When choosing between the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the MSI GP66 Leopard, consider that the Vivobook offers better battery life and portability which makes it a good fit for general use and tasks that do not require intensive graphics, at a lower price point. Meanwhile, the GP66 Leopard, despite being more expensive, provides superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and other graphics-intensive applications, but it is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less suitable for carrying around frequently. If gaming or high-demand engineering work is your focus, the GP66 Leopard with its powerful GPU and higher performance scores is a strong choice. However, for everyday tasks and better mobility, the Vivobook S 15 could be preferable. 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 S 15
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a lower refresh rate and a less powerful integrated GPU compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which has a high refresh rate screen and a top-end dedicated GPU, making the latter a better choice for smooth gaming and 3D experiences.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
7.9/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard and ASUS Vivobook S 15 are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI GP66 Leopard is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15, with its AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and integrated Vega graphics, offers a balanced performance for engineering and design tasks, while MSI GP66 Leopard's Intel i7 CPU paired with a powerful Nvidia RTX GPU caters to more demanding engineering applications and graphics-intensive design work. Both have quality IPS displays, but the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate, and while the ASUS is lighter and better for portability, the MSI's superior GPU and overall performance make it less portable.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
7.5/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
267.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15's screen may not have the high resolution and brightness preferred for vivid and crisp visual experiences needed for both general use and detailed engineering work, while its limited color range can affect the accuracy crucial for design tasks. The MSI GP66 Leopard offers better resolution and brightness, enhancing everyday use and detail work for engineering, plus it has a wider color gamut, which ensures more accurate color representation for professional design. However, neither laptop's display is optimal for 3D applications and gaming because they lack the high refresh rates that provide smoother visuals and improved responsiveness in fast-paced environments.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$908
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a price of $908 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for general use.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 offers a balance of power with an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and 16GB RAM, a high-quality IPS screen, and boasts longer battery life and lighter weight for better portability, making it ideal for everyday tasks. The MSI GP66 Leopard, although heavier and with a shorter battery life, provides a more robust performance with an Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU, and better screen refresh rates, which suits more demanding applications like 3D work and gaming.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.4/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for content creation.
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
7.4/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and MSI GP66 Leopard are both good for software development.
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.
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How the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
"Internals make Asus VivoBook S15 laptop a compelling option. The Asus multimedia laptop may look rather below-average with its modest black chassis, lack of a dedicated GPU, limited RAM and meagre port selection without Thunderbolt support. But your impression of the device will start changing once you set your eyes on its high-contrast OLED capable of producing deep blacks and highly accurate colours. And your opinion will change completely when the VivoBook is switched on. The AMD CPU can effortlessly keep up with powerful rivals from Intel. The integrated Radeon graphics blows away Intel's iGPU when it comes to graphics workloads such as rendering and simpler games."
"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 S 15 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.
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