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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is often significantly less expensive than the MSI Stealth GS66 and has a larger screen, but it comes with less powerful processing capabilities and lower battery life. It's heavier, which makes it less portable than the MSI. The MSI, being at a premium price point, offers a much higher refresh rate display, better performance suitable for intensive gaming, engineering, and 3D/machine learning tasks along with Windows 11 Pro. The MSI's higher RAM capacity and advanced graphics card are geared towards demanding applications, while its lighter weight and longer battery life make it better for on-the-go usage. Choose the ASUS if you need a budget-friendly gaming laptop with a larger screen and don't mind lower performance and portability; opt for the MSI if you require top-tier performance and portability at a higher cost. 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 F17
- The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has no clear advantages over the MSI Stealth GS66.
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Good portability
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.1
7.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
264.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
6.4/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and ASUS TUF Gaming F17 are both good for general use, though the MSI Stealth GS66 is somewhat better.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has a less powerful CPU and half the RAM compared to the MSI Stealth GS66, leading to lower performance for general use. Additionally, the MSI provides better screen quality and portability with a lighter design and longer battery life, which makes it more suitable for use on the go.
Gaming and AI
6.6
7.8
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth GS66 has better gaming and 3D credentials, mainly due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 360Hz, compared with the ASUS TUF Gaming F17's Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti and 144Hz refresh rate. These factors contribute significantly to smoother visuals and more robust performance in graphically-demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
6.9
8.2
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
5.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth GS66 outperforms the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 in engineering and design tasks due to its superior main processor, double the RAM, and a more powerful GPU which is crucial for CPU-intensive tasks and complex graphics rendering, while also offering a higher quality screen to display detailed work with greater color accuracy. On the other hand, the ASUS TUF Gaming F17, being heavier and thicker, is less portable, but it may appeal to those who prefer a larger screen and a gaming laptop appearance despite the lower performance in demanding engineering software.
Content Creation
7.1
7.7
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS66 and ASUS TUF Gaming F17 are both good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth GS66 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
6.7
7.5
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 is good for software development, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 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
6.9
8.1
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
264.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS66 has a better screen than the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17's adequate resolution and brightness make it suitable for general use, while limited color gamut coverage hinders its performance for engineering and design tasks that require precise color accuracy. The MSI Stealth GS66 offers crisp visuals and comprehensive color range, making it favorable for both general use and professional design work. However, both laptops' lower refresh rates detract from the optimal experience desired for 3D gaming, where smooth motion is key.
Battery
4.5 Hours
5.5 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 has 5.5 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.
Portability
Fair
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Stealth GS66 has good portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
8.0
The MSI Stealth GS66 has very good build quality, while the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
Cost
$1,000
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The ASUS TUF Gaming F17 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,000.
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How the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 and the MSI Stealth GS66 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS TUF Gaming F17 | MSI Stealth GS66 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10.6'' x 0.91'' | 14.2'' x 9.7'' x 0.71'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.73 lbs | 4.63 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.71" | 14.17" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.59" | 9.65" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-11400H | Intel i7-12700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 48 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 360Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 264 nits | 280 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.4/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS TUF Gaming F17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Christian Hintze | April 2022
"One of the Asus TUF Gaming F17’s highlights is without a doubt its excellent gaming performance. The fact that Asus configured the RTX 3060 GPU for its specified maximum of 140 W is became immediately noticeable in our benchmarks. For a 17-inch notebook the F17 also offers a very long battery life, which makes it somewhat portable. On the flip side is the display. It may be saved by its good overall contrast ratio, but its overall brightness is simply too low, and its response times are too slow for a gaming device. The F17’s successor needs to improve upon this."
MSI Stealth GS66
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | February 2022
"The MSI Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the ASUS TUF Gaming F17 or the MSI Stealth GS66
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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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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