A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The ASUS Zenbook 13 is a more budget-friendly option that offers great portability due to its lighter weight and smaller screen size, making it suitable for general use and tasks that require long battery life. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 17, while more expensive, delivers high performance suitable for demanding 3D rendering, machine learning, engineering applications, and intensive gaming. The Stealth 17 comes with a larger screen and a significantly more powerful graphics card, but this also means it's heavier and less portable with shorter battery life compared to the Zenbook 13. 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 Stealth 17
- Very good for general use
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.7
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.4/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers portability and excellent battery life, making it suitable for general use, though with modest CPU and RAM it might struggle with demanding tasks. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17 has a powerful CPU and ample RAM, providing superior performance for a variety of tasks, but it is less portable due to its larger size and has a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.2
9.1
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a less powerful integrated GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, making it fair for gaming and 3D tasks, while the MSI Stealth 17 is equipped with a high-end dedicated Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a much higher refresh rate, thus providing excellent performance for gaming and 3D applications. The CPU and screen quality of both laptops are also factors, with the Stealth 17 featuring a more advanced CPU and superior screen resolution, enhancing its suitability for demanding multimedia activities.
Engineering and Design
7.1
9.4
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The MSI Stealth 17 features a more powerful CPU and significantly higher RAM, which are crucial for demanding engineering tasks, in addition to a top-tier GPU that excels in handling complex graphics and 3D designs. In contrast, the ASUS Zenbook 13, while offering portability and a competent CPU, has less RAM and an integrated GPU, which may not perform as well for intensive engineering applications or advanced design work.
Content Creation
7.6
8.8
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 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
8.5
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 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
8.6
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 13 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and MSI Stealth 17 both have panels with high resolution and brightness, contributing to clear and vibrant displays that enhance viewing experiences for general use and meticulous work in engineering and design. Their color accuracy and range are up to the mark to satisfy professionals, offering wide color gamuts that ensure true-to-life colors which are essential for design tasks. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the lower refresh rates on these laptops may not provide as smooth visuals as desired, which could be a drawback for users focused on such activities.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 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.
Portability
Excellent
Fair
13.3in
SIZE
17.3in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$890
$3,899
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The MSI Stealth 17 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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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 13 | MSI Stealth 17 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$890 | $3,899 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8'' x 0.55'' | 15.7'' x 11.2'' x 0.79'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.55 lbs | 6.17 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 15.65" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.99" | 11.16" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | Intel i9-13900H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 67 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1440 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 378 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 6.5/10 | |
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 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
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 Stealth 17
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Mario Petzold | April 2023
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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