When choosing between the Apple MacBook Air and the MSI Creator M14, consider your primary activities. For general use with a focus on portability and battery life, the MacBook Air is an excellent choice, with its lightweight design and optimized operating system. If your tasks involve more intensive engineering, 3D work, or machine learning, the MSI Creator may be better suited for you due to its stronger performance capabilities, though it may have a shorter battery life and be less portable than the MacBook Air. Consider the tradeoff between cost and your specific needs when making your decision. 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 Apple MacBook Air (2020)
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
7.3/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is only fair.
Due to its optimized software and decent graphics capabilities, the MacBook Air can handle some 3D tasks but falls short for gaming, especially since many games aren't available on macOS. In contrast, the MSI Creator M14, with its superior graphics card and higher screen refresh rate, offers a better experience for gaming and 3D applications, in addition to a more inclusive game library on Windows.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The MSI Creator M14, with a more powerful CPU, additional RAM, and a superior GPU, handles engineering software and multitasks better, along with providing a crisper screen for detailed design work. While the MacBook Air is lighter and boasts a high-quality keyboard and speakers, its performance is more suitable for less demanding tasks and its quieter operation is a bonus during prolonged use.
Screen Quality
7.5/10
7.5/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 has a better screen than the Apple MacBook Air for software development.
The MacBook Air's Retina display offers high resolution and brightness which makes for a sharp and vibrant experience for general use, and its support for a wide color spectrum, including DCI-P3, is beneficial in engineering and design tasks where color accuracy is crucial. However, its refresh rate is lower than what's preferred for 3D applications, where a higher refresh rate can significantly enhance the smoothness and responsiveness of motion. The MSI Creator M14 also offers a high-resolution, bright screen suitable for general use and includes good color coverage important for design work, but similar to the MacBook Air, it lacks the high refresh rate critical for optimal 3D gaming experiences.
Battery
15.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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
Very Good
Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has very good portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Creator M14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$1,500
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for general use, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is favored for its balance of performance and portability, offering a high-quality screen and long battery life coupled with a lightweight design, making it ideal for everyday tasks and easy to carry around. The MSI Creator M14, on the other hand, provides robust CPU and RAM capabilities suited for more demanding applications while still maintaining good screen quality and a comfortable keyboard, though it is slightly less portable and may not have as long-lasting battery life as the MacBook Air.
Content Creation
7.8/10
8.0/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Creator M14 to be very good for content creation, while the Apple MacBook Air (2020) 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
7.7/10
7.8/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and Apple MacBook Air (2020) are both good for software development.
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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Air M2 Entry is a very good, but too expensive daily MacBook. The new MacBook Air M2 is undoubtedly once again a very good mobile companion, but we are still a little bit disappointed on a very high level, which is definitely connected with the increased price point. The new chassis is extremely slim and the front edge is no problem during typing, but the bezels are pretty wide for a modern device and in addition with the vertical space required for the notch, the new Air has larger footprint than some Windows rivals."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the MSI Creator M14
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
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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