When deciding between the Asus Zenbook 14 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, consider that the Asus is more budget-friendly and offers good performance for everyday tasks, making it suitable for general use and easily portable due to its compact size. However, the MSI, while more expensive, provides superior performance for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering software, but with its larger size, it's less portable and might have a shorter battery life than the Asus. Choose the Asus for cost efficiency and mobility or the MSI for high-performance needs and specialized work. 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 portability
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.2/10
8.4/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
339.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 offers a balance of good CPU performance, ample RAM, and a high-quality screen, all in a lightweight and portable design with long battery life, making it well-suited for everyday tasks. The MSI Stealth 15M, on the other hand, provides superior CPU performance and more RAM which make it great for more demanding applications, but this comes with a tradeoff of reduced portability and potentially shorter battery life, although it still maintains a high-quality screen.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, while offering a decent GPU, falls short in gaming and 3D performance compared to the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio which boasts a more powerful GPU conducive to high-end gaming and demanding graphics tasks; additionally, the MSI has a higher screen refresh rate that enhances fluidity and responsiveness in fast-paced gaming scenarios. Screen quality and CPU are also better on the MSI, contributing to overall superior visual experiences and faster processing, though these are secondary to the standout significance of the GPU and refresh rate in gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
9.1/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, while offering decent CPU, RAM, and a quality screen for engineering tasks, may lag behind in GPU power compared to the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, which boasts superior graphics capabilities—crucial for demanding design software. Although the Zenbook is lighter and thus more portable, with a comfortable keyboard and quieter operation, the Stealth's larger, high-quality display and advanced audio may be more appealing for extensive engineering and design work despite its increased weight and potential noise.
Content Creation
7.3/10
8.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
7.2/10
8.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 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
8.3/10
8.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the ASUS Zenbook 14 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio offer crisp, bright displays with high resolution suited for tasks like browsing and watching videos, which don't require extraordinary color accuracy or fast refresh rates. In the field of engineering and design, these laptops excel as they cover a broad spectrum of colors in the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB spaces, essential for precise color work in professional editing and CAD software. However, for gaming and 3D applications, where a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth motion rendering, both laptops fall short, as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over the speedy display of rapidly changing images.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has 6 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
18.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$300
$2,900
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio costs $2,900.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio 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 Stealth 18 AI Studio 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."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14 or the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio
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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