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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers a refined build quality, excellent display, and long battery life, making it well-suited for professionals who prioritize these features and use software optimized for macOS. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio, on the other hand, is likely better for gaming and performance-intensive tasks due to its powerful dedicated graphics and potential for better cooling. It might also offer more flexibility for upgrades and connectivity options compared to the MacBook Pro. However, the MacBook Pro will probably provide a more seamless experience for users invested in the Apple ecosystem and who prefer its trackpad and software reliability. Choose the MacBook Pro if you value build quality, display, battery life, and macOS integration; opt for the MSI if you need higher performance for tasks like gaming or 3D work, and you value flexibility and cost savings over the premium build and display of the MacBook Pro. 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 software development
- Very good for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Best in class overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Excellent battery life
- Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
General Use
8.4
7.8
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
5.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) offers superior screen quality with its Mini LED display, has a higher battery life for longer use on the go, and excels in build, keyboard, and speaker quality, making it very suitable for general use. In contrast, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio provides more storage and is better equipped for gaming with dedicated Nvidia graphics, but its battery life and heat management are not as robust, positioning it as good for general purposes with a slant towards gaming performance.
Gaming and AI
6.8
7.8
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with its high-resolution Mini LED screen and Apple M1 Pro GPU is well-suited for 3D work that demands accurate colors and detailed visuals, although the lack of popular game support for MacOS may limit its use for gaming. Conversely, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio offers a high-refresh-rate IPS screen and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, making it ideal for gaming and 3D applications that benefit from smooth visuals and extensive game compatibility provided by Windows.
Content Creation
8.4
7.9
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
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 Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio 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
7.6
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
300.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth 14 Studio for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a high-resolution display that offers exceptional color accuracy and brightness, which is essential for detailed visuals in general use and precision in engineering and design work due to its wide color gamuts. Meanwhile, the MSI Stealth 14 Studio provides a similar high-resolution display, favoring performance in general tasks and design applications, but its color spectrum coverage is not as expansive as the MacBook's. However, both laptops fall short for 3D tasks and gaming as their screens don't prioritize high refresh rates, which are crucial for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals.
Battery
13.5 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio has 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
Very Good
Good
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0
7.6
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$1,432
$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 Stealth 14 Studio costs $1,432.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
8.2
8.5
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) with its high-resolution Mini LED screen and Apple M1 Pro CPU and GPU delivers excellent screen quality and efficient performance suited for engineering and design, while the MSI Stealth 14 Studio provides a competitive edge with its powerful Intel CPU and Nvidia RTX GPU that excel in hardware-intensive applications, despite having a lower display resolution compared to the MacBook Pro. Both offer solid RAM for multitasking, but trade-offs include the MacBook's superior display and build quality against the Stealth's potential for better handling of 3D tasks thanks to its dedicated GPU.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the MSI Stealth 14 Studio compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) | MSI Stealth 14 Studio |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,905 | $1,432 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | February 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.3'' x 8.7'' x 0.61'' | 12.4'' x 9.7'' x 0.75'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.5 lbs | 3.75 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.31" | 12.4" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.71" | 9.69" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Apple M1 Pro (8C) | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 13.5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 69.6 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.2" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3024 x 1964 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 165Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 479 nits | 300 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
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 | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
Shopping
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021)
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | January 2023
"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."
MSI Stealth 14 Studio
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Francisco Lahoz | June 2023
"You'll find a versatility in the MSI Stealth 14 Studio that isn’t matched by many content-creator laptops we've tested of late. The small frame allows you to (potentially) work from anywhere with an outlet and, if noise isn’t a concern, run your most demanding of programs, thanks to some powerful hardware inside. The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is an attractive and powerful option if you want a portable laptop to be the center of your content work setup."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the MSI Stealth 14 Studio
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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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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