If you prioritize saving money and need a laptop for everyday tasks, the ASUS Vivobook 15X is a sensible choice; however, if you require top performance for activities like 3D modeling, machine learning, or high-end gaming, and you're willing to invest more, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers superior capabilities. The MSI also tends to have better battery life and enhanced portability due to its slimmer design but remember that the increased performance and sleek form factor of the MSI come at a higher price point. Choose based on what's more important to you: cost savings or high-end performance and portability. 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 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
7.1/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.0 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 15X is good.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X offers solid performance and a quality screen for everyday tasks at a lighter weight for easier portability, but its battery life may be shorter compared to more premium models. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio provides enhanced CPU performance and more RAM for demanding applications, and despite being less portable due to its size, it offers better screen quality and longer battery life, along with improved keyboard and speaker quality for a more immersive experience.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
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 15X is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a decent GPU and screen refresh rate that can handle gaming and 3D tasks, but it doesn't match the performance and smooth visuals of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, which boasts a superior GPU and a higher screen refresh rate that are ideal for demanding gaming and 3D applications. Although both have competent CPUs and screen quality, the MSI's advantages in GPU and refresh rate make it the better choice for gaming and 3D work, provided the higher cost is within your budget.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
9.1/10
5.6/10
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 15X is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X offers sufficient processing power, memory, and screen clarity for mainstream engineering tasks, but the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio surpasses it with a higher-end CPU, more RAM, advanced GPU, and superior screen resolution ideal for intensive engineering and design work. While both laptops feature quality keyboards and acceptable speaker output, the MSI's emphasis on high performance results in less portability and potentially more operating noise when handling demanding applications.
Content Creation
7.1/10
8.5/10
5.6/10
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 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
8.2/10
5.6/10
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 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
8.4/10
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 15X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize a clear and vibrant display for tasks like web browsing, document editing, and movie-watching, the MSI Stealth's superior resolution and brightness provide a more pleasant viewing experience. For engineering and design work, where color accuracy is crucial, the MSI Stealth's higher coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures that colors are represented more truly and vividly. However, both laptops might not be ideal for 3D applications or gaming, as their screens do not support high refresh rates, which are necessary for smooth motion and rapid visual updates.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook 15X 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 15X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$525
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a price of $525 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
"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."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 15X 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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