The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 offers a solid performance at a lower midrange price with good battery life and a 16-inch display, making it suitable for both general use and gaming. However, its heavier weight compared to typical laptops makes it less portable. For those who prioritize high performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering tasks, and don't mind a premium price tag, the MSI Stealth GS77 is a powerful option with a larger 17.3-inch display, better build quality, and higher-end specifications, but it sacrifices some portability and battery life compared to the ASUS model. Both have gaming aesthetics, ample storage, and backlit keyboards. 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 A16
Good portability
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS77
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
294.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
12.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for general use, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The MSI Stealth GS77 is ranked very good for general use due to its higher screen resolution and color accuracy, larger RAM for better multitasking, and superior speaker and keyboard quality, although it is less portable and has a shorter battery life than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16. The ASUS, while rated good for general use, offers longer battery life and better portability, which are significant for on-the-go usage, but it compromises on screen resolution, color accuracy, and has less RAM, which may affect heavy multitasking and high-resolution tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.7/10
8.7/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
7.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is good.
The MSI Stealth GS77 outshines the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for engineering and design due to its superior main processor, double the RAM, and a more powerful GPU, which are very important for these tasks. Add to that its higher-resolution and brighter screen which both improve screen quality, despite the Stealth GS77 being less portable and noisier, factors that are of some importance.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
7.3/10
8.1/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is very good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 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
7.5/10
8.3/10
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
294.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS77 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and the MSI Stealth GS77 both offer displays with good resolution and brightness that appeal to general use where clarity and visibility are important. Engineers and designers benefit from the wide color gamuts of these laptops, allowing for accurate color reproduction crucial for their work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the importance of refresh rate comes to the forefront which is an area where both laptops may fall short, leading to less smooth visuals during fast-paced scenes.
Battery
12.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has 12 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS77 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
Fair
16.0in
SIZE
17.3in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth GS77 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 has very good build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$838
$2,499
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 has a price of $838 and the MSI Stealth GS77 costs $2,499.
The MSI Stealth GS77 and ASUS TUF Gaming A16 are both good for gaming and AI.
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.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 and the MSI Stealth GS77 compare to other laptops
"The A16 makes an excellent case against more expensive laptops like the Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16 and the MSI Katana GF76, especially if you’re into 1080p gaming. However, although its affordable, it doesn’t skimp on performance or a robust chassis. But for me, the biggest factor that sets it apart from these options is its incredible battery life. In my time reviewing laptops, I can’t remember when I last saw a gaming laptop lasted 11 and a half hours on a single charge, which makes the A16, in my book, truly outstanding."
"The MSI Stealth GS77 is better than the GS76... mostly. The GS77 is a few steps forward and a few steps back from the GS76. Improvements are numerous including the stronger and more rigid skeleton, higher resolution webcam, larger clickpad, easier serviceability, relatively similar battery runtimes, newer display options, and higher performance at about the same TDP and TGP levels as before. CPU performance is better than expected even when compared to other laptops with Core i7 or Core i9 processors. The newer model feels more substantial than the outgoing one for higher quality impressions as well."
Get a great deal on the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 or the MSI Stealth GS77
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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