When choosing between the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider that the ASUS is more budget-friendly, suitable for everyday tasks, and easier to carry. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth boasts superior performance that caters well to demanding tasks like gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning, at the cost of being pricier and less portable. If long battery life is crucial for you, the ASUS may be favorable, while if you need a machine that can handle heavy workloads, the MSI is a better fit despite its higher price and reduced mobility. 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 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
7.7/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
267.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 offers solid performance and portability with adequate battery life, making it well-suited for everyday tasks, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio provides higher processing power and superior screen quality, better accommodating intensive applications and multitasking despite being less portable and having a shorter battery life. Additionally, the MSI has higher RAM, which, along with its storage capacity, keyboard and speaker quality, contributes to its edge in performance, although it may run louder and warmer under heavy use compared to the more balanced Vivobook.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is only fair.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has moderate gaming capabilities with a decent GPU that supports light 3D work and casual gaming; however, the refresh rate of the screen isn't as high, which can limit smooth visuals in fast-paced games. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio boasts a high-end GPU and a superior screen refresh rate, ensuring top-notch gaming and 3D rendering, alongside a more robust CPU and better screen quality enhancing overall performance and visual experience.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
9.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook S 15 is good.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 offers solid performance with a capable CPU, ample RAM, and a quality screen, making it suitable for engineering tasks, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, with its more powerful CPU, additional RAM, and superior GPU, excels in demanding engineering and design workloads, delivering smoother and more efficient processing power. However, the MSI model is typically heavier and larger, making it less portable than the ASUS, which might be a consideration if you often work on the go.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good 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
7.4/10
8.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
6.3/10
8.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
267.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook S 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15's fair screen quality for general use stems from its adequate resolution and brightness suitable for everyday tasks, but may lack the vibrancy some users seek. For engineering and design, its fair screen quality is due to moderate coverage of professional color spaces, but this might not satisfy professionals needing high color accuracy. Despite its fine resolution and panel type, the lower refresh rate of the ASUS Vivobook S 15 makes it less optimal for Gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 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
Good
Fair
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a price of $908 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
"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 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
99,195
Recommendations made
21,493
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.