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Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the MSI Raider GE66 involves balancing cost against features and performance. The ASUS is priced higher and is larger with a 17.3-inch screen, which might affect portability, but it offers a faster refresh rate which is excellent for fast-paced games. On the other hand, the MSI is slightly more portable due to its smaller 15.6-inch screen, and despite a lower price, it has twice the RAM, which is beneficial for multitasking and demanding tasks. Both laptops have similar storage and powerful graphics cards, making them suitable for intensive gaming and professional applications like 3D rendering and machine learning. The MSI also boasts a higher resolution display, which means sharper images and better overall screen quality. Consider these tradeoffs when making your decision based on your priorities such as gaming experience, portability, multitasking needs, and budget. 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 speakers
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE66
- Very good for general use
- Very good for software development
Key differences
Screen Quality
8.1
8.4
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE66 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Raider GE66 likely have high-resolution displays with excellent brightness and panel types that are suitable for general use and detail-focused engineering tasks, ensuring clear and vivid image quality. Considering engineering and design needs, both may have wide color gamuts, providing accurate color representation which is crucial for professional editing and design work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, despite their probable good resolution and panel type, they fall short due to inadequate refresh rates, which are essential for smooth motion rendering in fast-paced scenarios.
Portability
Poor
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Raider GE66 has only fair portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.9
8.3
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
292.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE66 to be very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is good.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is equipped with a robust CPU and ample RAM, which, alongside its high-quality screen, makes it a top choice for general use despite its relatively lower portability and battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE66, while also featuring a strong CPU and even more RAM, has a superior display resolution and is slightly more portable, with tradeoffs including a bit less battery life compared to the ASUS.
Gaming and AI
8.4
8.5
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.2/10
The MSI Raider GE66 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 are both very good for gaming and AI.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Raider GE66 are both excellent for gaming and 3D applications due to their powerful GPUs, the Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti. The ASUS offers a higher screen refresh rate beneficial for ultra-smooth visuals in fast-paced games, while the MSI has a higher screen resolution, which allows for crisper images, and more RAM for multitasking and demanding applications.
Engineering and Design
8.6
8.9
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE66 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 are both very good for engineering and design.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a high-end GPU, which is essential for compute-intensive tasks such as engineering and design; however, its screen resolution is lower compared to the MSI Raider GE66, which has a higher screen resolution and more RAM, enhancing the fine detail for design work and potentially allowing for smoother multitasking. While both laptops have impressive screen quality, portability is somewhat compromised due to their larger, heavier builds, and despite having quality keyboards and speakers, their operating noise may be noticeable under heavy loads.
Content Creation
8.2
8.3
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE66 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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
7.5
8.0
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE66 to be very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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
7.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE66 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Raider GE66 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,499
$2,499
$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 Raider GE66 costs $2,499.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the MSI Raider GE66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 | MSI Raider GE66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,499 | $2,499 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2023 | January 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 11.1'' x 1.02'' | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.39 lbs | 5.25 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 14.09" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.1" | 10.51" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 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 | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 292 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.9/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.8/10 | 6.3/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | No Webcam | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
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 Raider GE66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"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 Scar 17 or the MSI Raider GE66
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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