For a balance of performance and portability with a stunning OLED display, the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is an excellent choice, especially for creative tasks and general use. It offers a unique dual-screen setup, which can enhance productivity. However, if you prioritize cutting-edge performance for demanding tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and don't mind a slightly heavier and larger laptop, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio with its more powerful Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU and Mini LED display would be the better option. It's also worth noting that the MSI's Mini LED screen offers higher brightness and a higher refresh rate, which is beneficial for fast-motion content and HDR performance. Both laptops are equipped with ample RAM and storage, but the MSI's higher-end processor and GPU will provide superior performance in intensive tasks at the cost of battery life and 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 Pro Duo 15
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio
Best in class for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Excellent for content creation
Best in class overall display quality
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
8.9/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is very good for gaming and AI, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is good.
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
9.0/10
9.5/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
7.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio is best in class for engineering and design, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 is excellent.
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.
Software Development
8.3/10
8.9/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio 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
8.3/10
9.7/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
332.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has a better screen than the ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo 15 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
7.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Pro Duo 15 has 7 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio has 9 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
$2,000
$2,999
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 has a price of $2,000 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio costs $2,999.
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 are both very good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
8.7/10
9.1/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator 16 AI Studio to be excellent for content creation, while the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 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.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
5.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The MSI Creator 16 AI Studio and ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.4/10
The ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 and MSI Creator 16 AI Studio both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 and the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio compare to other laptops
"Benchmarks aside, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is hard to compare with other PCs. Its closest competition may be a multi-monitor desktop, or a laptop with an attached travel monitor. The Pro Duo is more portable and versatile than either of those options, especially with the software tools Asus has thrown on top. For a certain niche of artists, media creators, and gamers, all that might add up to something special, even if it’s unattainable for the rest of us."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo 15 or the MSI Creator 16 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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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
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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.