If performance matters most, especially for 3D, machine learning, or engineering tasks, the MSI Stealth GS66 has a high-end graphics card and processor that outshine the Asus Vivobook S 15. However, the Asus offers better battery life and comes at a lower price, making it more suitable for general use. The Asus is lighter but the MSI has a sturdier build and better heat management, which can be important if you plan to carry your laptop often or use it for long periods. The MSI's keyboard and display are also superior, although it is less portable due to its weight and larger power brick. If gaming is a priority, the MSI Stealth GS66's advanced graphics make it a clear choice, despite its higher cost and 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 S 15
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
7.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 is good 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
7.1/10
8.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 is very good 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.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
8.1/10
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
267.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The MSI Stealth GS66 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 offers sufficient resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and productivity software, but its color gamut may not satisfy the precision needed for engineering and design work. While the MSI Stealth GS66 provides clearer images and more accurate colors to cater to engineers and designers, both laptops fall short for 3D gaming due to their inadequate refresh rates, which are crucial for a smooth visual experience in fast-paced games. The panel types on both, though fitting for general activities and professional applications, don't meet the demanding standards of high-end gaming graphics.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 has 5.5 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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 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
$1,718
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 has a price of $908 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,718.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and MSI Stealth GS66 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 offers a solid balance for general use with a decent CPU, ample RAM, and a quality screen, while being more portable and having longer battery life than the MSI Stealth GS66. The MSI, on the other hand, provides higher performance for demanding tasks with its advanced CPU and GPU, better screen refresh rate, and superior build, but it sacrifices some battery life and portability due to its focus on power over everyday convenience.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.7/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS66 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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
7.5/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
15.6in
3.9 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 and MSI Stealth GS66 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS Vivobook S 15 and the MSI Stealth GS66 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 Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook S 15 or the MSI Stealth GS66
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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