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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize high performance for intensive engineering tasks, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 with its better processor and more memory excels, but it's less portable and typically costs more. On the other hand, if you prefer a more portable laptop with a higher refresh rate screen for smoother gaming experiences and at a lower price, the MSI GF65 Thin is a solid choice, although it offers lower performance due to less memory and a less powerful processor, which could affect multitasking and complex engineering software usage. Neither are the top choices for intensive gaming despite having dedicated graphics cards. 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 17
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good overall build quality
- Good battery life
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI GF65 Thin
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
8.3
6.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
400.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.3/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is very good for general use, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is favored for general use due to its superior central processing unit (CPU), more memory (RAM), and a higher quality screen with better brightness and color coverage, which enhance the overall user experience. On the other hand, the MSI GF65 Thin, while more portable and with excellent heat management, is limited by a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and a screen with lower brightness and color accuracy, affecting its suitability for multifaceted tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.7
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI GF65 Thin is only fair.
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
8.2
6.8
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is very 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
7.9
6.3
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
4.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 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
7.2
6.8
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
262.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has a better screen than the MSI GF65 Thin for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI GF65 Thin has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Zenbook's higher resolution and brighter display offer clearer and more vibrant visuals compared to the MSI GF65 Thin, which makes everyday tasks like browsing and video viewing more pleasant. In engineering and design, the Zenbook's wider color gamut support ensures more accurate color representation which is crucial for professional graphic work, while the MSI GF65's fair screen quality means it may not depict colors as faithfully. For gaming and 3D applications, both laptops have poor screen quality due to lower refresh rates, which could result in less fluid motion and a less responsive gaming experience.
Battery
9.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has 9 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.
Cost
$1,500
$1,100
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has a price of $1,500 and the MSI GF65 Thin costs $1,100.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.8
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.1/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and MSI GF65 Thin are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
15.6in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The MSI GF65 Thin and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2
6.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 to have 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.
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How the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and the MSI GF65 Thin compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 | MSI GF65 Thin |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,500 | $1,100 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | January 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.6'' x 10.2'' x 0.74'' | 14.1'' x 10'' x 0.85'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.18 lbs | 4.1 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.55" | 14.13" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.18" | 9.99" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX | Intel i5-10500H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 8 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 76 Wh | 51 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 15.6" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 144Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 400 nits | 262 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.1/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
MSI GF65 Thin
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2021
"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 Pro 17 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.
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