When choosing between the Asus Vivobook 15 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider that the Vivobook is more budget-friendly and offers adequate performance for everyday tasks like browsing, office work, and streaming media, but it may struggle with demanding applications like 3D rendering, advanced machine learning, or high-end gaming. The MSI Stealth, however, is designed for those intensive tasks, delivering superior performance, and it may also have a more color-accurate screen, which is important for creative professionals. It's heavier and less portable than the Asus, and the battery life is generally shorter due to its powerful components. Choose the Asus for casual use and value, or invest in the MSI if you need a high-performance machine for specialized work. 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 portability
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
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
6.5/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15 offers a balance of CPU and RAM adequate for typical tasks, with a decent screen and battery life, but trades off top-notch performance for portability and affordability. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a more powerful CPU and additional RAM, superior screen quality for vivid visuals, and robust battery life, suited for those requiring high performance for demanding applications, though it may be less portable and come at a higher cost.
Gaming and AI
5.9/10
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is poor.
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, offers a smoother and more visually detailed gaming and 3D experience, making it excellent for those tasks. In comparison, the ASUS Vivobook 15, while having a capable GPU for moderate use, doesn't match the MSI in graphical performance or refresh rate, which is why it's only fair in these areas.
Engineering and Design
6.1/10
9.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15, while suitable for general tasks, may struggle with demanding engineering and design applications due to its less powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU, which could result in slower performance and lower screen quality compared to more robust systems. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio excels in these areas, offering top-tier components that ensure smooth operation and crisp visuals for complex tasks, though it may be less portable and produce more noise when under heavy use.
Content Creation
6.4/10
8.5/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very 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
8.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very 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
8.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 15's screen may not provide the crispness and vibrancy needed for detailed engineering work or the smooth visuals crucial for gaming due to its modest resolution and panel type. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, on the other hand, offers a high-resolution display and broader color coverage, essential for precision in engineering and design tasks, but it also lacks the high refresh rates for fluid motion in gaming and 3D applications. Despite these differences, both laptops provide adequate brightness and clarity for everyday tasks and general use.
Portability
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$530
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Vivobook 15 has a price of $530 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
"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."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
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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