The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is a premium choice that offers a powerful Intel i9 processor, superior graphics capability with an Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti, a larger screen, and a higher screen refresh rate, making it well-suited for intensive gaming and engineering tasks. However, it is heavier and more expensive. The MSI Cyborg 15 is more affordable and lighter, making it more portable, with a still capable Intel i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU. It should handle general use and some gaming well, but it has less storage, RAM, and a smaller screen. Consider the ASUS if you prioritize performance and the MSI if you prefer portability 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 Scar 17
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
Good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
292.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use, though the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 outperforms the MSI Cyborg 15 in CPU and RAM, providing better overall performance for demanding tasks and multitasking, despite being less portable and having a similar battery life. While both have quality IPS displays, the ASUS has higher screen refresh rates and color space coverage, enhancing visual experiences, even though it's heavier and bulkier, which could be a drawback for users needing mobility.
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
7.2/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is exceptional for gaming and 3D tasks due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 360 Hz, which can deliver smoother visuals and enhanced responsiveness in fast-paced games.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
7.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is equipped with a more powerful CPU and GPU, has double the RAM and storage, and boasts higher screen quality, making it very good for demanding engineering and design tasks, albeit at the cost of being less portable due to its larger size and weight.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Cyborg 15 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
8.1/10
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers a crisp, bright display with a high resolution, making text clear and images vivid, which is less pronounced but still acceptable on the MSI Cyborg 15. The ASUS's superior color coverage with wider gamuts benefits professionals in engineering and design, ensuring their work appears accurate and color-rich, an area where the MSI may fall short. However, for gaming and 3D applications which prioritize fluid motion, the ASUS's lower refresh rate could make on-screen action less smooth compared to other models prioritizing higher refresh rates.
Portability
Poor
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
6.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$1,100
$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 Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Cyborg 15 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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
"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."
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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
101,295
Recommendations made
21,948
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.