A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
For everyday tasks, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 offers solid performance with its AMD Ryzen 7 processor and 16GB of RAM, providing a smooth experience at a more affordable price point. Its 15.6-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 is suitable for general use, though it lacks touch capability. The laptop is lightweight and portable, making it a good choice for on-the-go use. However, it may not excel in intensive tasks like gaming or engineering work due to its integrated Vega 8 graphics. On the other hand, the MSI Raider 18 HX is a powerhouse designed for high-end gaming and demanding applications with its top-tier Intel i9 processor, a massive 32GB of RAM, and the formidable Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU. The 18-inch Mini LED display boasts a high resolution of 3840 x 2400, touchscreen functionality, and an impressive 120Hz refresh rate, catering to users who require vibrant visuals and fast-moving content for gaming or content creation. It also offers a premium build quality and an array of high-speed ports, including Thunderbolt 3 and USB4. However, its larger size and weight make it less portable, and it comes with a significantly higher price tag. In summary, if you prioritize portability, value for money, and have general computing needs, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is a practical choice. If you're looking for exceptional performance for gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning tasks, and you don't mind a heavier, more expensive laptop, the MSI Raider 18 HX is the way to go. 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
Advantages of the MSI Raider 18 HX
- Very good for general use
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7
8.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
267.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.3
9.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is only fair.
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
7.1
9.6
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
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
7.6
9.1
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
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
8.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
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
6.3
9.4
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
267.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Portability
Good
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good portability, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$908
$3,999
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a price of $908 and the MSI Raider 18 HX costs $3,999.
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Key similarities
Battery
9.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider 18 HX has 9 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.
Build Quality
7.0
7.4
The MSI Raider 18 HX and ASUS Vivobook S 15 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the MSI Raider 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Vivobook S 15 | MSI Raider 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$908 | $3,999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 9.2'' x 0.74'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.97 lbs | 7.94 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.17" | 15.91" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.17" | 12.09" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 1 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 70 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 267 nits | 1000 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.7/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
ASUS Vivobook S 15
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | February 2023
"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."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook S 15 or the MSI Raider 18 HX
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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