When choosing between the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and the MSI Stealth 17, consider that the ASUS is typically less expensive, has a longer battery life making it more suited for on-the-go use, and provides ample performance for general use and creative tasks. The MSI, on the other hand, is more costly, heavier, and has shorter battery life, but offers superior performance for demanding tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, gaming, and machine learning, thanks to its higher-end processor and graphics. Both have large screens and are equipped with IPS displays, but the MSI features a higher resolution and refresh rate, enhancing visual quality and responsiveness, particularly for gaming and engineering applications. 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
Good portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 17
Excellent for engineering and design
Excellent for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good overall display quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.9/10
9.1/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is only fair.
The MSI Stealth 17 offers superior gaming and 3D performance primarily due to its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a higher screen refresh rate of 240 Hz, which allows for smoother motion and better handling of high frame rates in games and 3D applications compared to the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17's Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU and 60 Hz refresh rate. While both have high-quality screens and capable CPUs, the MSI's greater emphasis on gaming-specific features delivers a more advanced experience for demanding graphical tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
9.4/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
5.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 17 is excellent for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is very good.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is well-suited for engineering and design due to its strong CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality GPU which are very important for such tasks, but the MSI Stealth 17 tops it with a more powerful CPU, double the RAM, and a superior GPU, making it excellent for the most demanding engineering and design applications. While both offer high-quality screens, the MSI's leading-edge components give it an edge in performance; however, this could affect its portability and potentially produce more operating noise, which are factors to consider alongside keyboard and speaker quality.
Content Creation
8.2/10
8.8/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Stealth 17 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 are both very good for content creation, though the MSI Stealth 17 is somewhat better.
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
7.9/10
8.5/10
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The MSI Stealth 17 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 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
7.2/10
8.6/10
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Stealth 17 has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and MSI Stealth 17 both provide crisp, vivid displays with good resolution and brightness, but the Stealth has an edge with a screen that is slightly more vibrant and clear. When it comes to engineering and design, both laptops offer a wide color spectrum covering most of the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB spaces, but the MSI might display colors a touch more accurately. However, for gaming and 3D tasks, while both fall short due to lower refresh rates, they still maintain decent resolution and panel quality, making them capable but not ideal for fast-paced visuals.
Battery
9.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 17 has 5.5 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
Good
Fair
17.3in
SIZE
17.3in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has good portability, while the MSI Stealth 17 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
7.8/10
The MSI Stealth 17 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 both have good build quality, though the MSI Stealth 17 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,500
$3,899
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 has a price of $1,500 and the MSI Stealth 17 costs $3,899.
The MSI Stealth 17 and ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 are both very good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 is conducive for general use because it provides a robust combination of a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, and a quality screen, along with better portability and longer battery life, making it suitable for mobile users who need a balance between power and convenience. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 17, while also offering a premium screen and top-tier CPU and RAM for demanding tasks, emphasizes cutting-edge performance with the expense of heavier weight and shorter battery life, catering more to users who prioritize raw power for intensive tasks and can accommodate frequent charging.
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How the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 and the MSI Stealth 17 compare to other laptops
"The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is a laptop with a quiet RTX 4080 for almost every occasion. The MSI Stealth 17 Studio is equally capable of high-level media processing and playing current games. It remains pleasantly quiet, even if a few percentage points of power have had to be sacrificed in the process. But, it is not quite perfect: To some extent, the Stealth 17 is well thought out. It packs tons of graphics power and high-end components in a slim case. The laptop's cooling system can be set such that, noise-wise, it doesn't even reach low volume. However, small flaws cloud otherwise exceptionally positive impressions."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook Pro 17 or the MSI Stealth 17
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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