If affordability is a top priority and you primarily engage in everyday tasks like browsing the web, streaming videos, and managing documents, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 may be adequate. In contrast, if you require a laptop for high-performance activities like gaming, 3D modeling, machine learning, or engineering work, and you're willing to invest more, the MSI GP66 Leopard offers significantly increased power and capability. However, the MSI laptop will likely be heavier and may have shorter battery life, making the ASUS a better option for on-the-go users needing a more lightweight and longer-lasting device. 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 GP66 Leopard
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.8/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and a lower quality screen, making it poor for general use, while the MSI GP66 Leopard offers a potent CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen, making it good for general use. Additionally, the Vivobook’s compact size and long battery life enhance portability, but the Leopard's superior storage, better keyboard, and advanced cooling system provide a much improved overall experience despite being less portable.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a basic GPU with lower graphics capabilities and a standard refresh rate, making it less suitable for gaming and 3D applications, whereas the MSI GP66 Leopard comes with a high-end Nvidia GPU and a much higher screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth and detailed gaming and 3D rendering.
Engineering and Design
5.3/10
7.9/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
5.7/10
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
5.7/10
7.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
5.1/10
7.5/10
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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's screen may fall short across all categories due to lower resolution and brightness, which impacts clarity and viewing pleasure for general browsing and productivity tasks, while its limited color range can affect accuracy in engineering and design work. The MSI GP66 Leopard, offering a higher resolution and bright display, provides clear and vibrant visuals for general and professional use, though it might not have the high refresh rate desired for smooth rendering in 3D applications and gaming. As engineering and design also demand a wide color gamut, the MSI's good adherence to professional color standards ensures precision in color-critical tasks, a benefit not provided by the ASUS model.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
Fair
11.6in
SIZE
15.6in
2.3 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has excellent portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a price of $267 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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
99,495
Recommendations made
21,558
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.