If you're looking for a budget-friendly option that's suitable for everyday tasks like browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 can serve you well and save you money. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is designed for more demanding activities, such as gaming, 3D work, or machine learning, due to its higher performance capabilities; however, it comes at a higher price. The MSI also typically offers better build quality and a higher resolution display, which might be important if you value visual fidelity or durability. If portability is a priority, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12, being smaller and lighter, would be more convenient to carry around, with the tradeoff being a smaller screen size and potentially less powerful hardware. The MSI, while less portable, should provide longer battery life under workload, beneficial for intensive tasks without immediate access to a power outlet. So, consider what you value more: affordability and portability with ASUS, or performance and screen quality at a higher price with the MSI. 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 Stealth 14 Studio
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
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.8/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12, with its Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and a lower resolution TN screen, lacks the stronger performance and crisp display found in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio, which boasts an Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a higher resolution IPS screen. Furthermore, while the Vivobook benefits from excellent portability and battery life, the Stealth 14 Studio offers more substantial storage coupled with better keyboard, speaker quality, and heat management, which are important for a comfortable and efficient general use experience.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
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
5.3/10
8.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is very 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
7.9/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.6/10
11.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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 lower resolution and dimmer display impact its screen clarity and vibrancy across all uses, while its basic panel type limits the color range essential for engineering and design work, and its standard refresh rate makes it less ideal for smooth 3D rendering and gaming. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio, with a higher resolution and brighter screen, offers sharper images and better visibility for general tasks, and its advanced panel type presents colors more accurately, crucial for professional design applications. However, the MSI's moderate refresh rate, while sufficient for many tasks, may not deliver the ultra-smooth visuals preferred for high-speed gaming and 3D animation.
Battery
10.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
14.0in
2.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.6/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 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
$1,432
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a price of $267 and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,432.
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 or the MSI Stealth 14 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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