The ASUS TUF Gaming A15, while more expensive, offers a better processor and graphics card combination, leading to stronger performance in gaming and intensive tasks. It also has a larger battery, more storage, and memory, which means it will be more suitable for demanding applications and multitasking. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15 is more affordable, lighter, and may have sufficient power for moderate gaming and general use but will likely fall short for more intense software and gaming scenarios. The choice hinges on your need for higher performance versus the importance of saving money and having a lighter laptop for portability. 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 TUF Gaming A15
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
The MSI Cyborg 15 has no clear advantages over the ASUS TUF Gaming A15.
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
271.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 and MSI Cyborg 15 are both good for general use, though the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is somewhat better.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is well-suited for general use due to its higher capacity battery that leads to longer usage times, more RAM for smoother multitasking, and a more powerful CPU that handles tasks efficiently. The MSI Cyborg 15, although lighter making it more portable, has a lower screen brightness and a slightly inferior processor but still offers a decent display and performance balance for everyday activities.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
7.2/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Cyborg 15 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 typically offers a superior CPU, more RAM, and a more powerful GPU along with a higher quality screen, all crucial for demanding tasks like 3D rendering or simulations, which are common in engineering and design. The MSI Cyborg 15, while still providing ample performance for engineering software, trades some of that power and display quality for better portability and potentially quieter operation, which can be valuable for users frequently on the move.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.5/10
9.1/10
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 TUF Gaming A15 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
7.2/10
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
271.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has a better screen than the MSI Cyborg 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 offers a combination of resolution and brightness that's well-suited for general tasks and engineering design work, where clarity and color accuracy are crucial. However, its lower refresh rate hampers its performance for 3D applications and gaming, where fluid motion is key. Conversely, the MSI Cyborg 15 provides adequate resolution and brightness for day-to-day tasks and is passable for engineering software, but its screen fails to impress in gaming and 3D scenarios due to its poor refresh rate and limited color range.
Battery
11.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has 11 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.
Cost
$2,059
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has a price of $2,059 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The MSI Cyborg 15 and ASUS TUF Gaming A15 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
6.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS TUF Gaming A15 to have 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.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
"With the release of the TUF Gaming A15, Asos have concentrated on the essentials: gaming performance. Our base version, which can be had for around $1,169, already provided enough power to play current games smoothly in a native resolution of 1080p and with maximum details - thanks to its new Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop. If you utilize upscaling, then you can even manage to run ray tracing."
"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 TUF Gaming A15 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.
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