The ASUS Vivobook 17 is a budget-friendly option, designed for general use with its Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, making it suitable for everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption. Its larger 17.3-inch screen offers comfortable viewing, but it's less portable and has a lower battery life compared to more premium models. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while more expensive, is tailored for higher performance tasks such as gaming, 3D design, or video editing, thanks to its Intel i5 processor and dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card; it also offers a higher refresh rate display for smoother visuals. If you need a laptop for intensive tasks and can afford it, the MSI might be the better option, although it has a smaller 15.6-inch display and sacrifices some battery life for its performance capabilities. 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 17
Good for general use
Good for content creation
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and ASUS Vivobook 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI GF65 Thin is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook 17, with its Intel UHD Graphics, offers modest gaming and 3D capabilities, and its 60Hz screen refresh rate is fine for casual gaming but may not satisfy serious gamers or 3D professionals. In contrast, the MSI GF65 Thin includes a more robust Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, better suiting it for more demanding gaming and 3D tasks.
Software Development
6.9/10
6.3/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook 17 and MSI GF65 Thin are both only fair for software development, though the ASUS Vivobook 17 is somewhat better.
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
6.8/10
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
263.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
For general use, both the ASUS Vivobook 17 and MSI GF65 Thin have screens that provide adequate resolution and brightness for tasks like web browsing and video streaming, but they may not have the most vibrant color or sharpest details. In engineering and design, the screens of both laptops may fall short in accurately representing colors due to limited color gamut coverage, leading to less precise visual work. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the lower refresh rates of these laptops may result in less smooth visuals, which can be a drawback for fast-paced games or 3D rendering.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has 6 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.
Cost
$429
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has a price of $429 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook 17 to be good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook 17 offers a larger screen and longer battery life which is great for extended use, yet it's heavier and might not be as easy to carry around compared to the more portable MSI GF65 Thin, which also provides better performance for tasks like gaming with its superior CPU and dedicated graphics but at the tradeoff of a shorter battery life.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
6.7/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI GF65 Thin and ASUS Vivobook 17 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The ASUS Vivobook 17 offers a fair experience for engineering and design due to its basic Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, which may be limiting for intensive tasks, whereas the MSI GF65 Thin provides a good experience for these applications with a more powerful i5 processor and discrete Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card. With the Vivobook's larger screen and higher screen color score, it's better suited for tasks where a big display and color accuracy are important, but the GF65's superior hardware makes it more capable for demanding engineering software and design work.
Content Creation
7.0/10
6.8/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Vivobook 17 to be 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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF65 Thin and ASUS Vivobook 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
6.7/10
The MSI GF65 Thin and ASUS Vivobook 17 both have 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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How the ASUS Vivobook 17 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
"The ASUS Vivobook 17 is an affordable 17-inch laptop with passive cooling. On one hand, you get a really quiet and cool work device with a good system performance, many connections, good maintenance options, speakers acceptable for multimedia enjoyment, and a sharp and clear matte FHD IPS display with the Asus VivoBook 17 (F712JA). On the other hand, the USB-C port lacks Power Delivery and DisplayPort, and the display, a higher brightness and better color space coverage."
"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 17 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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