If you prioritize high-end gaming, demanding tasks, or intensive engineering software, the ASUS ROG Strix is a robust option, although it is heavier and less portable with a shorter battery life, reflecting its higher price. However, if everyday use, affordability, and the need for a lightweight laptop for on-the-go activities are your main concerns, the MSI GF65 Thin offers a balanced compromise between performance and portability, albeit with less power for resource-heavy applications. Choose the ASUS for peak performance at a higher cost or the MSI for general use with better mobility and value. 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)
Very good for general use
Excellent 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
8.7/10
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 (2024) is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 offers a powerful CPU and more RAM, resulting in better performance and screen quality for a range of tasks, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. The MSI GF65 Thin, on the other hand, is more lightweight and easier to carry around, and while it has a longer battery life, it compromises on CPU performance and RAM, which may affect multitasking and demanding applications.
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 (2024) is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 boasts a high-end GPU and a screen with a very fast refresh rate, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D applications where graphics and seamless motion are key. Meanwhile, the MSI GF65 Thin, while still quite capable with a decent GPU and refresh rate, falls short of the ASUS in handling the most demanding graphical tasks and may not deliver as smooth an experience in fast-paced gaming or complex 3D work.
Engineering and Design
9.2/10
6.7/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) is excellent for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 is equipped with top-of-the-line CPU, RAM, and GPU, ensuring smooth performance and excellent screen quality for complex engineering software and tasks, but it's heavier and may have louder fans, making it less portable and noisier. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while still capable for engineering tasks with good CPU and GPU, prioritizes portability and is quieter, but it compromises slightly on screen quality and peak performance compared to the ASUS.
Content Creation
8.8/10
6.8/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) 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
8.5/10
6.3/10
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
32.0 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 (2024) 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 excels in screen quality for general use and engineering due to its high resolution and brightness, and broad color gamut support which ensures crisp, vibrant visuals and accurate color reproduction, essential for detailed work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, where fluid motion and quick screen updates are critical. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while offering acceptable resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and engineering projects, falls behind in both color range and refresh rate, making the display less optimal for color-sensitive work and fast-paced, graphics-intensive gaming or 3D rendering.
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 (2024) 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 (2024) 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
$2,203
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Strix G18 (2024) has a price of $2,203 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 (2024) 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.
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