The Apple MacBook Air is known for its lightweight design and long battery life, making it ideal for on-the-go use and general productivity tasks. If you prioritize ease of carrying and longer use between charges at a lower price point, this could be a great fit. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14 is tailored for creators and engineers, offering more powerful hardware suited for demanding applications like 3D rendering, video editing, and complex computations. However, this comes at a higher cost, increased weight, and possibly shorter battery life, reducing its portability. Choose based on whether your priority is everyday portability and value or specialized, high-performance tasks. 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 (2022)
Very good for software development
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent 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
6.4/10
7.3/10
4.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
2560 x 1664
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 (2022) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Air, while boasting a solid CPU and screen quality, is limited by its integrated GPU and standard screen refresh rate, making it less ideal for high-performance gaming and 3D tasks; furthermore, its macOS can restrict game compatibility. In contrast, the MSI Creator M14's dedicated GPU and higher refresh rate screen enable smoother and more detailed gaming and 3D rendering experiences, with the added benefit of running a Windows operating system that supports a broader range of popular games.
Engineering and Design
7.5/10
8.4/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.1/10
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 (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air, with its efficient CPU and high-quality screen, offers a balance of power and portability for engineering tasks, but the MSI Creator M14 typically has a more powerful CPU, RAM, and dedicated GPU, essential for more demanding engineering software and tasks. While the MacBook Air is lighter and known for a quieter operation, the MSI Creator's superior performance and better screen for detailed design work make it a more suitable choice for intensive engineering and design use.
Screen Quality
7.6/10
7.5/10
13.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
486.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Air has a better screen than the MSI Creator M14 for general use, engineering and design, and software development, while the MSI Creator M14 has a better screen for software development.
The Apple MacBook Air offers a high-resolution Retina display with vibrant colors and excellent brightness, which enhances visibility and clarity for general tasks and detail-oriented work in engineering and design; however, its standard refresh rate is not optimal for 3D applications where smoother motion is crucial. The MSI Creator M14's display provides good resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and is adept at representing accurate colors for professional design work, but it lacks the higher refresh rate gamers and 3D designers prefer for fluid motion and fast-paced visuals. Both laptops are capable for general and design use due to their resolution and color accuracy, but neither is ideal for 3D and gaming because of their standard refresh rates.
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
Excellent
Good
13.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.4in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has excellent 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 (2022) 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
$899
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Air (2022) has a price of $899 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 (2022) is good.
The Apple MacBook Air with its efficient CPU and long battery life offers a balance of performance and portability, excelling in screen quality which is beneficial for everyday tasks. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14, while it comes with ample RAM and a strong CPU suitable for more demanding applications, is slightly bulkier and may not match the MacBook Air in terms of battery longevity or display vibrancy, meaning it's better suited for those who prioritize power over portability.
Content Creation
7.9/10
8.0/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
2560 x 1664
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 (2022) 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
8.0/10
7.8/10
6.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1664
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
10.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Air (2022) to be very good for software development, while the MSI Creator M14 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.
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How the Apple MacBook Air (2022) 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 (2022) 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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