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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the MSI Prestige 14 are priced similarly but have some key differences. The MacBook Air provides longer battery life, better build quality, and is extremely quiet since it doesn't have a fan, making it excellent for general use with its high-quality keyboard and display. The MSI Prestige 14, on the other hand, has double the storage, more RAM, and is more suited for 3D tasks, machine learning, and engineering due to its powerful hardware. Both lack a number pad and are quite portable, but the MacBook Air is slightly lighter. The choice depends on whether you prioritize battery life and build quality (MacBook Air) or need more power for specialized tasks (MSI Prestige 14). 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)
- Good overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 14
- The MSI Prestige 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Air (2020).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.5
6.9
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
395.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering screen quality for general use, the Apple MacBook Air typically offers a high resolution and brightness which enhance everyday viewing, while its panel type provides wide viewing angles and consistent colors. For engineering and design tasks, the MacBook Air's color accuracy across different gamuts ensures that professionals see true-to-life colors, an essential factor for precise work, though the MSI Prestige 14 also offers commendable color performance. However, for 3D work where refresh rates are paramount to a smooth visual experience, both the MacBook Air and MSI Prestige 14 might fall short as they prioritize resolution and color accuracy over higher refresh rates, which are more commonly found in gaming-oriented laptops.
Battery
15.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Air has 15 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 14 has 8.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0
7.4
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.5
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
395.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
15.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.9/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.8/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 are both 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.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.2
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
10.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Air with its M1 chip offers decent 3D performance but is limited for gaming due to the lower availability of popular games for macOS, whereas the MSI Prestige 14, with its Iris Xe graphics, is similarly capable in 3D tasks and fair for gaming but falls short for intensive gaming due to its integrated graphics and standard screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
7.3
7.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
3.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) is equipped with the Apple M1 processor which integrates both CPU and GPU, has a high-resolution screen, and is known for silent operation, making it suitable for design tasks that value screen quality and a quiet work environment.
Content Creation
7.8
7.5
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for content creation.
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
7.3
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.1/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,000
$1,040
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Apple MacBook Air (2020) has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2020) and the MSI Prestige 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Air (2020) | MSI Prestige 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $1,040 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2020 | April 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12'' x 8.4'' x 0.63'' | 12.6'' x 8.6'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.8 lbs | 2.84 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11.97" | 12.56" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.36" | 8.62" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 | Intel i5-1240P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 4 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 15 Hours | 8.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49.9 Wh | 53.8 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2560 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 395 nits | 313 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 10/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 1 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 3 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Air (2020)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | July 2022
"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."
MSI Prestige 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Tech Radar
Collin Probst | September 2022
"The MSI Prestige 14” is excellent for productivity and business use cases, but it is not ideal for creators or visual content editors. The Prestige was able to power through days of email, spreadsheets, and text documents without breaking a sweat and was a joy to use. The additional ports were a breath of fresh air, as most laptops seem to be moving towards just Thunderbolt ports. The security options made signing in effortless, with two quick, more secure, and faster options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Air (2020) or the MSI Prestige 14
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.
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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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