The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is often significantly less expensive and more portable with a longer battery life which is well suited for general use, offering a high-quality display with a good range of colors. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 is more expensive and less portable but excels in performance with a top-tier processor and graphics card, making it ideal for gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and other intensive engineering tasks. It also has a larger screen and a higher refresh rate which can be advantageous for such demanding activities. However, consider the MacBook Pro for its better battery life and portability if your tasks are less demanding. 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)
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Very good portability
Excellent battery life
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
Excellent for engineering and design
Best in class for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
9.5/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021), with its Apple M1 Pro GPU, offers very high screen color accuracy and a well-balanced 120Hz refresh rate, making it suitable for 3D work, but some games may not be available due to the macOS platform. Conversely, the MSI Raider GE78 boasts a more powerful Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a higher 240Hz screen refresh rate, ideal for the demanding graphics and fast pace of gaming and high-end 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
9.4/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its Apple M1 Pro chip and 16GB of RAM, is known for strong performance suited for engineering and design tasks, and offers a high-quality mini LED display but with limited portability due to its heavier design and smaller screen. The MSI Raider GE78, however, boasts a more powerful Intel i9 processor and double the RAM at 32GB, incorporating a top-tier Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a larger IPS display, making it better for demanding engineering software but less portable and with shorter battery life.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
8.6/10
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Raider GE78 for general use, and engineering and design, while the MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen for gaming and AI, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the MacBook Pro 14's high resolution and brightness provide crisp text and vibrant images, making everyday tasks enjoyable. Its wide color gamuts are outstanding for engineering and design, ensuring precise color accuracy which is crucial for professional creative work. However, its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for 3D applications, where the MSI Raider GE78's higher refresh rate better supports smoother motion and gameplay.
Battery
13.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 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.
Portability
Very Good
Poor
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$4,386
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has a price of $1,905 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
The MSI Raider GE78 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) excels in general use due to its efficient CPU and high-quality Mini LED screen, offering a balance of performance and portability with long battery life. In contrast, the MSI Raider GE78, with its powerful CPU, abundant RAM, and superior GPU, is tailored for more demanding applications but trades off with reduced battery life and portability.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.8/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very 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
8.3/10
8.5/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very 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 Pro 14 (2021) and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
"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."
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the MSI Raider GE78
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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