The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is suited for intensive gaming, clearly outperforming the MSI Summit E16 Flip in 3D and machine learning performance, potentially making it a better fit for demanding engineering tasks as well. However, the larger screen size and heavier weight make the ASUS laptop less portable. Meanwhile, the MSI has a touchscreen, is lighter, and is slightly more suitable for portability, plus it comes with Windows 11 Pro, suggesting a better fit for business professionals who value mobility and touchscreen functionality, despite weaker gaming and engineering performance. Both laptops offer similar storage and screens, including resolution and screen colors, and are similarly priced. 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
Best in class speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Summit E16 Flip
Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.7/10
6.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is highly regarded for gaming and 3D applications due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU and higher screen refresh rate of 240 Hz, offering smoother visual performance, whereas the MSI Summit E16 Flip, with its Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU and 165 Hz screen refresh rate, offers good gaming and 3D performance but at a lower tier.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
7.7/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is 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.
Content Creation
8.6/10
7.9/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is 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.
Screen Quality
8.7/10
8.0/10
18.0in
SIZE
16.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
422.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
294.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has a better screen than the MSI Summit E16 Flip for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 and MSI Summit E16 Flip both excel in general use and engineering because they have high-resolution displays and vibrant colors, ensuring sharp and detailed visuals with accurate color reproduction essential for design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their lower refresh rates hold them back from providing the smooth visual experience that fast-paced scenarios demand, where screens with higher refresh rates can make a noticeable difference. Considering your needs, if general computing and precision in design are your priority, both laptops are suitable, but if you're focused on gaming or working with dynamic 3D content, you may want to look for alternatives with better-suited displays.
Portability
Poor
Good
18.0in
SIZE
16.0in
6.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Summit E16 Flip has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix G18 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,299
$1,413
$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 Summit E16 Flip costs $1,413.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G18 to be very good for general use, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is considered very good for general use due to its powerful CPU and considerable RAM, contributing to fast performance; plus, it has a high-quality screen, but it falls short on portability and has shorter battery life. On the contrary, the MSI Summit E16 Flip, while still offering good general use performance, emphasizes its portability and battery life, though it has a less powerful CPU, it compensates with a convertible design and higher portability score.
Software Development
8.1/10
7.6/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix G18 to be very good for software development, while the MSI Summit E16 Flip is good.
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.
Battery
8.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E16 Flip has 8 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 Summit E16 Flip 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 Summit E16 Flip 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 Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop with pen, 16:10 display, and RTX 3050 Ti. The Summit E16 Flip is a 2-in-1 laptop from the business segment that primarily targets creative users. MSI combines a 16-inch touchscreen in the 16:10 format with a powerful midrange GPU. While the 2-in-1 laptop from MSI isn't meant for everybody, it should definitely attract some followers. The touchscreen display (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) covers the DCI-P3 color space. This is accompanied by stable viewing angles, a good color reproduction, short response times, and a good contrast level."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix G18 or the MSI Summit E16 Flip
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.