The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) provides you with high performance suitable for intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering, as well as superior screen quality, which is great if you are into creative work that demands color accuracy. It has a longer battery life and a higher build quality, but it is also more expensive, heavier, and might be less portable. The MSI Modern 14, on the other hand, offers a more budget-friendly option with decent performance for general use and casual gaming, and it is lighter thus more portable, but it has shorter battery life, a less impressive display, and might not handle intensive tasks as well. If your work involves resource-intensive tasks or you prioritize a top-notch display and can afford a higher price, the MacBook Pro is more appropriate. However, if you need a laptop for everyday tasks, prefer a lighter device, and are looking to save money, the MSI Modern 14 may be more suitable. 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 14 (2021)
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Excellent battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
The MSI Modern 14 has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
The MacBook Pro 14 is preferred for general use due to its superior CPU and RAM, exceptional screen quality, long battery life, and effective heat management, although it is less portable and more expensive than the MSI Modern 14, which offers decent general use capabilities at a lower price point but with a less powerful CPU, less RAM, and lower screen quality.
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
6.0/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.6/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) outperforms the MSI Modern 14 in engineering and design due to its more powerful Apple M1 Pro CPU and GPU, higher-resolution Mini LED screen with better color accuracy, and larger battery, which are all crucial for processing-intensive tasks and detailed visual work.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.2/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) 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
9.2/10
6.4/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the MacBook Pro 14 offers a higher resolution and brighter display which enhances everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos. The MacBook's screen is excellent for engineering and design due to its wide color gamuts, allowing for more accurate color reproduction critical in these fields. However, for 3D and gaming scenarios, the MSI Modern 14 may fall short as it lacks the high refresh rates necessary for smooth visuals in fast-paced environments, despite its adequate resolution and panel type.
Battery
13.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 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.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Modern 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
"In the Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023, the M2 Pro is slowed down. From the improved 5nm process, the new M2 Pro is a very solid upgrade. Graphics performance has increased by about 25% in tandem with a clear improvement in efficiency. The processor has also seen a performance leap of up to 20%, but this is accompanied by an increase in consumption of up to 25%. Fundamentally, Apple its maintaining its advantage over AMD and Intel, particularly in optimized applications where the results are very good in view of the comparatively low power consumption."
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 Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the MSI Modern 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
103,095
Recommendations made
22,338
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.