The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED offers a vibrant OLED display with higher resolution and better color reproduction, making it ideal for vivid visuals and media consumption, though it's less portable due to its larger size and weight. Its performance is well-suited for general use and engineering tasks, thanks to the powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and dedicated Intel Arc graphics. The laptop also provides a comfortable typing experience with a backlit keyboard and number pad, along with a fingerprint reader for secure login. However, it has limited port selection and no hardware ray tracing or DLSS, which might not be ideal for intensive gaming or 3D rendering.
On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and has better battery life, making it a great choice for on-the-go productivity. It features a responsive AMD Ryzen 5 processor and ample RAM for efficient multitasking, but its integrated Vega 7 graphics means it's not as powerful for gaming or demanding graphics tasks. The laptop's IPS display has a lower refresh rate and resolution compared to the ASUS, but it's still suitable for general use. It lacks some of the premium features of the ASUS, such as a number pad and advanced security options, but it includes USB-C charging for convenience.
In summary, if you prioritize a superior display, stronger performance for creative work, and premium features, the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is the way to go, despite its higher price and bulkier design. If you need a more affordable, portable device for everyday tasks and don't require high-end graphics capabilities, the MSI Modern 14 would be a better fit. 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 S 15 OLED
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
The MSI Modern 14 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED.
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
6.0/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED is somewhat better.
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
8.0/10
6.6/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED 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
8.0/10
7.2/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED 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
7.8/10
7.1/10
8.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and MSI Modern 14 are both good for software development, though the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED 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
8.8/10
6.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1620
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
600.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has 9 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.
Cost
$1,249
$748
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED has a price of $1,249 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $748.
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.0/10
The ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED 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.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Vivobook S 15 OLED and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
"The Asus Vivobook S 15 OLED excels as a capable work machine at an affordable price. It offers commendable performance, thanks to its 12th Gen Intel chip, delivers quality on-screen entertainment with its 15.6-inch OLED display, and can (kind of) get you through a full day of work. Oh, and its special Asus Antibacterial Guard is a nice touch for those who like a clean laptop."
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 S 15 OLED 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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