Choosing between the Asus Vivobook Go 14 and the MSI Modern 14 depends on your priority for performance and storage over battery life and portability. The MSI Modern offers a more powerful processor, more memory, and double the storage capacity, making it better suited for more demanding tasks and multitasking. However, it also has a slightly shorter battery life. If portability is important, the Asus has a marginally higher portability score and a longer battery life, but with less power and storage capacity. Either laptop is well-suited for general use, but the MSI Modern 14 will perform better in engineering and 3D/machine learning applications, while the Asus is more budget-friendly and easier to carry. 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 Go 14
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has no clear advantages over the MSI Modern 14.
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.2/10
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Modern 14 is good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
The MSI Modern 14 outperforms the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 in general use due to its higher RAM capacity and a more powerful CPU, leading to smoother multitasking and better handling of demanding applications. Additionally, the MSI Modern 14 has superior screen brightness and contrast ratio, which contribute to a more vibrant and clear display, alongside a slightly lighter build for better portability, despite both having similar battery life and port sizes.
Engineering and Design
5.9/10
6.6/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Modern 14 is only fair for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is less suitable for engineering and design tasks due to its lower-tier CPU and GPU, less RAM, and lower screen quality, which are crucial for performance and detailed visual work, whereas the MSI Modern 14 offers a better CPU and GPU, more RAM, and higher screen quality, making it more capable for such tasks despite a slightly lower portability score.
Content Creation
6.5/10
7.2/10
4.1/10
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 is good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is only fair.
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
6.4/10
7.1/10
4.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Modern 14 is good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 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.
Screen Quality
6.2/10
6.4/10
14.0in
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 Go 14 for general use, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 and MSI Modern 14 have screens that offer adequate resolution and brightness, but they don't excel in terms of crispness or vibrancy, which is why they're considered fair. When it comes to engineering and design, both have limited color coverage in the professional DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB spectrums, affecting their ability to display a wide range of colors precisely, thus they're not optimal though functional for these tasks. Neither laptop is ideal for Gaming and 3D because they lack high refresh rate displays, which are crucial for smooth motion and rapid response times, making fast-paced visuals less fluid.
Cost
$450
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has a price of $450 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Modern 14 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 is poor.
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has a weaker GPU, the AMD Radeon 610M, which is not as capable of handling gaming and 3D workloads as the MSI Modern 14's more powerful integrated graphics in the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U Vega 7. Moreover, while both laptops have similar screen refresh rates and quality, the stronger CPU in the MSI Modern 14 provides a better overall experience for tasks that require more computing power.
Battery
7.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook Go 14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Vivobook Go 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Modern 14 to have good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook Go 14 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
"The lack of a backlit keyboard in this price segment shouldn't sway the buyer the other way. However, it still comes down to user preference. The Vivobook Go 14 is a decent laptop in an extremely competitive price segment. A few omissions are a part of the balancing to reach the price segment. The Asus Vivobook Go 14 is a rare find when it comes to the price to performance ratio."
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 Go 14 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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