Choosing between the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo and the MSI Titan 18 HX depends largely on your needs. If your priority is portability and cost-saving for everyday tasks and light work, the ASUS offers a balance of functionality and affordability. However, if your work involves intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or high-end gaming, and you're willing to invest more for top performance and larger screen real estate, the MSI Titan would be a suitable choice, albeit with reduced portability and potentially shorter 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 Pro 14 Duo
Good portability
Good battery life
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Titan 18 HX
Best in class for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Excellent for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
9.4/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is only fair.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo, with its capable GPU and high-quality screen, delivers solid gaming and 3D performance, enhanced by its secondary display for multitasking. The MSI Titan 18 HX, with its top-tier GPU and extremely high refresh rate, excels in rendering fast-paced games smoothly, complemented by a robust CPU that makes it a standout for the most demanding gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.5/10
9.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
The MSI Titan 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very good.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo, with a high-quality screen, capable CPU, and ample RAM, provides a balance of power and portability for engineering and design tasks, but the MSI Titan 18 HX, with its more robust CPU, superior GPU, and larger RAM capacity, excels in demanding scenarios at the expense of being less portable and likely noisier during intense operations. While both have excellent screen quality for precision work, the MSI's larger size might make it less convenient for on-the-go use but a powerhouse for those stationed at a desk.
Software Development
8.2/10
8.9/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
10.0/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX and ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo are both very good for software development, though the MSI Titan 18 HX is somewhat better.
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
8.6/10
9.2/10
14.5in
SIZE
18.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
357.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
401.0 nits
The MSI Titan 18 HX has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the vibrant colors and clarity of the Asus ZenBook Pro 14 Duo's high-resolution display make it a pleasure to use, though the MSI Titan 18 HX's larger screen size might offer more comfortable viewing and multitasking space. In engineering and design, the wide color gamuts of these laptops ensure accurate color reproduction for detailed work, but the Asus ZenBook, with its particular color accuracy, stands out for professionals who prioritize this. However, for gaming and 3D applications where smoother motion is key, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, making them less ideal for fast-paced visuals compared to models with higher refresh rates.
Battery
6.0 Hours
4.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 14 Duo has 6 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
Good
Poor
14.5in
SIZE
18.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has good portability, while the MSI Titan 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
8.5/10
The MSI Titan 18 HX has very good build quality, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,299
$4,949
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo has a price of $1,299 and the MSI Titan 18 HX costs $4,949.
The MSI Titan 18 HX and ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo are both very good for general use.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo offers high-quality CPU and RAM, leading to smooth performance for everyday tasks and a premium screen for a vivid display, all in a lightweight design that enhances portability and battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go use. Meanwhile, the MSI Titan 18 HX provides powerful processing capabilities with superior CPU and RAM, and a larger screen for enhanced viewing but sacrifices portability and battery life due to its bulkier build, catering to those who prioritize performance over ease of carrying.
Content Creation
8.6/10
9.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
128.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Titan 18 HX to be excellent for content creation, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo is very 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.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo and the MSI Titan 18 HX compare to other laptops
"The Zenbook Pro 14 Duo OLED is a well-tuned instrument for content creators, excelling at a range of general office tasks as well as tasks that require a little more grunt like encoding and 3D rendering. The big attraction is the laptop’s dual displays. They’re the best ones we’ve used in an Asus Zenbook Duo laptop to date with a spate of year-on-year improvements that make the visuals more striking and the cross-screen integration easier than ever before."
"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 Pro 14 Duo 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
132,195
Recommendations made
28,643
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.