For better performance in general use, 3D rendering, machine learning tasks, and engineering applications, the ASUS Zenbook S 13 outperforms the MSI Modern 14 and also offers superior screen quality, making it suitable for tasks that require color accuracy. It also boasts a longer battery life and boasts a premium business laptop appearance. However, it is much more expensive than the MSI Modern 14. The MSI Modern 14 is a more budget-friendly option, lighter in weight, and still suitable for general use and light engineering tasks. It has lesser performance capabilities compared to the ASUS Zenbook S 13 and has a shorter battery life but offers enough for everyday computing at a much lower price point. 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 S 13
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Best in class portability
Very good battery life
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
The MSI Modern 14 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook S 13.
Key differences
General Use
8.6/10
7.2/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
365.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
9.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
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.
Gaming and AI
6.5/10
6.0/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13, with a powerful Intel graphics, higher screen resolution, and OLED display, excels in gaming and 3D performance over the MSI Modern 14 which has an AMD graphics and a standard IPS display with lower screen resolution and color coverage. Although both laptops have similar refresh rates, the GPU and screen quality of the ASUS make it better suited for these tasks.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is superior for engineering and design because it boasts a more powerful Intel i7 processor, double the RAM, and an integrated Iris Xe GPU which is stronger than the Modern 14's AMD Ryzen 5 with Vega 7 graphics. Additionally, the Zenbook features a higher-resolution OLED screen that covers a wider color gamut, essential for design accuracy, whereas the MSI Modern 14 has a lower-resolution IPS display with less color coverage.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for content creation, while the MSI Modern 14 is 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.
Software Development
8.3/10
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 is very good for software development, while the MSI Modern 14 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
8.1/10
6.4/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
365.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 boasts a higher resolution and brighter display, which enhances the viewing experience for everyday tasks and detailed engineering work. Additionally, it covers wider color gamuts, ensuring that professionals working in engineering and design enjoy more accurate color representation. However, gaming and 3D applications fall short on the Zenbook due to a lower refresh rate, which is less conducive to the fast-paced visuals that these tasks typically demand.
Battery
11.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has 11 hours of battery life. The MSI Modern 14 has 6 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
Best in Class
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has best in class portability, while the MSI Modern 14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6/10
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook S 13 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,400
$525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The ASUS Zenbook S 13 has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
"The Asus Zenbook S 13 is the slimmest OLED ultrabook worldwide struggles with annoying fans. The new Zenbook S 13 leaves us with mixed feelings, particularly since last year's model was so good. Asus has completely reworked the device, making the laptop noticeably slimmer. The result also looks good and the case makes a great impression, particularly also in terms of the stability. The new plasma ceramic surface feels great, and there are no problems with fingerprints. In addition, it now includes some of the known connections such as an HDMI port and a regular USB-A connection, which is a good achievement in such a slim device."
Alexander Tozzi, Ryan Lim, and John Peroramas | October 2023
"The MSI Modern 14 is okay for school use. It's very compact, so it's easy to carry around. It has a sharp display, a spacious keyboard, and a reasonably large touchpad. Its Intel 13th Gen CPU and integrated graphics can handle general productivity tasks like text processing and web browsing; however, don't expect to do anything intensive like 3D modeling or physics simulations. Unfortunately, the battery lasts less than five hours of light use, and the display doesn't get bright enough to combat glare."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook S 13 or the MSI Modern 14
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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