ASUS TUF Dash F15 vs MSI Stealth 15M: Two 15.6-inch with 11th Gen Core i7 goes head-to-head
From two of the biggest tech companies in the gaming laptop space comes ASUS TUF Dash F15 and MSI Stealth 15M. Priced to compete, both laptops are sold at the same price and uses the latest 11th generation Intel Core i7 processors, so which would you pick. Let’s take a look.
Processor
The MSI Stealth 15M has the upper hand here with faster Intel Core i7-11375H processor. The ASUS TUF Dash F15 however relies on the Intel Core i7-11370H processor. Both launched at the same time, and based on the same architecture, same number of cores and thread, same cache sizes, socket and TDP. The only thing different between the two is the clock. The Intel Core i7-11375H has a turbo boost frequency of up to 5GHz, while the 11370H only goes up to 4.8GHz.
| Intel Core i7-11375H | Intel Core i7-11370H |
| Intel Tiger Lake | Intel Tiger Lake |
| Tiger Lake H35 | Tiger Lake H35 |
| 3300 – 5000 MHz | 3300 – 4800 MHz |
| 320 KB | 320 KB |
| 5 MB | 5 MB |
| 8 MB | 8 MB |
| 4 / 8 | 4 / 8 |
| 35 | 35 |
| 10+ | 10+ |
| 100 °C | 100 °C |
| BGA1499 | BGA1499 |
| DL Boost, GNA, Wi-Fi 6/6e, Thunderbolt 4, DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4x-4266 | DL Boost, GNA, Wi-Fi 6/6e, Thunderbolt 4, DDR4-3200 / LPDDR4x-4266 |
Only one core in the Intel Core i7-11375H can hit 5GHz frequency, while two cores can hit 4.9GHz. With all cores firing, the chip can hit 4.3GHz.
As for the Intel Core i7-11370H on Turbo Boost, a single and two cores can hit 4.8GHz (the maximum frequency). With all cores firing, the chip can hit 4.3GHz.
With that in mind, only single core, single thread workloads will realise the true potential of the Intel Core i7-11375H. Otherwise, both chips show similar performance and potential.
Based on the average of benchmarks on notebookcheck.net, taking Intel Core i7-11375H as the baseline (100%), the Intel Core i7-11370H is 6% slower at 94%.
This gives the MSI Stealth 15M a clear lead. You can however get the ASUS TUF Dash F15 with Intel Core i7-11375H in which case it would make this comparison a draw.
Winner: MSI Stealth 15M
Search ASUS TUF Dash F15 on Amazon
Discrete GPU
Its ASUS TUF Dash F15 turn to take the lead here with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB. The MSI Stealth 15M is only equipped with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB.
According to UserBenchmark.com, the effective or real world speed of the RTX 3070 is 55% higher than the RTX 3060. Even when taking just average scores, the RTX 3070 still takes a 53% with better lighting, reflection, MRender and Gravity. However, it is worth mentioning that the benchmarks are derived from desktop counterpart of the GPUs and not mobile. Still, should not differ greatly.
When considering the laptops on the GPU performance alone, this gives the ASUS TUF Dash F15 an upper hand. Plus, ASUS’s ROG Boost can turn up the speed to 1390MHz at 80W for that added gaming firepower.
Winner: ASUS TUF Dash F15
Memory and Storage
With the two major components; CPU and GPU out of the way, we focus on the memory and storage. For this, both laptops will be in a tie as both come with a generous 16GB RAM memory and spacious 512GB SSD storage. Both supports a maximum capacity of 32GB RAM and 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD storage Gen 4.
Winner: Draw
Display
The ASUS TUF Dash F15 comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD display capable of fast 144Hz refresh rate. It uses Adaptive-Sync to ensure that game play is smooth to match that high frame rate that the GPU is capable of churning out. The result, a fluid gaming experience with no visible signs of tearing and blurring. The LCD panel uses IPS technology for the widest possible viewing angle.
The MSI Stealth 15M too comes with a full size 15.6-inch Full HD panel with the same refresh rate of 144Hz. That again is plenty to make sure that you never miss a thing on the screen and that visually, what you see is smooth and fast with vibrant colors.
Winner: Draw
Battery Life
The reported battery life for MSI Stealth 15M is up to 9 hours, one hour longer than the ASUS TUF Dash F15. This is more or less right given the TUF Dash F15 has a more powerful GPU in GeForce RTX 3070 therefore more power hungry. Both are powered by 4-cell batteries and should get you through the day unless you be gaming and pushing the graphics. In that case, bring your power adapter along.
Winner: MSI Stealth 15M
Connectivity
Both laptops come with super fast WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. The ASUS TUF Dash F15 goes further with a wired networking port, a Gigabit Ethernet. When it comes to physical ports, ASUS again takes the lead with three USB 3.2 ports, a single HDMI and a single Thunderbolt 4. That is one USB 3.2 port more than the MSI unit. Both also comes with 3.5mm jack for audio.
Winner: ASUS TUF Dash F15
Webcam and Memory Card Reader
Here is where ASUS TUF Dash F15 falls flat on its face. There is no webcam no memory card slot to speak of which makes it a rather no go for those looking to use the system as a creative machine for editing photos, videos and graphics and for business. If you need to use the laptop for group chats and online meetings, you will need a separate web cam. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 15 is equipped with HD 720p webcam, microphone and microSD card reader.
Winner: MSI Stealth 15M
Dimensions & Weight
The ASUS TUF Gaming Dash F15 has a hefty 26mm tall chassis with a total weight of 2kg. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth 15M has a more shoulder friendly weight of 1.69kg with a slim chassis that measures under 16mm. Both systems have almost the same width at 358mm (ASUS TUF Dash D15) and 360mm (MSI Stealth 15M). The biggest difference is in the depth. The ASUS TUF is 14mm deeper at 262mm while the MSI Stealth 15M is only 248mm. This makes the MSI Stealth 15M thinner, lighter and smaller even though both are 15.6-inch laptops.
Winner: MSI Stealth 15M
Search MSI Stealth 15M on Amazon
Final Thoughts
Both ASUS TUF Dash F15 and MSI Stealth 15M considered here are moderately priced mobile gaming laptops and would sell well. Even though the ASUS carries a slightly slower processor, the RTX 3070 graphics gives it a lead when it comes to gaming over the MSI. There are some serious drawbacks on the ASUS even though it has the upper hand in terms of performance. These are the lack of web cam, no microSD card and the heftier build. This makes the MSI a more rounded machine. It has an onboard Webcam albeit only 720p, a built-in microSD card slot and a suitably slim and light design for portability even though it comes with a full size screen. The question then comes down to one of performance versus portability and flexibility. Given the relatively small price difference, choose ASUS TUF Dash F15 for pure gaming delight. Choose MSI Stealth 15 for both gaming and work with creator friendly features like video or photo transfer via microSD and video conferencing, apart from that super slim design.
Specifications Comparison Table
| MSI Stealth 15M | ASUS TUF Dash F15 |
| Intel® Core™ i7-11375H Processor | Intel® Core™ i7-11370H Processor |
| RAM: 16 GB / Storage: 512 GB SSD | RAM: 16 GB / Storage: 512 GB SSD |
| Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6 GB | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB |
| 15.6-inch Full HD screen / 144 Hz | 15.6-inch Full HD screen / 144 Hz |
| Battery Life: Up to 9 hours | Battery life: Up to 8 hours |
| WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 | WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, Gigabit Ethernet |
| USB 3.2 x 2, HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, 3.5mm, microSD | USB 3.2 x 3, HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, 3.5mm |
| HD 720p webcam | no |
| 15.95 x 358 x 248 mm (H x W x D), 1.69kg | 26 x 360 x 262 mm (H x W x D), 2.0kg |
