The ASUS Zenbook 14 is a more budget-friendly option that offers good portability thanks to its lightweight and compact size. It features an OLED screen with higher resolution, which can be beneficial for tasks involving visual accuracy. However, if you require more power for gaming or engineering software, the MSI GP66 Leopard, despite being more expensive and heavier, comes equipped with a more powerful processor and a high-end graphics card. The Leopard also has a higher refresh rate display, desirable for gaming. Consider the Zenbook 14 if you prioritize portability and display quality over raw performance and gaming 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 14
Very good overall display quality
Very good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI GP66 Leopard
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall build quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
7.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has an Intel Iris Xe GPU and a 90Hz screen, which are suitable for modest gaming and 3D work, but the MSI GP66 Leopard's superior Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU and a higher 144Hz refresh rate makes it better suited for intensive gaming and 3D tasks. Additionally, while the Zenbook has an excellent OLED screen for quality visuals, the Leopard's higher-end CPU and GPU play a more significant role in gaming and 3D performance, thus providing a smoother and more detailed experience in those specific use cases.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
7.9/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for engineering and design, though the MSI GP66 Leopard is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 is suitable for engineering and design due to its high-resolution OLED screen and integrated graphics sufficient for light to medium graphical tasks, on top of having an effective CPU and substantial battery capacity for longer work sessions.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
7.5/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
362.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the MSI GP66 Leopard for general use, and engineering and design.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook 14's higher resolution and brighter display offer sharper images and more comfortable viewing in various lighting conditions. In engineering and design, its superior coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB ensures more accurate color reproduction, which is essential for detailed work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the MSI GP66 Leopard's refresh rate, while lower than ideal, is likely more responsive than that of the Zenbook, but both may not be optimal for the fast-paced visuals these tasks demand.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
Very Good
Fair
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
5.2 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$300
$1,400
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the MSI GP66 Leopard costs $1,400.
The MSI GP66 Leopard and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a portable and lightweight design with a high-quality OLED screen but offers less power with its Intel i5 processor and less multitasking capability with 8GB of RAM compared to the MSI GP66 Leopard, which has a more powerful Intel i7 processor and 16GB of RAM for better performance, though it is heavier and has shorter battery life, making it less portable. Additionally, the MSI's larger storage and superior heat management make it suitable for more intensive tasks, outweighing its bulkier form factor when considering general use.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.4/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard and ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.2/10
7.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard and ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI GP66 Leopard to have very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 has 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 14 and the MSI GP66 Leopard compare to other laptops
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14 or the MSI GP66 Leopard
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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