If your primary focus is on saving money and needing something easy to carry around for everyday tasks like browsing and office work, the ASUS Vivobook 14 can be a good choice. However, if you require a laptop for intensive tasks like 3D design, machine learning, or high-end gaming, and you don't mind spending more for high performance and larger screen size, while sacrificing portability and battery life, then the MSI Titan 18 HX would be the better option. Choose the ASUS for affordability and portability or the MSI for top-tier power and larger display 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 Vivobook 14
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Very good for general use
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.9/10
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 14 offers adequate CPU performance and RAM for daily tasks, with a display that's fine for casual use, decent portability due to size and battery life that supports average use, but the MSI Titan 18 HX stands out with superior processing power and memory, a high-quality screen for more detailed visuals, although it's less portable and has a shorter battery life due to its larger size and higher-performing components. Despite both having sufficient storage, the MSI's more robust build improves the keyboard and speaker experience, though both may produce more heat and noise under heavy use than lighter-duty laptops.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
9.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 14 typically has a lower-end GPU and a standard screen refresh rate which suits casual gaming, while the MSI Titan 18 HX boasts a high-end GPU and a high refresh rate screen, delivering top-notch performance and smoother visuals for demanding gaming and 3D tasks. Although the CPU and screen quality matter, the superior graphics capabilities of the MSI make it stand out for gaming and 3D design over the ASUS, which is crafted for everyday tasks and lighter gaming sessions.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
9.9/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 14, while suitable for basic engineering tasks, tends to fall short for more intensive design work due to its modest CPU, RAM, and GPU specs compared to the MSI Titan 18 HX, which offers top-tier performance and a high-quality screen essential for demanding engineering software and design work. However, the Titan's power comes at the cost of portability and potentially higher operating noise, which may not suit users who prioritize a quiet, mobile workspace.
Content Creation
6.9/10
9.0/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent 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.
Software Development
6.8/10
8.9/10
6.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very 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.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
9.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 14's fair screen quality for all use cases suggests it likely has an average resolution and panel type offering sufficient clarity for everyday tasks, but it falls short of the colors and crisper images demanded by engineers and designers. In contrast, the MSI Titan 18 HX, with the best screen quality, boasts high-resolution and professional-grade color accuracy, which is vital for precision in engineering and design work. However, the poor gaming and 3D performance on both devices implies that neither has the high refresh rates necessary for smooth motion handling, which is crucial for immersive gaming and 3D rendering experiences.
Battery
7.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX 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
$4,800
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Vivobook 14 has a price of $421 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 14 or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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