The ASUS ROG Flow X16 typically costs slightly more, but offers greater storage, higher RAM, and a better processor with AMD Ryzen 9 compared to the MSI GF65 Thin's Intel i5. The Flow X16's higher battery capacity supports more intensive tasks and its touchscreen with higher resolution and refresh rate is suited for creative work or entertainment. It excels in color coverage, making it ideal for photo editing or design work. However, it's heavier and might not be as easily portable as the lighter GF65 Thin. If portability and lower cost are crucial, you may lean towards the MSI GF65 Thin, but for superior performance, especially for engineering, 3D, or machine learning tasks, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 is a better choice. 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 ROG Flow X16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the ASUS ROG Flow X16.
Key differences
General Use
8.0/10
6.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
502.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers better general use compared to the MSI GF65 Thin due to its higher battery life, greater portability, and 2-in-1 convertible design that adds versatility. Furthermore, the ASUS has superior screen quality with higher resolution and touch functionality, enhancing the user experience for a variety of tasks, whereas the MSI has fair screen quality and general performance, making it less ideal for demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.8/10
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers a higher screen refresh rate which is better for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a lower refresh rate, which may not be as fluid. Both have the same GPU, which is very important for these tasks, but the ASUS's higher refresh rate along with its better screen resolution contributes to its superior suitability for gaming and 3D use compared to the MSI GF65 Thin.
Engineering and Design
8.3/10
6.7/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
7.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is rated higher for engineering and design due to its more powerful AMD Ryzen 9 CPU, double the RAM, superior GPU performance, and a higher quality screen with better resolution and color accuracy compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which has a lesser Intel i5 CPU, half the RAM, and a lower resolution screen with less accurate colors. While both have the same GPU, the ROG's advantages in core specifications make it more suitable for demanding engineering applications and design work; however, the MSI may offer better portability and operating noise which could be a consideration for some users.
Content Creation
8.0/10
6.8/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 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
7.7/10
6.3/10
8.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 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
8.5/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
502.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Flow X16 offers vibrant colors and sharp images due to its high resolution and brightness, which make everyday tasks and media consumption a pleasure. Engineering and design professionals would appreciate the ASUS's wide color gamut coverage, which ensures that colors in their work are accurate and consistent. Conversely, gamers looking for smooth visuals might find the ASUS's lower refresh rate less ideal for fast-paced 3D gaming, where the MSI GF65, although with modest screen attributes, might provide a more fluid experience despite its other screen limitations.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has very good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,300
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS ROG Flow X16 has a price of $1,300 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
"Above all else, the Asus ROG Flow X16 is one thing - versatile! It is a thin, mobile work device, it's a 2-in-1, tablet, a powerful workstation and even a gaming PC. But something even more surprising: It does all of these things really well without making any big blunders. It's anything but a lazy compromise. Because, despite its compact dimensions and 2-in-1 functionality, the hardware isn't throttled and boasts, at least in turbo mode, above-average performance."
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Flow X16 or the MSI GF65 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.
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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