If you're looking for a more affordable and portable laptop, the ASUS Zenbook 14X may suit your needs for general use and everyday tasks; it also typically offers longer battery life. However, if your work involves demanding engineering software, 3D rendering, machine learning, or high-end gaming, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while more expensive and heavier, will deliver superior performance due to its more powerful hardware, though at the expense of portability and battery life. 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
Very good portability
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Very good for general use
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Excellent speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
8.8/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
339.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
5.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X, with its sufficient processing power and memory, high-quality screen, and lightweight design, is well-suited for everyday tasks, benefiting from a balance of portability and decent battery life. In contrast, the MSI Titan 18 HX, while offering a powerful CPU and plenty of RAM for more demanding applications, sacrifices some portability and battery life due to its larger size and focus on higher performance.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
9.4/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X is only fair.
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a superior GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth, high-quality gaming and 3D rendering, giving it an edge for intense graphical tasks. While the ASUS Zenbook 14X is also capable for lighter gaming and 3D work due to its decent GPU and screen quality, its performance in these areas does not match the MSI, especially where very high detail and fast-paced scenes are concerned.
Engineering and Design
7.7/10
9.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 14X offers a balance between performance and portability, suitable for engineering and design tasks that require a good CPU, adequate RAM, and a high-quality screen, all packed in a more travel-friendly form. On the other hand, the MSI Titan 18 HX excels in intense engineering and design scenarios, providing a top-tier CPU, plentiful RAM, and a superior GPU for heavy graphical work, though it sacrifices portability and is louder under load.
Content Creation
7.6/10
9.0/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
7.4/10
8.9/10
7.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X 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
9.2/10
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook 14X for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook 14X provides a fine balance between resolution and brightness, making for a clear and vivid display that's pleasant for everyday tasks. The MSI Titan 18 HX surpasses this with an even higher resolution and brightness, offering supreme clarity and visibility. However, neither holds up for gaming and 3D applications due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios despite their high-quality panel types and resolutions.
Battery
5.5 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has 5.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Titan 18 HX has 4 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
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has very good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.8/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 14X has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$777
$4,800
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14X has a price of $777 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,800.
"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."
"With no new Nvidia GPU this year for laptops, MSI had to refresh everything surrounding the graphics card to make up for it. Users are getting a new 18-inch chassis design, new 14th gen Intel HX CPU, new AC adapter, larger keys, and a new 120 Hz HDR1000 mini-LED 4K display to accompany the high price tag. Most of these changes are a step up from last year's GT77, but users are ultimately getting the same gaming performance out of both models."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 14X or the MSI Titan 18 HX
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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