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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook 13 excels in portability, battery life, and screen quality, being lighter with longer battery life and better color representation, making it ideal for general use and work that benefits from a high-quality display such as photo editing. On the other hand, the MSI GF63 Thin offers better overall performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming due to its dedicated graphics card, but compromises on weight, battery life, and screen color accuracy. Choose the Zenbook if portability and display quality are priorities, or the GF63 Thin if your focus is on gaming and performance-intensive 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
- Good for general use
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Good battery life
- Good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF63 Thin
- The MSI GF63 Thin has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook 13.
Key differences
General Use
7.4
6.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.2 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for general use, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
7.1
6.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its efficient CPU and quality screen, suits engineering tasks, but its limited GPU may affect graphics-intensive applications; its high portability is a plus for professionals on the go. The MSI GF63 Thin offers a stronger GPU for demanding software at the cost of reduced battery life, offering a balanced keyboard and cooling system for extended use in design scenarios.
Content Creation
7.6
6.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for content creation, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.0
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.3/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is good for software development, while the MSI GF63 Thin is only fair.
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
6.1
13.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
249.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the MSI GF63 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
If you're looking for a laptop that excels in display quality for everyday tasks, the ASUS Zenbook 13 is superior due to its higher resolution and brightness, making text and images crisp and vivid. For engineering and design work, the Zenbook 13's wider color gamut ensures accurate color reproduction, essential for precision tasks. However, if your focus is on gaming or 3D applications, neither laptop is ideal, but the MSI GF63 Thin might edge out slightly as its higher refresh rate provides smoother visuals, despite lower resolution and color fidelity.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.2 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI GF63 Thin has 4.3 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
15.6in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI GF63 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
6.5
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has good build quality, while the MSI GF63 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$890
$599
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the MSI GF63 Thin costs $599.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.0
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and MSI GF63 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its moderate graphics capabilities, is suitable for casual gaming and basic 3D work, though it won't excel in high-end gaming due to its screen refresh rate limitations. The MSI GF63 Thin offers better graphics performance and a higher refresh rate, making it more suitable for immersive gaming experiences, but keep in mind the screen quality and CPU might not match top-tier gaming laptops.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the MSI GF63 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 13 | MSI GF63 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$890 | $599 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2021 | May 1, 2019 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.55 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.99" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | Intel i5-10300H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 256 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4.25 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 67 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 378 nits | 249 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.4/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook 13
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | May 2021
"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."
MSI GF63 Thin
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | January 2020
"If you leave aside the meagre port selection (no card reader, no DisplayPort, no Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen2), the fan control that could be improved (idle mode!) and the relatively dark and slow display, the MSI GF63 Thin 9SC does not have any major weaknesses. The 15-inch gamer is compact, has a low weight and offers a good price-to-performance ratio, which should please gamers that are looking for both a portable and an affordable gaming notebook. Input devices, battery life, case quality and performance are all appropriate for this purchase price."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the MSI GF63 Thin
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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