The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is more suited for you if you prioritize stronger performance, which is especially relevant for gaming or intensive engineering tasks. It has a more powerful processor and graphics card, which will handle demanding software and games better. It also features a larger battery for longer use, but it is heavier, which makes it less portable. Contrastingly, the MSI GF65 Thin is more affordable, lighter, and thus easier to carry around, making it suitable for general use and some gaming. However, its performance in demanding tasks and battery life will not match the ASUS. 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
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the ASUS TUF Gaming A15.
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
271.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is considered good for general use largely due to its superior processor, more RAM, and higher capacity battery compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which has a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and smaller battery, making it only fair for general use. Furthermore, the TUF Gaming A15 has a more color-accurate screen which is beneficial for tasks that require visual precision, whereas the GF65 Thin has lower color coverage, making its display less ideal for color-sensitive work.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
6.8/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
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 GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 provides a superior gaming and 3D experience due to its higher-tier GPU, the Nvidia RTX 4070, which offers better performance for graphically intensive tasks compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which is equipped with the less powerful Nvidia RTX 3060. Both laptops have screens with a high refresh rate of 144Hz, but the ASUS has the advantage in GPU power, directly translating to its higher suitability for gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.7/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is notably superior for engineering and design tasks, thanks to its more powerful CPU and GPU, larger RAM, and higher storage capacity, as well as a screen with better color coverage making it ideal for graphics work. Conversely, the MSI GF65 Thin is lighter and thinner for better portability, but with less impressive color representation on the screen and lower performance due to a less robust CPU, GPU, and half the RAM and storage, it may not handle intensive tasks as well.
Content Creation
8.0/10
6.8/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
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 GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
7.6/10
6.3/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
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
262.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 boasts a display that offers a balance of brightness, resolution, and panel type to provide clear and sharp images for general tasks and precision required in engineering and design fields, but its refresh rate is lower, diminishing its appeal for fast-paced gaming where smooth motion is key. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin provides an acceptable display experience for general use and engineering, but its color range may not be as wide for professional design tasks, and similarly, its refresh rate falls short for the high demands of 3D and gaming visuals. Both laptops, while competent for everyday activities and workloads, may not satisfy users seeking the most vibrant color accuracy for design or the fluidity in fast-moving gaming scenes due to the limitations in color gamut coverage and refresh rate, respectively.
Battery
11.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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 GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
The MSI GF65 Thin 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 GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 and the MSI GF65 Thin 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 MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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