The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 offers better performance for intensive engineering tasks and gaming, thanks to its superior processor and graphics card, but it's less portable and usually more expensive than the MSI Prestige 15. If battery life and portability are more important for you, the MSI Prestige 15 is lighter and offers longer battery usage, making it a better choice for general use and on-the-go productivity despite lower performance capabilities. Both laptops are suitable for general use, engage in color-relevant tasks with their quality displays, and support intensive gaming. However, the ASUS excels in demanding scenarios while the MSI focuses on balance 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 Zephyrus M16
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 15
Good battery life
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
6.3/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 15 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is better suited for gaming and 3D applications as it has a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4070 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 240, which leads to smoother visuals and improved gameplay compared to the MSI Prestige 15, which has a less capable Nvidia GTX 1650 Max-Q graphics card and a lower screen refresh rate of 60.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
7.2/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Prestige 15 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 outshines the MSI Prestige 15 for engineering and design largely due to its superior CPU, the Intel i9, and the more powerful Nvidia RTX GPU, which are both essential for demanding tasks and simulations. Additionally, the ASUS offers a higher-quality screen with better resolution and color accuracy, which benefits design work, while the MSI Prestige 15 is lighter and offers a longer battery life, making it more suitable for on-the-go use with decent performance for less intensive engineering applications.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.5/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Prestige 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.
Software Development
7.7/10
7.2/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and MSI Prestige 15 are both good for software development, though the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is somewhat better.
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
9.0/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
627.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
298.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16's screen excels in general use and engineering tasks due to high resolution, bright display, and wide color gamuts offering true-to-life colors, beneficial for precise design work. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, where smooth motion is crucial.
The MSI Prestige 15's display, with commendable resolution and brightness, works well for daily tasks and the decent color gamut coverage aids in engineering and design. Yet, like the Zephyrus, its refresh rate doesn't meet the high standards required for the best experience in gaming and fast-paced 3D environments.
Battery
4.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 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.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.4/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good build quality, while the MSI Prestige 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,059
$1,044
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a price of $2,059 and the MSI Prestige 15 costs $1,044.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and MSI Prestige 15 are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 offers superior CPU performance, a high-quality screen with better color coverage and brightness, and a gaming-grade GPU making it well-suited for demanding applications and multimedia, but it's heavier and has a shorter battery life making it less portable than the MSI Prestige 15. The MSI Prestige 15, while having a less powerful CPU and GPU, provides adequate performance for general tasks, has decent screen quality, and better battery life, making it a more portable option ideal for productivity on the go.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Prestige 15 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the MSI Prestige 15 compare to other laptops
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
"The MSI Prestige 15 offers a dazzling 4K image quality, and solid performance. The MSI Prestige 15 appears to consistently implement the guiding principle of throttling the solid and efficient hardware to such an extent that content creation succeeds perfectly. Performance-hungry tasks, on the other hand, are slowed down a little by the reduced power consumption. Conversely, this means that the case remains relatively cool and the dual fan subdued. The battery life also benefits somewhat. So the losses aren't really dramatic because full performance is still available for short bursts."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 or the MSI Prestige 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
100,995
Recommendations made
21,883
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.