If high performance for gaming or demanding tasks like 3D design or video editing is a priority, the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is the better choice with its more powerful processor and graphics. However, it's heavier and thicker, which reduces portability compared to the MSI Modern 14. The MSI is more suited for general use, potentially business or casual tasks, and it's lighter and slimmer, making it easier to carry around. It also tends to be less expensive than the ASUS while still offering good performance for everyday activities. Also consider battery life, as gaming laptops like the ASUS usually consume more power and may not last as long on a single charge. 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 TUF Gaming A15
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Very good portability
Good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.9/10
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
271.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use, though the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is somewhat better.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has a robust CPU and dedicated GPU, suitable for heavier tasks and some gaming, with a larger screen and higher capacity battery, which, alongside its build, sacrifices some portability. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14, with a capable but less powerful integrated GPU and a lower capacity battery, offers a more portable design and higher portability score, trading off some performance and longevity for better ease of carrying and use on the go.
Gaming and AI
8.0/10
6.0/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is very good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
6.6/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 stands out for engineering and design use due to its powerful AMD Ryzen 7 processor and Nvidia RTX GPU, which are suited for intensive tasks and visualization, whereas the MSI Modern 14 has a mid-range Ryzen 5 processor with integrated graphics, less suited for heavy applications. Additionally, the ASUS offers a larger screen and higher quality display features that are beneficial for design work, contrasted with the MSI's smaller screen and lower color space coverage which may be acceptable for general use but not ideal for precision design tasks.
Content Creation
8.0/10
7.2/10
9.1/10
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 TUF Gaming A15 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
7.6/10
7.1/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for software development, though the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 is somewhat better.
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
7.2/10
6.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
271.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
When considering the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 and the MSI Modern 14 for general use, the ASUS generally offers a display with better resolution and brightness, which makes the screen clearer and more vibrant for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design purposes, both laptops provide fair screen quality, but the ASUS may have an edge if it covers a wider color gamut, ensuring more accurate color representation for professional work. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the ASUS's poor refresh rate leads to less fluid motion, making it less ideal for fast-paced games or smooth 3D rendering compared to laptops with higher refresh rates.
Battery
11.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has 11 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.8 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,059
$525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS TUF Gaming A15 has a price of $2,059 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
"With the release of the TUF Gaming A15, Asos have concentrated on the essentials: gaming performance. Our base version, which can be had for around $1,169, already provided enough power to play current games smoothly in a native resolution of 1080p and with maximum details - thanks to its new Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 Laptop. If you utilize upscaling, then you can even manage to run ray tracing."
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 TUF Gaming A15 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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