If you prioritize gaming performance and are engaging in tasks like 3D rendering or machine learning, the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 will serve you well, but keep in mind it's heavier and bulkier, which compromises portability. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 is more budget-friendly and lightweight, ideal for general use and business applications but falls short in high-end gaming or intensive engineering tasks. The ASUS model also has a higher refresh rate display, crucial for fast-paced gaming, whereas the MSI offers sufficient capabilities for everyday tasks and productivity. Consider what's more important for your needs: top-tier performance at a higher cost and less portability or a more affordable option that's easier to carry around but doesn't excel in demanding tasks. 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 ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
292.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use, though the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is somewhat better.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17, with its superior CPU and GPU, larger and better-quality screen, and greater RAM capacity, excels in performance for general use, but its larger size and weight reduce its portability and it has a shorter battery life. Meanwhile, the MSI Modern 14, while not as powerful, offers an advantage in portability and battery efficiency, adequate for general tasks, with a quality keyboard and speakers; however, its smaller screen and lower-grade processor may limit intensive usage.
Gaming and AI
8.4/10
6.0/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 outshines in gaming and 3D applications due to its powerful Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti graphics card and a high screen refresh rate of 360, which allows for smoother visuals and better performance in intense graphic scenarios. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14, with its integrated AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Vega 7 graphics and a lower refresh rate of 60, is built to handle less demanding tasks and provides fair performance for casual gaming and 3D work.
Engineering and Design
8.6/10
6.6/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.2/10
9.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 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.
Screen Quality
8.1/10
6.4/10
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
292.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 offers a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness, making it excellent for general tasks and detailed engineering work, but its lower refresh rate makes it less ideal for the smooth visuals required in gaming and 3D applications. Meanwhile, the MSI Modern 14's display provides decent resolution and brightness for handling everyday tasks and some level of precision for design software but doesn't support the wide color gamuts necessary for professional color work or the high refresh rates for gaming and 3D content. Therefore, the ASUS is preferred for productivity and creative work, whereas gamers and 3D designers may seek other options with faster refresh rates.
Portability
Poor
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.0/10
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has very good 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
$2,499
$525
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has a price of $2,499 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and MSI Modern 14 are both 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.
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 has 7 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.
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How the ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
"Asus ROG Strix Scar 17 laptop review: liquid metal 7 nm AMD Zen 3 is stunning. The raw performance increase is absolutely bonkers if you're upgrading from a laptop on Coffee Lake-H or older. The 45 W Ryzen 9 5900HX is neck-to-neck with the thicker, heavier, and hotter Schenker Ultra 17 running on a desktop-class Core i9-11900K despite their wide TDP differences. The performance-per-watt advantages can make Intel Rocket Lake feel like a last generation platform at times. As for the chassis itself, it's a huge light show with RGB LEDs on almost all sides of the system."
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 ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17 or the MSI Modern 14
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
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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