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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is less expensive and lighter, making it easier to transport than the MSI Raider GE78, but it offers less storage, half the memory (RAM), a slightly smaller screen size, and a less powerful GPU and CPU. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78, while being heavier and more costly, provides double the storage and memory, a larger screen size, and a more powerful GPU and CPU for better performance in 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks. The Raider GE78 also has a slightly longer battery life. Both laptops are suitable for intensive gaming but the Raider GE78 may deliver a superior experience due to its higher-spec components. 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
- Excellent overall display quality
- Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Good battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9
8.7
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
627.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16's less weight and smaller screen size offer better portability, while its CPU and RAM handle general use effectively; its screen quality is commendable, although battery life is modest. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 boasts a larger screen with exceptional quality and more RAM, supporting more demanding tasks, but its heavier build and more powerful components reduce portability and may lead to shorter battery duration.
Gaming and AI
8.5
9.5
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and 3D tasks due to its high-refresh-rate screen and strong GPU, though the MSI Raider GE78 is considered the best because it includes an even more powerful GPU while also having a high refresh rate, enhancing overall gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
8.8
9.4
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 offers a powerful Intel i9 CPU, a high-quality Nvidia RTX GPU, and a display with great color coverage, making it a strong contender for tasks in engineering and design; however, it has less RAM and storage than the MSI Raider GE78, which boasts a more advanced CPU, top-of-the-line Nvidia RTX GPU, and even better screen brightness, providing exceptional performance for more demanding engineering and design applications. While the Zephyrus M16 is lighter and slightly more portable, the Raider GE78's superior hardware makes it less portable but more suited for intensive tasks that benefit from more memory and a more powerful processor.
Content Creation
8.2
8.8
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 and ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Raider GE78 is somewhat better.
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
8.5
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for software development, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 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.
Screen Quality
9.0
8.6
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
627.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the MSI Raider GE78 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and MSI Raider GE78 both offer crisp, high-resolution displays with superior brightness, making them excellent choices for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos. For professionals in engineering and design, their wide color gamuts ensure accurate color reproduction, which is vital for precise work. However, for 3D applications and gaming, their lower refresh rates may not deliver the smooth visual experience desired, despite their decent resolution and panel types.
Battery
4.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 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.
Portability
Good
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,059
$4,386
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a price of $2,059 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and MSI Raider GE78 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,059 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.7'' x 0.83'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.63 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.98" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.69" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-13900H | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 90 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 240Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 627 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.3/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | March 2023
"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."
MSI Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 or the MSI Raider GE78
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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