For a balance of performance and cost, the ASUS ROG Strix G18 is a strong contender, offering a high-performance processor and GPU that excel in gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks, with a fast refresh rate screen that's great for gaming. However, it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, which impacts portability. On the other hand, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio, while pricier, provides a more color-accurate and touch-enabled display, superior multitasking capabilities with more RAM, and a more powerful GPU, making it ideal for creative professionals who need top-tier performance for engineering tasks and content creation. It's also more compact and has a longer battery life, enhancing its portability. Your choice should align with your priorities between cost-effectiveness and high-end performance, as well as the importance of portability in your lifestyle. 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 Strix G18
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for content creation
Best in class overall display quality
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.3/10
8.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
422.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and ASUS ROG Strix G18 are both very good for general use, though the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is somewhat better.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
9.5/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is best in class for engineering and design, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Software Development
8.1/10
8.9/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and ASUS ROG Strix G18 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio 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
8.7/10
9.7/10
18.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix G18 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Poor
Good
18.0in
SIZE
16.0in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,299
$2,999
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a price of $2,299 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio costs $2,999.
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and ASUS ROG Strix G18 are both very good for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
8.6/10
9.1/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator 16 AI Studio to be excellent for content creation, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has 9 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
7.8/10
7.4/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and MSI Creator 16 AI Studio both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS ROG Strix G18 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio compare to other laptops
"With the ROG Strix G18, Asus has made an almost consistently good debut in the still quite new 18-inch laptop segment. The base unit case shows a few signs of weakness in the area of stability and is something which has an effect on the perceived quality of the input devices (the chassis tends to rattle a bit). Nevertheless, thanks to generous port features (incl. Thunderbolt 4), a striking design, and extensive lighting (keyboard, LED strip on the front), gamers get a fitting gaming platform."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix G18 or the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
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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About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.