If budget is a concern and you need a device with solid general use capabilities and decent battery life, the ASUS Zenbook Duo would be a suitable option; its unique dual-screen design also makes it great for multitasking. However, if you're an enthusiast or professional requiring high performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering tasks, the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio, despite its higher price, delivers best-in-class power. It also has a larger, higher refresh screen that's beneficial for intensive gaming and creative work, but this also makes it heavier and reduces its battery life compared to the ASUS. Both laptops have backlit keyboards and multiple USB-C ports, but only the MSI offers hardware ray tracing and DLSS, essential for cutting-edge gaming and some professional graphics work. Keep in mind that the ASUS is very portable with a better portability score, while the MSI prioritizes performance and screen quality over portability. 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 Duo (2024)
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 display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
8.4/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
6.0/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) is good.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
8.9/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
9.1/10
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
7.5/10
8.5/10
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) 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
8.2/10
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) 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
7.9/10
8.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
8.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has 8.5 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
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) 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
$1,500
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) has a price of $1,500 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 Duo (2024) has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
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How the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) and the MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook Duo's second screen is like the Apple Touch Bar, but better. Most would agree that having two screens instead of one can really boost productivity and the ZenBook Duo is no different in this regard. It's tough going back to just one screen after becoming accustomed to spacious dual-screen setups. For a laptop form factor, however, users will have to accept some compromises. Firstly, weight is the most obvious drawback as the system is several hundred grams heavier than a regular ZenBook 14. Additionally, colors on the second screen will not be as vivid as the main display."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024) 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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