The ASUS Zenbook 14X, being less expensive, offers a more portable and light-weight design with a better screen that includes OLED technology, higher resolution, touch support, and stronger color accuracy, making it suitable for tasks requiring precise color work, like photo editing. It also comes with more RAM out of the box and a premium business laptop appearance. However, its lower capacity battery might not last as long as other options. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin has a more powerful GPU and additional features like hardware ray tracing and DLSS, which will perform better for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks, albeit with a bulkier build and lower color accuracy display. 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 14X
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Very good portability
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
The MSI GF65 Thin has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook 14X.
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
6.5/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
339.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is favored for general use due to its superior CPU, double the RAM, high-resolution OLED screen offering vibrant colors, lightweight and slim design for better portability, and longer battery life. In comparison, the MSI GF65 Thin, while also serviceable for general purposes, has a lower-tier CPU, half the RAM, an IPS screen with lower resolution and color coverage, and a heavier build with shorter battery duration, which may affect the ease of carrying it around and using it unplugged for extended periods.
Engineering and Design
7.7/10
6.7/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is equipped with a higher-end CPU, more RAM, and an OLED screen with superior color coverage, making it excellent for detailed engineering and design tasks, while also being lighter and more portable. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin includes a more powerful GPU, essential for demanding engineering simulations and graphic design software, but with a less vibrant screen and a heavier build, making it less portable.
Content Creation
7.6/10
6.8/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is good for content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
7.4/10
6.3/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is good for software development, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X's superior screen resolution and brightness provide crisp and vibrant displays, making it excellent for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work, where color accuracy and display clarity are key. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D applications, which demand fast screen updates for smooth visuals. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin's average screen performance across the board means it doesn't excel in any particular area, offering a fair experience for general and professional use but falling short for the high-speed demands of gaming and 3D content.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI GF65 Thin has 4.5 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
4.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has very good portability, while the MSI GF65 Thin has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
6.7/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has good build quality, while the MSI GF65 Thin has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$777
$1,100
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a price of $777 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
The MSI GF65 Thin and ASUS Zenbook 14X are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X is equipped with a lower-tier Nvidia MX550 GPU and a high-quality OLED screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz, making it suitable for moderate gaming and 3D tasks with the added benefit of superior screen color and contrast.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 14X and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
"With the Zenbook 14X, Asus has a 14-incher in its range that is - mostly - a joy to use. First, there is the colorful OLED panel with 3K resolution that displays the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces. The Zenbook is also at the forefront in terms of workmanship, input devices and connections with 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports and a generous keyboard layout. A pleasure to use, the Zenbook 14X is a solid, very well-built subnotebook that sits well on the table. A runtime of five hours, however, is below average for a high-end subnotebook nowadays. The OLED screensaver causes increased power consumption when in idle mode."
"The MSI GF65 Thin offers a GeForce RTX 3060 on a budget. The MSI GF65 is a relatively inexpensive RTX 3060 laptop and, perhaps not coincidentally, it also comes with a slower-than-average RTX 3060 GPU. Other laptops we've tested thus far with the same GPU are about 10 to 15 percent faster. CPU performance is also slightly slower than average unless if users decide to enable Cooler Boost mode. Colors, black-white response times, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort are either average or completely omitted. Gamers who want to maximize performance-per-dollar without sacrificing RAM or SSD upgradeability will find the lightweight MSI GF65 attractive."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14X or the MSI GF65 Thin
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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