If portability and longer battery life are important to you, and you're mainly using the laptop for general tasks like web browsing, office applications, and media consumption, the ASUS Zenbook 13 would be a suitable choice due to its lighter weight and longer battery life. However, if you require a machine for more intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, machine learning or engineering software, the MSI Creator Z16P would be better as it has a more powerful processor, graphics card, and additional memory, but it is heavier and has a shorter battery life, making it less portable. The MSI also has a higher resolution touchscreen display, which could be beneficial for creative work, but it may also contribute to the reduced battery life compared to the ASUS. The cost of the MSI is higher, reflecting its superior performance capabilities. 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 Z16P
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
6.2/10
7.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator Z16P is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
The MSI Creator Z16P offers better gaming and 3D performance than the ASUS Zenbook 13 due to its superior Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 165Hz, compared to the ASUS's integrated AMD graphics and a standard 60Hz screen refresh rate. The MSI's better performance does come at the cost of portability, as it's heavier and larger than the more compact ASUS, which may appeal to those prioritizing mobility over gaming prowess.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.3/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Creator Z16P is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, while lightweight and highly portable, has less powerful hardware with an AMD Ryzen processor and integrated Vega graphics, making it fair for engineering and design where CPU, RAM, and GPU are very important. In contrast, the MSI Creator Z16P boasts a high-performance Intel i9 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, along with more RAM and a higher quality screen, but is heavier and less portable, thus being very good for engineering and design tasks.
Screen Quality
7.8/10
8.3/10
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
394.0 nits
The MSI Creator Z16P has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook 13 and MSI Creator Z16P both offer high resolution and brightness, which contribute to clear and vivid display experiences, essential for browsing, video playback, and document editing. In engineering and design work, where accurate color representation is crucial, both laptops provide wide color gamuts, ensuring that professionals see true-to-life colors and gradients in their projects. However, for gaming and 3D rendering, the importance of a higher refresh rate becomes critical for smooth motion rendering and gameplay, an area where both these laptops fall short, potentially leading to less fluid visuals in fast-paced environments.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator Z16P 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
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
16.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator Z16P has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$890
$1,300
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the MSI Creator Z16P costs $1,300.
The MSI Creator Z16P and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 stands out for its portability and battery life, making it highly suitable for those who prioritize a lightweight laptop with long-lasting battery; its screen quality is excellent for general use, though its performance is adequate for routine tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Creator Z16P delivers very powerful performance with a top-tier CPU and more RAM, which is more ideal for demanding applications; it also offers a larger and higher-resolution screen, but is less portable and has a shorter battery life.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.9/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator Z16P and ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.3/10
7.6/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator Z16P and ASUS Zenbook 13 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 Zenbook 13 and the MSI Creator Z16P 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."
"There's almost nothing left to be desired with the MSI Z16P. The creator laptop offers enormous performance resources for image editing, video editing, rendering, and more. All this is presented on a precalibrated, adequately sized, and high-resolution display. Its color space, refresh rate, and panel technology are also perfectly suited for a device that specializes in video reproduction and editing."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the MSI Creator Z16P
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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