The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is a solid choice if you're looking for a high-end gaming laptop with a large screen, exceptional graphics, and powerful processing capabilities, which also makes it suitable for other resource-intensive tasks like 3D rendering or engineering software. However, it commands a higher price and is less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin is more affordable and portable, making it a good fit for general use and gaming on a budget, although its performance in demanding tasks and gaming might not match that of the ASUS. It also has a smaller screen and less powerful components. If portability and budget are your main considerations, the MSI might be the way to go; for top performance and a premium gaming experience, consider the ASUS. 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
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good battery life
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.3/10
6.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
422.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is considered very good for general use because it has a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, a superior quality display, and robust speakers, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin offers fair general use with a mid-range CPU, half the memory, and a lower quality screen, yet it is more portable and has a relatively quiet operation despite its mediocre speaker and heat management.
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
6.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is equipped with a higher-end Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and a screen refresh rate of 240Hz which significantly enhance gaming and 3D performance, compared to the MSI GF65 Thin that comes with the Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a refresh rate of 144Hz. Additionally, the ASUS model has a better CPU and screen quality, further contributing to its superior gaming experience.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
6.7/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is favored for engineering and design due to its top-tier Intel i9 processor, ample RAM, high-end Nvidia RTX GPU, and superior screen quality reflecting almost full coverage of color spaces which is excellent for detail-oriented work. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin offers a mid-range Intel i5 processor, less RAM, a less powerful Nvidia RTX GPU, and a lower-quality screen, making it less optimized for highly demanding tasks but more portable and quieter in operation.
Content Creation
8.6/10
6.8/10
9.9/10
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 Strix G18 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
8.1/10
6.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very 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
8.7/10
6.8/10
18.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 likely boasts a high-resolution display with excellent color accuracy, making it ideal for engineering and design work where precision is key, while its lower refresh rate might not suit fast-paced gaming. The MSI GF65 Thin, with moderate resolution and brightness, offers satisfactory performance for everyday tasks and non-color-critical engineering applications but may fall short for both vibrant design work and fluid gaming experiences. Gamers should note that refresh rate significantly affects gameplay smoothness, and neither machine excels in this regard, potentially leading to less than optimal gaming and 3D rendering performance.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 8 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.
Portability
Poor
Good
18.0in
SIZE
15.6in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF65 Thin has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 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
$2,299
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a price of $2,299 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
"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 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 Strix G18 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
101,595
Recommendations made
22,013
Consumer hours saved
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
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
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.