The ASUS Vivobook 14 is a budget-friendly choice with less storage and RAM, and an integrated graphics chip suited for everyday tasks and light work. Its lighter weight enhances portability, but it offers lower performance in demanding tasks like 3D work or gaming. The MSI GP66 Leopard, on the other hand, costs more but provides a more potent processor, double the RAM, and a high-end dedicated graphics card, making it well-suited for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, engineering tasks, and machine learning. Noticeably heavier, the MSI sacrifices portability for significant improvements in performance and is less efficient in battery management compared to 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 Vivobook 14
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
7.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 14 is adequate for general use due to its mid-range Intel i5 processor and 8GB of RAM which are sufficient for basic tasks, along with a decent screen, but its lower battery life and lighter weight make it more portable than the MSI GP66 Leopard. The MSI GP66 Leopard, on the other hand, offers better performance for general use with a more powerful i7 processor, double the RAM at 16GB, and a high-quality screen, but those advantages come with a heavier weight and reduced battery life, making it less portable.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
7.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 14 is equipped with an integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU and a standard 60Hz refresh rate screen, which provides modest gaming and 3D capabilities, while the MSI GP66 Leopard boasts a powerful Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and a faster 144Hz refresh rate screen, offering a substantially enhanced gaming and 3D experience. Additionally, the MSI's superior CPU contributes to better overall performance in demanding tasks compared to the ASUS's more modest CPU.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
7.9/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 14, with a more modest CPU and integrated GPU, provides sufficient capability for less intensive engineering and design tasks and has the advantage of being lighter, enhancing portability. In contrast, the MSI GP66 Leopard comes equipped with a superior CPU and high-end dedicated GPU, which substantially improves performance for demanding engineering software, but is heavier and less portable.
Content Creation
6.9/10
7.4/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 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.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
7.5/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS Vivobook 14's screen may not be as bright or clear due to its resolution and panel type, which affects visibility and clarity, while the MSI GP66 Leopard's better resolution and brightness provide sharper and more vibrant visuals. In engineering and design, the Vivobook falls short because it doesn't cover a wide range of colors essential for accuracy, whereas the MSI's coverage of color gamuts ensures that designs are seen with the intended hues and saturation. When it comes to 3D work, the Vivobook's lower refresh rate can make fast-moving visuals appear less smooth, and this, along with its moderate resolution and panel quality, can hinder the experience, while the MSI, despite having a good resolution and panel type, may still not satisfy the highest demands for fluid motion due to a less than ideal refresh rate for this specific use case.
Battery
7.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard has 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has very good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$421
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has a price of $421 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GP66 Leopard to be good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 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.
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How the ASUS Vivobook 14 and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 14 or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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