MSI Cyborg 15 vs ASUS ROG Strix G16: Which is the better RTX 4050 gaming laptop to get during Black Friday 2024?

Black Friday is in full swing, and two fantastic laptop deals are on offer — the MSI Cyborg 15 and ASUS ROG Strix G16. These entry-level models are good enough for 1080p single- and multiplayer games but were still out of budget for many, but not anymore. Thanks to the sale, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 has a $350 discount and the MSI Cyborg 15 has $200 off.

In this article, we will explain the differences between MSI Cyborg 15 and ASUS ROG Strix G16 and help you choose the laptop that is the best for you.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and rely on the writer's opinion. Also, the prices mentioned herein are subject to change.

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Differences between MSI Cyborg 15 and ASUS ROG Strix G16

Both laptops feature the Nvidia RTX 4050 but target different user groups. Their prices also vary quite a bit.

Design and display

MSI Cyborg 15 (Image via MSI)

The MSI Cyborg 15 and ASUS ROG Strix G16 feature a similar build quality, their chassis construction features a mix of plastic and aluminum. However, the ROG Strix G16's design is comparatively more premium than Cyborg 15, with a fully customizable light bar at the front.

The Cyborg 15 also has a unique factor — the use of translucent materials for the bottom panel's rear side. The translucent back gives you to have a peek into the laptop's internal hardware. However, the ROG Strix G16 wins in this department.

The ROG Strix G16 has an FHD+ display panel with a 165Hz refresh rate, while the Cyborg 15 has an FHD display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The former wins again here not only in terms of specs but also in real-world usage since it can display more accurate colors.

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Performance and gaming

The ASUS ROG Strix G16 is equipped with the Intel Core i7 13650HX processor, which has a higher core count than the one inside the MSI Cyborg 15. On top of that, the Nvidia RTX 4050 in the ROG Strix G16 can get up to 140W of power compared to just 45W in the Cyborg 15.

The higher power rating allows Nvidia GPUs to clock higher and deliver more FPS in gaming. Therefore, the processor and graphics chip in the ASUS laptop will provide better performance in both gaming and production workloads like video editing, game streaming, and video transcoding.

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Keyboard, trackpad, and ports

The ASUS ROG Strix G16's keyboard features a full RGB backlight system that can customized to your liking. It can also be synced with the light bar at the front. On the other hand, the MSI Cyborg 15 has a fixed blue backlight, but the actual typing experience is similar to its counterpart.

The ROG Strix G16 also has a larger trackpad with a much smoother texture, which leads to an overall better gesture experience. While both models have a similar port configuration, the ASUS has Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, which is not present in the latter. This is another category where this laptop wins.

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Battery and pricing

ASUS ROG Strix 16 (Image via ASUS)

The ASUS ROG Strix G16 has a significantly larger battery than the MSI Cyborg 15, so it will last longer. However, gaming laptops have power-hungry components and consume more power than others.

As for pricing, the ROG Strix G16 costs $949 with 26% off on Newegg, while the Cyborg 15 costs $799 with 20% off.

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MSI Cyborg 15 vs ASUS ROG Strix G16: Which RTX 4050 laptop deal is right for you?

Both are amazing gaming laptops for the offered prices but are designed for different userbases. The ROG Strix G16 has a better design, display, performance, keyboard, trackpad, ports, and battery, among others. So, it understandably costs more. The Cyborg 15 provides an entry-level experience, so it's quite inexpensive. Not to mention, this laptop's performance is also comparatively lower.

If you want a more complete experience with better gaming performance, go for the ASUS laptop. However, if you want to save as much as possible, go with MSI.