If performance on engineering software is crucial and you prefer a larger screen, the MSI Prestige 14 with its more generous storage and RAM could be your preferred choice, albeit with a shorter battery life compared to the MacBook. On the other hand, if you value build quality, a higher-resolution display, and longer battery life, and if you're comfortable using MacOS, the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its excellent heat management and silent operation might be more suitable. However, the MacBook Pro is generally more expensive, and its performance in 3D rendering and engineering tasks may not match the MSI, especially since it lacks a dedicated number pad which can be important for some users. 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 Pro 13 (2020)
Good overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class 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 Pro 13 (2020).
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.6/10
6.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
313.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 is praised for its outstanding Retina display, which offers high resolution and excellent brightness, making it a superb choice for general use and detail-oriented engineering work due to its wide color gamut coverage. The MSI Prestige 14 also has a high-resolution display, but it may not be as bright as the MacBook's, though it still provides good color accuracy for engineering and general use. However, both laptops fall short for 3D applications as neither is equipped with a high-refresh-rate screen, which is crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced 3D environments.
Battery
20.0 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 has 20 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
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (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.
Cost
$1,249
$1,040
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) has a price of $1,249 and the MSI Prestige 14 costs $1,040.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its high screen quality, efficient Apple M1 CPU, and 20 hours of battery life offers a smooth experience for daily tasks while being extremely portable; however, its RAM is not expandable. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 14 provides superior multitasking with more RAM and storage, is still portable, and has a decent battery life, but it lacks the Apple M1's optimization for heat management and operating noise which might impact longer working sessions.
Gaming and AI
6.3/10
6.2/10
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 Pro 13 (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) with its M1 GPU provides good screen quality but might not support many popular games due to MacOS limitations, while the MSI Prestige 14, thanks to its Intel Iris Xe graphics and Windows 11 Home, can handle gaming and 3D applications more compatibly, but both only offer standard screen refresh rates.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
7.1/10
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 Pro 13 (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 are both good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) offers high screen quality with its vibrant display and M1 chip performance, suitable for design tasks, while the MSI Prestige 14 provides more RAM for complex engineering software and has good screen quality, though not as bright as the MacBook's.
Content Creation
7.8/10
7.5/10
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 Pro 13 (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
7.8/10
7.3/10
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 Pro 13 (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
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and MSI Prestige 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020) and the MSI Prestige 14 compare to other laptops
"The MacBook Pro 13 is still a very good subnotebook. The 2022 MacBook Pro 13 might look like recycling at first, because the device is completely identical to the old model expect for the new M2 SoC. We have to admit that we were surprised to see another iteration of the MBP 13 as well. The laptop is obviously familiar, but this does not change the fact that it is still a very good subnotebook. You get an excellent chassis with good stability, a very good display, good input devices and the new M2 chip is very powerful and efficient."
"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 Pro 13 (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.
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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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