If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option that still offers reliable gaming performance, the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 could be a good choice. It may not have the highest specifications, but it's built to provide a solid gaming experience without breaking the bank. On the other hand, if you prioritize top-tier performance and features for more intensive tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, and you're willing to invest more, the MSI Raider GE78 is a premium model that offers more power and better display options. However, it will be heavier and might have less battery life, affecting its portability. Keep in mind that while the MSI Raider GE78 is on the higher end regarding cost, it will deliver a significant boost in performance for demanding applications and games. 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 portability
Very good battery life
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
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
271.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is good.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 offers a balance between performance and mobility with a powerful CPU and adequate RAM for general use, a high-quality screen, and reasonably good portability with better battery life making it well-suited for on-the-go use. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78 focuses on top-tier performance with a superior CPU and larger RAM but sacrifices portability due to its larger size, weight, and shorter battery life but compensates with a higher-quality display for a more stationary user.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
9.5/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is very good.
The MSI Raider GE78 boasts a higher-end Nvidia RTX graphics card and a faster screen refresh rate, making it superior for gaming and 3D tasks compared to the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 which has a mid-range Nvidia RTX graphics card and a slower refresh rate, even though the ASUS might be a more cost-effective option.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
9.4/10
9.1/10
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 TUF Gaming A15 is very good.
The MSI Raider GE78 outshines the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 in engineering and design use largely due to its more powerful Intel i9 processor, double the RAM, and a superior Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, which are very important for such tasks, coupled with a higher resolution and larger screen that offers better color accuracy and contrast. While the ASUS is a good choice with a capable AMD Ryzen 7 processor, Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU, and a decent screen, it lacks the top-tier performance and screen quality of the MSI, although it's more portable and quieter, which are somewhat important factors to consider for use in different environments.
Content Creation
8.0/10
8.8/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 and ASUS TUF Gaming A15 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
7.6/10
8.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 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
7.2/10
8.6/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
271.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you're looking for a laptop for general use, you'll appreciate the ASUS TUF Gaming A15's balance of resolution and brightness, which ensures a clear and vivid display for daily tasks. The MSI Raider GE78 elevates this experience with superior brightness and sharpness, enhancing viewing and productivity for tasks like document editing and web browsing. For engineering and design work, both laptops offer respectable color accuracy crucial for precise editing; however, the MSI's superior color gamut coverage offers a slight edge in displaying a wider range of colors. Neither is ideal for 3D applications or high-end gaming, as their lower refresh rates can't deliver the fluid visuals required for those fields, despite having decent resolutions and panel types.
Battery
11.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has 11 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
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,059
$4,386
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has a price of $2,059 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
"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."
"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 TUF Gaming A15 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.
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
100,695
Recommendations made
21,818
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.