenbook, its refresh rate isn't suited for high-end gaming or 3D work where smooth motion is key. For someone prioritizing screen fidelity in professional applications and everyday tasks, both laptops serve well, but they fall short for gaming enthusiasts looking for fluid visual performance.
Battery
11.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
13.3in
SIZE
18.0in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,800
$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 Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
The MSI Titan 18 HX and ASUS Zenbook S 13 are both very good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with its efficient 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 users who prioritize portability and easy handling. On the other side, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while also equipped with a strong CPU and plenty of RAM, is better suited for those who need more power for demanding applications and don't mind a heavier laptop with shorter battery life, but benefit from its larger storage capacity and robust heat management.
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How the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and the MSI Titan 18 HX 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."
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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