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Updated January 12, 2024·
Considering your options between the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 and the MSI Creator Z16P and budget concerns, the ASUS is significantly more affordable. However, the ASUS has basic specs suited for light daily tasks, while the MSI boasts powerful components for demanding creative work, 3D modeling, and gaming. With the MSI, you’ll experience a sharper, larger display, and faster overall performance, but it’s heavier which makes it less travel-friendly. On the flip side, the ASUS will save you money and is very portable, but it’s not cut out for heavy software or multitasking. Your choice should align with your primary computer needs and budget. 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 Go 12
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator Z16P
- Good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6
7.8
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 falls short in general use due to its less powerful Intel Celeron processor, smaller RAM size, and lower-quality TN screen, whereas the MSI Creator Z16P excels with its superior Intel i9 processor, larger RAM capacity, and high-quality IPS display which is better for color reproduction and viewing angles. Additionally, the MSI offers significantly better storage and screen resolution, but it is less portable and has a shorter battery life than the ASUS.
Gaming and AI
5.4
7.6
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 with basic Intel UHD Graphics and a typical 60Hz screen refresh rate is underpowered for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the MSI Creator Z16P comes with a high-end Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a much smoother 165Hz screen refresh rate, making it well-equipped for such demanding tasks.
Engineering and Design
5.3
8.3
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 with its basic Intel Celeron processor, limited 4 GB of RAM, and low-end Intel graphics is ill-suited for demanding engineering and design tasks, also hindered by its low-quality TN display. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P boasts a high-performance Intel i9 processor, ample 16 GB of RAM, and a powerful Nvidia RTX GPU, along with a high-resolution IPS display, making it well-equipped for heavy computing loads and detailed visual work despite its lesser portability and higher operating noise.
Content Creation
5.7
7.9
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.7
7.6
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.1
8.3
11.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 may have a lower resolution and less vibrant panel that affects clarity and color accuracy, making it less ideal for tasks that need high-quality visuals such as engineering and design. The MSI Creator Z16P likely offers a high-resolution, brighter display with wider color gamuts, providing crisp and accurate visuals needed for professional creative work, though it falls short for gaming and 3D because of a lower refresh rate. For gaming and 3D tasks, a screen with a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth motion, so despite the MSI's vivid display, it won't be as effective for fast-paced activities as models specifically designed for gaming.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P has 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
Excellent
Good
11.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1
8.0
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$267
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a price of $267 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
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How the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 and the MSI Creator Z16P compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook Go 12 | MSI Creator Z16P |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$267 | $1,300 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | June 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.67'' | 14.1'' x 10.2'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.31 lbs | 5.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 10.98" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.52" | 10.18" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 | Intel i9-12900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 64 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 38 Wh | 90 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 11.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | TN | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 394 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 480p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
MSI Creator Z16P
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | June 2022
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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.
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