The ASUS Vivobook 15 is significantly less expensive and lighter, making it a good fit for general use and easier to carry around, but it has less storage and a more basic processor and graphics, which limits its ability for intensive tasks. Conversely, the MSI Cyborg 15 costs more and is slightly heavier, but it offers a much more powerful processor and graphics card, more storage, and a higher screen refresh rate, making it suitable for gaming, 3D work, machine learning, and engineering software, but the increased performance also means it's less portable and has a shorter battery life. 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 15
Good overall build quality
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.5/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The MSI Cyborg 15 stands out for general use mainly due to its powerful Intel i7 processor, which is significantly superior to the Intel i3 processor in the ASUS Vivobook 15, leading to better performance in various tasks. Additionally, while both laptops have the same amount of RAM and similar IPS screens, the MSI Cyborg 15's larger storage capacity, higher battery capacity, and better heat management make it more capable and reliable for demanding applications.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
7.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has a relatively lower tier GPU and lacks the high screen refresh rate demanded by gamers, resulting in only fair performance for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the MSI Cyborg 15 includes a more powerful GPU and a high screen refresh rate, establishing it as better suited for these tasks due to smoother visuals and better overall graphics handling.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
7.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The MSI Cyborg 15 is better suited for engineering and design due to its more powerful Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX graphics, which provide greater performance for demanding tasks, whereas the ASUS Vivobook 15 is equipped with a less powerful Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, affecting its ability to handle intensive software. Additionally, the MSI Cyborg 15 has a higher resolution screen and a greater battery capacity, which contribute to better screen quality and longer use time, crucial for design work, at the cost of being slightly heavier and thicker than the ASUS model, which may impact portability.
Content Creation
6.4/10
7.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 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
6.5/10
7.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 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
6.8/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the ASUS Vivobook 15 and the MSI Cyborg 15 offer screens that meet basic requirements with acceptable resolution and brightness, but they may not be exceptionally vibrant or sharp. When it comes to engineering and design, their screens are fair because they don't cover a wide color gamut, which professionals need for accurate color work. Lastly, for gaming and 3D applications, the limited refresh rate on both models means less smooth visuals, which is crucial for fast-paced action, although their resolutions and panel types are just passable for the task.
Battery
6.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 15 and MSI Cyborg 15 both have good portability, though the ASUS Vivobook 15 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$530
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has a price of $530 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook 15 to have good build quality, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook 15 and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
"The Asus VivoBook 15 is a quiet office notebook with a strong screen. However, the VivoBook 15 still has room for improvement. Office and internet applications as well as simple games do not pose any major challenges for the VivoBook - this is ensured by the built-in combination of Ryzen 7 5700U APU and 16 GB of RAM. Heat and noise emissions are acceptable. But, the laptop has weaknesses that should not be present at this level: lack of keyboard lighting, a slow memory card reader, no fast USB-C port (USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 4) with Power Delivery and DisplayPort. Battery runtimes can only be described as average."
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15 or the MSI Cyborg 15
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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