The MacBook Pro 14 offers high performance with its Apple M1 Pro processor and excels in screen quality, featuring a Mini LED display that is bright with colors very true to life, making it ideal for creative work and engineering tasks. However, it comes at a higher price and isn't as portable due to its heavier build. Conversely, the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo is more affordable and offers flexibility with its touchscreen and convertible design, but it doesn't match the MacBook's performance or screen quality. If budget is a consideration and you value flexibility and touchscreen capability, the MSI is a good option. If your priority is top-notch performance and display for tasks like video editing or design, the MacBook Pro is worth the extra investment. 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 Summit E14 Flip Evo
The MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo has no clear advantages over the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021).
Key differences
General Use
8.4/10
7.8/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
479.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
468.0 nits
13.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for general use, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is considered very good for general use because it has a high-quality CPU and screen, exceptional build quality, and a longer battery life, which makes it highly portable. In comparison, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo also provides good general use with a quality CPU and screen, its storage capacity is larger, it includes a touchscreen for versatility, but it falls short in battery life and slightly in build and keyboard quality.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
7.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
4.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its Apple M1 Pro chip and high-quality Mini LED screen is superior for demanding engineering and design tasks, offering robust performance and vibrant display quality. Conversely, the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo, while offering good capabilities with its Intel i7 processor and IPS touchscreen, falls short in GPU performance and screen technology compared to the MacBook Pro, yet provides added flexibility as a 2-in-1 device and superior portability.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.8/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
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 Summit E14 Flip Evo 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
7.7/10
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is very good for software development, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo 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
7.7/10
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
479.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
468.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has a better screen than the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14's outstanding resolution and panel type offer sharp and vibrant visuals, which alongside its high brightness, make it excellent for general use and detailed engineering work due to its wide color gamuts that cover professional standards. The MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo similarly provides a high-quality display with good resolution and panel type for general tasks and color-sensitive engineering projects; however, like the MacBook, it lacks the high refresh rates needed for smooth visuals in fast-paced 3D applications. Both laptops have displays that do not cater to gaming or 3D modeling needs where higher refresh rates are crucial for a fluid experience.
Battery
13.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 13.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo has 7 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 14 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,905
$1,563
$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 Summit E14 Flip Evo costs $1,563.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.2in
SIZE
14.0in
3.5 lbs
WEIGHT
3.6 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) and the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo 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 Summit E14 Flip convertible review: a legit alternative to HP, Dell or Lenovo. Instead of taking the 13-inch Summit E13 Flip and simply enlarging it for a 14-inch form factor, the Summit E14 Flip is the full chassis redesign we've been looking for. It loses some of the golden trims of its smaller sibling, but the gains in rigidity and build quality are arguably worth it especially from a professional standpoint where reliability takes priority. It doesn't quite feel as strong as the HP Spectre just yet, but it's certainly getting close."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) or the MSI Summit E14 Flip Evo
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 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.
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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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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.