The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is an upper midrange-priced laptop that is typically somewhat less expensive than the MSI Stealth GS77, which has a premium price. The MacBook Pro 14 offers a strong performance for general use, longer battery life, and higher portability, making it a solid choice for on-the-go professionals who prioritize mobility and battery endurance. Designed with creatives in mind, it also boasts excellent screen colors and quality, great for photo and video editing. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth GS77 comes with double the storage and RAM, a larger screen size with faster refresh rate suited for gaming, and is better equipped for demanding 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering work thanks to its powerful processor and high-end graphics card. Enthusiastic gamers or users running highly demanding applications will find the Stealth GS77's hardware ray tracing and DLSS features beneficial for graphic-intensive tasks, but at the cost of reduced battery life and less portability. The MacBook Pro features MacOS, while the Stealth GS77 runs Windows 11 Pro, which could also influence your decision based on software preference and compatibility. 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
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Stealth GS77
Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.8/10
7.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Stealth GS77 is good for gaming and AI, while the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its high-quality screen and capable graphics processing unit (GPU), handles 3D tasks well but is limited in gaming due to compatibility issues with many popular games. The MSI Stealth GS77 offers a powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it ideal for gaming and 3D applications that demand smooth, fast graphics performance.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
8.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Stealth GS77 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for engineering and design, though the MSI Stealth GS77 is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is well-suited for engineering and design tasks due to its powerful Apple M1 Pro CPU, versatile GPU with its integrated 14-core graphics, high RAM capacity, and a high-quality Mini LED screen offering exceptional color accuracy and brightness. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth GS77 excels with its high-performance Intel i7 processor, a superior standalone Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti GPU, double the RAM, and a larger IPS display that, while lower in brightness and color accuracy compared to the MacBook Pro, offers a higher refresh rate beneficial for specific design applications. Both laptops manage a balance between processing power and screen quality, although the MacBook Pro is noted for being more portable with better keyboard quality, while the MSI has an advantage in RAM and a dedicated GPU, which may be better for particularly GPU-intensive workloads.
Screen Quality
9.2/10
8.3/10
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
305.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Stealth GS77 for general use, engineering and design, and software development.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 offers a high-resolution Retina display which is bright and supports wide color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, making it excellent for general use and color-critical engineering and design work. However, its refresh rate is typically not as high as those found on dedicated gaming laptops, which is why it may not be the best for 3D applications where smooth motion is key. The MSI Stealth GS77 also has a very good display with high resolution and good color coverage for general use and creative work, but similar to the MacBook Pro, its refresh rate may not satisfy the needs of gaming or 3D rendering where higher frame rates are critical for the best experience.
Battery
13.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Stealth GS77 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
Fair
14.2in
SIZE
17.3in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
6.1 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has very good portability, while the MSI Stealth GS77 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.0/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Stealth GS77 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
$2,499
$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 Stealth GS77 costs $2,499.
The MSI Stealth GS77 and Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) are both very good for general use.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is favored for general use due to its lightweight and compact design, high-quality screen, efficient heat management, and long battery life, making it highly portable while offering excellent performance with its M1 Pro CPU and integrated GPU. On the other hand, the MSI Stealth GS77, although less portable due to its larger size and weight, includes higher RAM and advanced graphics with an Nvidia RTX GPU, making it more suitable for demanding tasks such as gaming or graphics-intensive applications, but with a shorter battery life compared to the MacBook Pro.
Content Creation
8.4/10
8.3/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Stealth GS77 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
8.1/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.1/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Stealth GS77 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 Stealth GS77 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."
"The MSI Stealth GS77 is better than the GS76... mostly. The GS77 is a few steps forward and a few steps back from the GS76. Improvements are numerous including the stronger and more rigid skeleton, higher resolution webcam, larger clickpad, easier serviceability, relatively similar battery runtimes, newer display options, and higher performance at about the same TDP and TGP levels as before. CPU performance is better than expected even when compared to other laptops with Core i7 or Core i9 processors. The newer model feels more substantial than the outgoing one for higher quality impressions as well."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the MSI Stealth GS77
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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