The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) offers a high-quality screen with better colors and high brightness, more powerful processors for intensive tasks like engineering, 3D rendering, or machine learning, and an estimated longer battery life. However, it is more expensive and less portable. The MSI Modern 14 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and more compact, making it highly portable. It comes with more RAM, which can be better for multitasking, but it has a less powerful processor and GPU, suggesting lower performance for demanding applications. It also has a lower-quality screen and shorter battery life, but it may be enough for general use and can handle gaming to a certain extent. 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 (Late 2023)
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 (Late 2023).
Key differences
General Use
8.2/10
7.2/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
489.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
17.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its high-resolution Mini LED screen and more powerful Apple M3 processor, offers a better display and performance for general use but has a higher weight which impacts portability compared to the MSI Modern 14, which, while lighter and offering more RAM, has an IPS display with lower resolution and contrast ratio, reflecting in less vivid screen quality but at a better price point. Battery life in the MacBook Pro is substantially longer, which along with macOS integration can provide a more seamless experience for users who prioritize longevity and ecosystem over the MSI Modern 14's Windows platform and shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.0/10
4.5/10
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 (Late 2023) and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 with its high-refresh rate display and more powerful 10-core GPU is well-suited for smooth 3D content creation; however, it runs MacOS, which limits the availability of many popular games. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 has a standard refresh rate display and a less capable GPU, making it less ideal for 3D tasks and gaming, but it runs Windows, offering wider game compatibility.
Engineering and Design
8.1/10
6.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its Apple M3 CPU and integrated GPU, excels in engineering and design tasks due to its powerful processor, ample RAM, and excellent screen quality featuring high brightness and color accuracy. In comparison, the MSI Modern 14, despite having sufficient RAM, is limited by its AMD Ryzen CPU and Vega 7 graphics, resulting in a fair performance for engineering tasks and a less impressive screen with lower brightness and color coverage. The MacBook Pro also trumps in keyboard, speaker quality, and operates quietly, whereas the MSI Modern 14, while slightly more portable due to its lower weight, compromises on these somewhat important factors.
Content Creation
8.4/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3024 x 1964
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) 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
8.2/10
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 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 (Late 2023) 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
489.0 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.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14, with its high-resolution display and LED technology offers excellent clarity and color accuracy, making it perfect for demanding engineering, design tasks, and enjoyable for general use. It also boasts a wide color gamut, ensuring designers see a broad spectrum of colors precisely. However, for 3D applications, its average refresh rate pales compared to specialized gaming laptops, potentially affecting the smoothness of fast-moving visuals. The MSI Modern 14, while providing good enough resolution and brightness for day-to-day tasks and some design work, doesn't quite match the MacBook's color reproduction or brightness, and its lower refresh rate is less suitable for gaming and anything involving rapid on-screen motion.
Battery
17.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 has 17 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 (Late 2023) 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
$1,499
$525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 (Late 2023) has a price of $1,499 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 (Late 2023) 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.
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