If you're looking for a more affordable option that's lightweight and good for everyday tasks, the ASUS Zenbook 14 is a solid choice. However, the MSI Stealth GS66 is pricier but offers much higher performance, suitable for gaming, 3D modeling, or machine learning applications. If you travel frequently or prefer something easier to carry, the Zenbook 14's portability could be appealing. On the other hand, if you need a laptop that can handle more demanding software or you plan on using it for intensive tasks, the Stealth GS66 is likely the better investment despite its higher cost and possibly shorter battery life due to its powerful components. 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
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS66
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
7.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 is good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, with its integrated Intel GPU and a 90Hz screen, offers a satisfactory experience for casual gaming and 3D applications. In contrast, the MSI Stealth GS66 is equipped with a more powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU and an impressively high 360Hz screen refresh rate, providing a superior gaming and 3D performance, making it better suited for intensive gaming and graphics work.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
8.2/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS66 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14 is good.
The MSI Stealth GS66 surpasses the ASUS Zenbook 14 in engineering and design use because it offers a more powerful CPU and GPU, essential for demanding tasks and rendering, paired with double the RAM for multitasking and handling complex projects. While the Zenbook 14 provides a high-quality OLED screen with better colors and resolution, the Stealth GS66's superior performance and larger screen size make it more suitable for intensive engineering and design tasks, albeit with a tradeoff in portability and higher operating noise.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
8.1/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
360Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
280.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth GS66 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth GS66 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 boasts a panel that offers crisp resolution and high brightness, making it excellent for everyday tasks and productivity, whereas its high color accuracy appeals to engineering and design professionals who require precise color representation. However, for gaming and 3D applications, its lower refresh rate diminishes the experience as it may not be smooth or responsive enough. Conversely, while the MSI Stealth GS66 offers satisfactory resolution and brightness for general and professional use, its color gamut coverage might not match the ASUS, and like the Zenbook, it falls short in refresh rate for high-end gaming and 3D rendering.
Battery
8.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS66 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
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
4.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth GS66 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$300
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the MSI Stealth GS66 costs $1,000.
The MSI Stealth GS66 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use.
The MSI Stealth GS66 outperforms the ASUS Zenbook 14 for general use primarily because it has a more powerful CPU and double the RAM, which are crucial for multitasking and demanding applications. Additionally, the Stealth GS66 boasts better screen quality with a higher refresh rate, which alongside its superior speaker and keyboard quality, larger battery capacity, and enhanced heat management provide a more robust and enjoyable user experience, albeit with somewhat less portability due to its increased weight and larger size.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.7/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth GS66 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
7.5/10
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS66 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 Stealth GS66 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 GS66 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 Stealth GS66 is powerful enough for QHD. The Core i7-12700H and the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti found in the 12UGS model that we tested run all modern games smoothly in the native QHD resolution. The 15-inch display is very fast with its 240 Hz refresh rate, and it also offers a great color space (almost 100% DCI-P3) on top of that, which should please gamers as well as content creators, although we would have still wished for a higher brightness. Case, input devices, and connectivity (Thunderbolt 4) are at a good level. However, among other things, the GS66 loses points due to the high temperature development in 3D mode and its poor webcam."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14 or the MSI Stealth GS66
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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