The ASUS Vivobook 15X is a bit expensive but offers a larger screen and white backlight on the keyboard, suitable for general use. The MSI Modern 14 is less expensive, lighter, and more portable with higher screen pixel density and a higher contrast ratio which can be great for tasks that involve a lot of text reading or detailed work. Both have similar CPUs, GPUs, and screen size, but the MSI offers more RAM, which can handle more applications at once or assist in more demanding tasks. Your choice should depend on whether you prefer a larger screen and keyboard features or better portability and visual clarity. 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 Vivobook 15X
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has no clear advantages over the MSI Modern 14.
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Good for software development
Very good portability
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The MSI Modern 14 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 15X for general use, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, both the ASUS Vivobook 15X and MSI Modern 14 offer screens with resolution and brightness that meet everyday needs, yet may not impress those requiring exceptional clarity or vibrancy. In the context of engineering and design, where accurate color representation is crucial, both laptops provide fair performance by covering basic color ranges, but professionals needing extensive color accuracy may find them lacking. When it comes to gaming and 3D, the lower refresh rates of both models can lead to less fluid visuals, which is less ideal for fast-paced games or smooth 3D rendering.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has 8 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
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Vivobook 15X are both good for general use.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a larger screen and slightly bigger battery than the MSI Modern 14, which may be better for viewing content and longer use without charging, but this makes it less portable and heavier. Meanwhile, the MSI Modern 14 offers more RAM and significantly better screen brightness and color scores, enhancing multitasking and visual experience, but with a modest decrease in battery size and thus possibly shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.0/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Vivobook 15X are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X and the MSI Modern 14 are both labeled as fair for gaming and 3D because they share similar internal graphics with no dedicated high-performance GPUs, limiting their ability to handle intensive graphics tasks, and both have standard 60Hz screen refresh rates, which do not cater to the high frame rates desired by gamers. Although the Vivobook 15X offers a slightly larger screen size, which may enhance the visual experience, and the Modern 14 has a better screen pixel density that can provide crisper images, neither has the high-end screen quality or refresh rate that more serious gaming and 3D applications demand.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
6.6/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Vivobook 15X are both only fair for engineering and design.
The ASUS Vivobook 15X and MSI Modern 14 are fair options for engineering and design due to their identical CPUs and integrated graphics, which accommodate moderate workloads but may strain under complex tasks; the MSI stands out with double the RAM, enhancing performance in multitasking. While the Vivobook has a larger display which is beneficial for design work, the Modern 14 offers better portability and a notably higher screen resolution, making it ideal for precise design tasks on the go.
Content Creation
7.1/10
7.2/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Vivobook 15X are both 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
6.9/10
7.1/10
5.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Modern 14 to be good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 15X is only fair.
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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook 15X and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$525
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The ASUS Vivobook 15X has a price of $525 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
Give feedback
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How the ASUS Vivobook 15X and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
"All in all, my day on the Vivobook had its ups and downs. It is a really pretty and well-built device, and it had all of the functionality I needed to get me through my browser-based workload. But the speakers weren’t my favorite, and the battery life was just too short."
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 Vivobook 15X 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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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