When choosing between the ASUS ROG Strix G18 and the MSI GE66 Raider, consider that the ASUS may save you some money and still offer robust performance for gaming and demanding tasks. However, the MSI often has a higher build quality and may provide better gaming experiences with its features. The ASUS, while less expensive, might be larger and heavier, affecting portability. If you're looking for a machine that's easier to carry around, the MSI could be worth the extra cost. Keep in mind, battery life often takes a backseat in such powerful laptops, so you may need to stay plugged in for the best performance. 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 (2024)
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
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.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers crisp visuals and bright displays suitable for daily tasks and detailed engineering work due to a high-resolution panel and wide color coverage, but its lower refresh rate hinders the smoothness required for immersive gaming and 3D applications. Similarly, the MSI GE66 Raider's display provides sharpness and color accuracy for both everyday activities and professional design, ensuring that creative work benefits from true-to-life colors. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D use where a high refresh rate is crucial for fluid motion, leading to less than optimal experiences in fast-paced scenarios.
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 (2024) 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 (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,249
$3,399
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) has a price of $2,249 and the MSI GE66 Raider costs $3,399.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) and MSI GE66 Raider are both very good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 garners praise for its robust CPU and ample RAM that ensure snappy general use, along with a high-quality screen; however, its size and shorter battery life compromise portability. In contrast, the MSI GE66 Raider also offers strong CPU performance and sufficient RAM with a premium screen, and it balances that with better portability and battery life, although it might be noisier and warmer under load due to its compact form.
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 (2024) and MSI GE66 Raider are both very good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 comes with a top-tier GPU and high screen refresh rate, making it superb for gaming and 3D tasks, providing smooth visuals and enhanced gameplay. Meanwhile, the MSI GE66 Raider, while also offering a powerful GPU and a high refresh rate, has a strong CPU and high screen quality that, although slightly less critical, still contribute to an immersive gaming experience and efficient handling of demanding applications.
Engineering and Design
9.2/10
9.1/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) and MSI GE66 Raider are both excellent for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18, with its powerful CPU, ample RAM, and high-end GPU, excels in running resource-intensive engineering applications and offers a vivid screen for detailed design work; however, it's heavier and less convenient to carry around. The MSI GE66 Raider also delivers strong performance with similar specs, ensuring smooth engineering software usage, and might have a slight edge in portability and typing experience, but could be louder under load.
Content Creation
8.8/10
8.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) 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
8.5/10
8.4/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.4/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2160
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) and MSI GE66 Raider 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 (2024) 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 (2024) 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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