If budget is a primary concern and you need a laptop for everyday tasks with the added benefit of portability and a longer battery life, the ASUS ZenBook 13 is a solid option. On the other hand, if your work involves resource-intensive applications like 3D modeling, machine learning or video editing, and you're willing to invest more, the MSI Creator M14, despite being less portable and having a shorter battery life, will generally offer better performance suitable for those tasks. 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 Zenbook 13
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with a solid CPU and RAM, offers smooth performance for everyday tasks in a highly portable design, complemented by a quality screen and strong battery life, making it a suitable option for general use. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator M14 ups the ante with enhanced screen quality and even better CPU and RAM specifications, providing not only a great experience for typical usage but also the required power for more demanding applications, while still maintaining good portability and battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
With its superior GPU and higher screen refresh rate, the MSI Creator M14 provides a smoother gaming experience and more detailed 3D rendering than the ASUS Zenbook 13, making it a better choice for performance-intensive tasks. Although both laptops have capable CPUs and good screen quality, these factors play a secondary role in gaming and 3D applications where the MSI's graphics capabilities give it a significant edge.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.4/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The Asus Zenbook 13, with its efficient CPU and high-quality screen, suits everyday engineering tasks, while the MSI Creator M14, with its superior RAM, dedicated GPU, and equally impressive screen, excels in more demanding engineering and design work. However, the Zenbook 13 offers greater portability and quieter operation, making it a better on-the-go option, but if keyboard and speaker quality are concerns, the MSI Creator M14 provides a more satisfying user experience in those areas.
Software Development
7.3/10
7.8/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator M14 is somewhat better.
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
7.8/10
7.5/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Creator M14 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 likely has a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and ample brightness, making it ideal for tasks requiring clarity and detail, which is essential for both general use and engineering design work. Its strength in color gamut coverage, particularly in DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, is critical for professionals in graphic design and engineering who require accurate color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, a higher refresh rate is crucial to avoid motion blur and provide smooth visuals, an area where this laptop does not excel, possibly due to prioritizing display accuracy over refresh capabilities.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$890
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 and ASUS Zenbook 13 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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How the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the MSI Creator M14
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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