If you're looking for an affordable, easy-to-carry laptop for everyday tasks like browsing the internet and using office applications, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is a suitable choice. However, if your needs include high-performance activities like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and you are prepared to invest more, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offers much more power and a better display, at the expense of being heavier and likely having shorter battery life. 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 18 AI Studio
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
8.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12, with its basic CPU and RAM, less vibrant screen, and smaller size, is less suited for demanding tasks and extended use, despite its ease of portability and decent battery life. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-end CPU and ample RAM, a superior screen for crisp visuals, a more comfortable keyboard and better thermal management for heavy workloads, although it is heavier and might have a shorter battery life, which affects its portability.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
8.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS VivoBook Go 12, with less powerful graphics and a standard refresh rate, struggles with gaming and 3D tasks that rely heavily on a strong GPU and smoother visuals. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-end graphics card and higher refresh rate display, providing the necessary horsepower and fluid imagery for top-notch gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
5.3/10
9.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a less powerful CPU, lower RAM and GPU capabilities, along with a lower screen quality, which limits its performance for demanding engineering and design tasks; whereas the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is equipped with a high-end CPU, ample RAM, a robust GPU, and superior screen quality, making it well-suited for such intensive applications, albeit with a compromise on portability due to its size and weight.
Content Creation
5.7/10
8.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very 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
8.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very 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
8.4/10
11.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
TN
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI 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.
For general use, the ASUS Vivobook Go 12's screen may disappoint due to its lackluster resolution and brightness, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio's higher resolution and brighter display provide a clearer and more vibrant experience. Engineering and design work benefit greatly from the MSI's wide color gamuts, ensuring accurate color representation, which the ASUS notably lacks, possibly affecting the quality of visual work. Gamers looking at the MSI may find the lower refresh rate limiting for fast-paced games, despite it having a better resolution and panel type than the ASUS, which overall has a screen less suitable for any intensive graphic tasks.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 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
18.0in
2.3 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Vivobook Go 12 has a price of $267 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
How the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
ASUS Vivobook Go 12
MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
GENERAL
Price
Price
$267
$2,900
Release Date
Release Date
October 1, 2021
March 1, 2024
Overall Dimensions
Overall Dimensions
11'' x 7.5'' x 0.67''
15.8'' x 11.4'' x 0.94''
Weight
Weight
2.31 lbs
6.15 lbs
Width
Width
10.98"
15.75"
Depth
Depth
7.52"
11.4"
INTERNAL
Processor
Processor
Intel Celeron N4020
Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
RAM
RAM
4 GB
32 GB
DDR Memory Version
DDR Memory Version
4
5
RAM Slots
RAM Slots
0
2
Storage
Storage
64 GB
1024 GB
Storage Slots
Storage Slots
1
2
Graphics
Graphics
UHD Graphics 600
RTX 4080 (150 W)
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus
No
Yes
GPU Type
GPU Type
Integrated
Dedicated
GPU Memory (VRAM)
GPU Memory (VRAM)
N/A
12 GB
Supports DLSS
Supports DLSS
No
Yes
Supports Ray Tracing
Supports Ray Tracing
No
Yes
BATTERY
Battery Life
Battery Life
10 Hours
6 Hours
Battery Capacity
Battery Capacity
38 Wh
99.9 Wh
SCREEN
Diagonal Size
Diagonal Size
11.6"
18"
Display Technology
Display Technology
TN
IPS
Resolution
Resolution
1366 x 768
2560 x 1600
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
60Hz
240Hz
Display Brightness
Display Brightness
200 nits
305 nits
Screen Aspect Ratio
Screen Aspect Ratio
16:9
16:10
Pixel Density
Pixel Density
135.09 PPI
167.72 PPI
Contrast
Contrast
Unknown
985: 1
Display Response Time
Display Response Time
Unknown
17.6 ms
DCI-P3
DCI-P3
35 %
96 %
sRGB
sRGB
50 %
100 %
Adobe RGB
Adobe RGB
35 %
86 %
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS
Build Quality Score
Build Quality Score
5.1/10
8/10
Portability Score
Portability Score
9.3/10
6/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
Gaming Laptop Appearance
No
Yes
Premium Business Laptop
Premium Business Laptop
No
No
Fan Noise Score
Fan Noise Score
7/10
7.5/10
Facial Recognition
Facial Recognition
No
No
Upper Side Temp (Max)
Upper Side Temp (Max)
Lower Side Temp (Max)
Lower Side Temp (Max)
Palm Rest Temp (Max)
Palm Rest Temp (Max)
Keyboard Lighting Color
Keyboard Lighting Color
N/A
RGB
Warranty Period
Warranty Period
1 year
1 year
HARDWARE FEATURES
Keyboard Quality Score
Keyboard Quality Score
5.3/10
8.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
Speaker Quality Score
6/10
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
2
USB-C ports
USB-C ports
1
2
USB-C Charging
USB-C Charging
No
Yes
Display Outputs
Display Outputs
1
3
Thunderbolt Version
Thunderbolt Version
N/A
4
Thunderbolt Ports
Thunderbolt Ports
0
1
DisplayPorts
DisplayPorts
0
0
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
1
1
Ethernet
Ethernet
No
Yes
Bluetooth Version
Bluetooth Version
5.1
5.4
WiFi Version
WiFi Version
5
7
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook Go 12 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI 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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