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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you are looking for a high-performance laptop primarily for gaming or intensive graphic work and can accommodate a heavier and bulkier machine, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 would serve you well with its high refresh rate display, gaming laptop appearance, and RGB keyboard lighting but with a shorter battery life and a premium price tag. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P is more portable, less expensive, and better suited for creative professionals with its higher resolution touchscreen, 16:10 aspect ratio, and more accurate color display, although it may not be as optimal for gaming due to its lower refresh rate. Both laptops offer similar CPU, GPU, and RAM, making performance in general use, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks strong for either option. 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 Scar 17
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.4
7.6
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Creator Z16P is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 excels in gaming and 3D due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card combined with an exceptionally high screen refresh rate, enhancing smooth visuals during fast-paced action. While the MSI Creator Z16P also features the same high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU that is excellent for gaming and 3D rendering, its screen refresh rate is lower, which may result in less fluid motion in comparison.
Screen Quality
8.1
8.3
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the MSI Creator Z16P for gaming and AI, and content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen for general use, and engineering and design.
When choosing between the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the MSI Creator Z16P for general use, consider that screen resolution and brightness provide clarity and ease of viewing, something both laptops handle well, but the MSI offers a slightly superior visual experience. For engineering and design tasks, accurate color reproduction is crucial, and the MSI again edges out with better coverage of professional color gamuts, making it more suitable for these precise activities. However, if 3D work and gaming are your main focus, the ASUS, known for gaming laptops, typically offers a higher refresh rate, essential for smooth visuals in fast-moving scenes, but in this case, both fall short on the ideal refresh rates for such activities.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator Z16P has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,499
$1,300
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a price of $2,499 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
292.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Creator Z16P are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is favored for general use due to its higher screen refresh rate and robust gaming-focused features, despite being less portable and having shorter battery life than the MSI Creator Z16P, which compensates with better screen resolution and touch capability, making it versatile for content creation but less optimal for gaming.
Engineering and Design
8.6
8.3
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Creator Z16P are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Creator Z16P both offer top-tier CPUs, ample RAM, and high-end GPUs suited for demanding engineering and design tasks, as well as IPS displays with good color coverage, but the MSI offers a higher screen resolution and a touchscreen. While the ASUS has a larger screen and excel in gaming aesthetics, the MSI is slightly lighter and more portable with somewhat better keyboard and speaker quality, but both laptops are not ideal for frequent travel due to size and weight.
Content Creation
8.2
7.9
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 to be very good for content creation, while the MSI Creator Z16P 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.
Software Development
7.5
7.6
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 are both 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Creator Z16P both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.02'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.39 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.1" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900H | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 292 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.9/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | No Webcam | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2021
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
MSI Creator Z16P
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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.
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