The ASUS Vivobook 15X is a lower-cost option with decent performance for general use, and it's lighter, making it more portable. It has an AMD processor, a modest amount of storage and RAM for everyday tasks, and a standard display. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 is considerably more expensive but offers top-of-the-line performance with a powerful Intel processor, over four times more storage, more RAM for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning or gaming, and a more vibrant and fluid display. It's also heavier, which impacts portability, and it comes with more advanced features like hardware ray tracing and a higher number of ports, but has a shorter battery life despite a larger battery. The choice depends on whether you prioritize performance for demanding applications and features or price and portability for everyday use. 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 15X
Good portability
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Best in class for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.1/10
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is good.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X offers decent performance for general use with moderate RAM and a mid-range CPU, but its portability is better due to lighter weight and smaller size. Meanwhile, the MSI Raider GE78, boasting a high-end CPU, substantial RAM, and superior screen quality, excels in performance which is reflected in the higher price, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
9.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
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
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is only fair.
The MSI Raider GE78, with its top-tier Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics card and a high screen refresh rate, far outpaces the ASUS Vivobook 15X in gaming and 3D applications, where its mid-range integrated GPU and standard refresh rate fall short for demanding visual tasks. Additionally, while the MSI Raider GE78 offers superior screen quality with higher brightness and color coverage, these enhancements also make it less portable due to a larger size and increased weight.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
9.4/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is only fair.
The MSI Raider GE78 outshines the ASUS Vivobook 15X in engineering and design use due to its superior processor, significantly higher RAM, and more powerful GPU, which are vital for resource-intensive tasks, alongside a higher quality screen that benefits design accuracy and detail. While the Vivobook 15X offers portability and an adequate setup for fair performance in engineering tasks at a presumably lower price point, it cannot compete with the Raider's high-end specifications that justify its lower portability and possibly higher noise level due to advanced cooling needs for more intense workloads.To provide you with the correct information, I will begin by opening the document and locating the relevant sections which explain why the ASUS Vivobook 15X is considered fair for engineering and design use, and why the MSI Raider GE78 is considered excellent for these purposes, with particular attention to CPU, RAM, GPU, screen quality, portability, keyboard quality, speaker quality, and operating noise. Please give me a moment to review the document.
Content Creation
7.1/10
8.8/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is good.
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
6.9/10
8.5/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X 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
6.2/10
8.6/10
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a display that offers adequate resolution and brightness for daily tasks but lacks wide color gamut support, making the screen less ideal for engineering and design software that relies on accurate color representation. The MSI Raider GE78's panel provides higher resolution, brightness, and wider color coverage, which benefits engineering and design professionals who require precise color accuracy for their work. However, both laptops fall short for 3D and gaming due to lower refresh rates, making fast-moving visuals less smooth compared to displays designed specifically for these activities.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
17.3in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$525
$4,386
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a price of $525 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
"All in all, my day on the Vivobook had its ups and downs. It is a really pretty and well-built device, and it had all of the functionality I needed to get me through my browser-based workload. But the speakers weren’t my favorite, and the battery life was just too short."
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15X or the MSI Raider GE78
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
99,795
Recommendations made
21,623
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.