Choosing between the ASUS ROG Strix G18 and the MSI GE66 Raider involves prioritizing what's important to you. If you prefer a larger screen and a slightly better price, the ASUS with its 18-inch display might be appealing. It also offers solid performance for gaming and engineering tasks due to its powerful processor and graphics card. However, the MSI has a higher resolution screen which is better for tasks that benefit from finer visual details, and it packs more RAM which is excellent for resource-intensive applications. The MSI is also slightly lighter, potentially making it a bit more portable than the ASUS. Keep in mind, the ASUS has a higher refresh rate, which is beneficial for smooth visuals during gaming or fast-paced activities. If you see yourself working on the go or attending lots of meetings, the MSI's lighter weight could be a decisive factor. Both are powerful options, with the ASUS focusing slightly more on gaming and the MSI offering superior visual detail and more memory for complex tasks. Both have impressive battery lives, but they're not the most lightweight or portable options on the market. Consider these trade-offs carefully in relation to your needs and budget. 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
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good overall build quality
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.7/10
8.2/10
18.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
347.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the MSI GE66 Raider for gaming and AI, and content creation, while the MSI GE66 Raider has a better screen for content creation.
If you're looking for a laptop for everyday activities like browsing or watching movies, both the ASUS ROG Strix G18 and MSI GE66 Raider offer excellent display sharpness, brightness, and viewing angles, making them solid choices. For engineering and design work, which requires accurate color reproduction, these laptops provide wide color coverage, ensuring your designs are accurately represented on screen. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smooth motion is crucial, the lower refresh rates of these screens may lead to less fluid visual experiences, making these laptops less ideal for fast-paced games or intensive 3D rendering.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GE66 Raider 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
Poor
Fair
18.0in
SIZE
15.6in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The MSI GE66 Raider has very good build quality, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,299
$3,199
$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 GE66 Raider costs $3,199.
The MSI GE66 Raider and ASUS ROG Strix G18 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.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
8.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and MSI GE66 Raider 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.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
9.1/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GE66 Raider to be excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is praised for its high-quality screen and powerful GPU, which are essential for detailed engineering and design work, yet the MSI GE66 Raider is graded even higher in these areas, making it a superior choice for users who need the utmost performance and precision in their work. While both laptops have robust CPUs and ample RAM for complex tasks, the MSI GE66 Raider's exceptional screen quality for true-to-life colors possibly gives it an edge in professional design environments where color accuracy is paramount.
Content Creation
8.6/10
8.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and MSI GE66 Raider 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
8.1/10
8.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI GE66 Raider and ASUS ROG Strix G18 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 ROG Strix G18 and the MSI GE66 Raider 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."
"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 ROG Strix G18 or the MSI GE66 Raider
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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