The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers impressive battery life, outstanding portability, and an OLED display which is superb for general use and media consumption. Its AMD processor performs well for general tasks, but may fall short for heavy 3D, machine learning, or engineering workloads compared to the MSI Prestige 16, which has a larger screen, more RAM, and a more powerful Intel processor. The Prestige 16, however, is heavier and has slightly less battery life. It's more suitable for performance-intensive applications but is also more expensive. Your choice should hinge on whether portability and price or performance and screen size are more critical for your needs. 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
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
400.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.6/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its OLED screen, boasts exceptional display quality and portability with a lighter weight and longer battery life, making it suitable for on-the-go use and everyday tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 16, equipped with a more powerful CPU and abundant RAM, excels in handling more demanding applications and multitasking, reinforced by a larger, higher-resolution screen, though it's less portable due to its added weight and reduced battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Prestige 16 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the MSI Prestige 16 is somewhat better.
The MSI Prestige 16 offers a significantly higher screen refresh rate and a newer CPU than the ASUS Zenbook 13, which jointly contribute to smoother and more responsive gaming and 3D experiences. Additionally, the MSI Prestige 16 has a more powerful GPU compared to the integrated graphics of the ASUS Zenbook 13, allowing for better handling of gaming and graphic-intensive software.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.2/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The MSI Prestige 16 offers a more powerful CPU, significantly more RAM, and a higher resolution screen, which are essential for complex engineering tasks and design work, whereas the ASUS Zenbook 13 has a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and a lower resolution screen, making it less suitable for such demanding tasks. Despite being heavier and less portable, the Prestige 16 compensates with better performance and screen quality, while the Zenbook 13, being lighter, offers greater portability at the cost of lower performance capabilities for engineering and design software.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.3/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 16 is 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.
Software Development
7.3/10
8.1/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 16 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 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
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
400.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 16 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the MSI Prestige 16 have screens that offer sharp images and vibrant colors due to high-resolution panels that provide clear text and visuals, with sufficient brightness to use in various lighting conditions. In engineering and design work, the importance of accurate color reproduction is met by both laptops, which feature screens with wide color gamuts, ensuring that professionals can see precise colors that match industry standards. However, for gaming and 3D applications where the fluidity of motion is critical, the screens on both these laptops fall short as they have lower refresh rates, resulting in less smooth transitions and potential motion lag compared to dedicated gaming laptops with higher refresh rates.
Battery
9.0 Hours
7.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 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
4.2 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Prestige 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$890
$1,611
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the MSI Prestige 16 costs $1,611.
"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."
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the MSI Prestige 16
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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