The ASUS Vivobook 16X may be the better choice for intensive tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning due to its more powerful processor and advanced graphics card. While slightly less expensive than the MSI GF65 Thin, the Vivobook also offers a better battery life, a larger 16-inch display with a higher refresh rate, more color coverage, and additional features such as a backlit keyboard with a number pad and a fingerprint reader. However, it has a bit more weight compared to the GF65 Thin. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin is geared toward gaming with its high refresh rate screen and is somewhat lighter, making it more portable, but it has a less powerful processor, a shorter battery life, and less RAM, which may limit its performance for demanding engineering applications. 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 16X
Good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the ASUS Vivobook 16X.
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
6.5/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
5.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 16X outperforms the MSI GF65 Thin in general use due to its superior processing power (with a higher-tier CPU), double the amount of RAM, and a higher screen resolution, which together provide smoother multitasking and clearer visuals. Additionally, the Vivobook 16X has a larger battery and a screen with better color accuracy, enhancing its usability for longer periods, while the GF65 Thin, despite being lighter and having better heat management, offers shorter battery life and lower-quality speakers and build, limiting its effectiveness for continuous general use.
Gaming and AI
7.7/10
6.8/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.7/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 16X stands out for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU, double the RAM, and more powerful GPU compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which also offers solid performance but with more modest specs that can handle engineering tasks at a more basic level. While the GF65 Thin is slightly lighter and thus more portable, the Vivobook 16X offers a better screen in terms of size, resolution, and color accuracy, along with a longer battery life, making it more suited to intensive design work where these factors are crucial.
Content Creation
7.7/10
6.8/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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
7.4/10
6.3/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook 16X is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin 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
7.3/10
6.8/10
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook 16X has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Vivobook 16X likely offers a larger color gamut and higher resolution, which enhances general use and is beneficial for engineering and design applications where color accuracy and detail are important. However, it may have a lower refresh rate, reducing its appeal for gaming and 3D work where smooth motion is a priority. Conversely, the MSI GF65 Thin's fair screen quality across uses suggests it doesn't excel in any specific area, having adequate resolution and color representation for general tasks and sufficient, but not outstanding, performance for engineering, design, and 3D applications.
Cost
$1,200
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The ASUS Vivobook 16X has a price of $1,200 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
The ASUS Vivobook 16X has 5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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
16.0in
SIZE
15.6in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Vivobook 16X and MSI GF65 Thin both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
6.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook 16X to have good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook 16X and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
"I think the ASUS Vivobook 16X is fantastic. Great performance, decent battery life, good keyboard and trackpad, and a massive screen – just that the screen quality itself is kinda subpar. If you’re okay with the screen, then I think this is an okay laptop. However, I’d like to see a price drop."
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 16X or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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