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Updated January 12, 2024·
Since the ASUS Zenbook 14 is generally less expensive than the MSI Modern 14, consider this: if budget is a major concern and you're looking for a machine for everyday tasks, the Zenbook may suit your needs. However, if you require a laptop with higher performance capabilities for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or gaming, and are willing to invest more, the MSI Modern 14 could be the better option. It's also worth considering the tradeoff between battery life and portability versus performance; higher-performing machines often have shorter battery lives and may be heavier, which could affect their portability. Choose the Zenbook for a balance of price and functionality for general use, or the MSI if performance and specialized tasks are a priority, keeping in mind the additional cost. 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 Zenbook 14
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- The MSI Modern 14 has no clear advantages over the ASUS Zenbook 14.
Key differences
Engineering and Design
7.2
6.6
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS Zenbook 14 is 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.
Screen Quality
8.3
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
339.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook 14 offers a screen with higher resolution and brightness, which makes text and images crisp and easy to view for general use and precision tasks like engineering, while the inclusion of wide color gamuts benefits professionals in design by providing more accurate color representation. The MSI Modern 14, while adequate in resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and engineering design, lacks the broader color ranges critical for high-level design work. Both laptops, having screens with lower refresh rates, are not ideal for 3D applications and gaming, where smoother motion and quicker image refreshes are crucial for an optimal visual experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Build Quality
7.8
7.0
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook 14 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$300
$570
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
The ASUS Zenbook 14 has a price of $300 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $570.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.2
7.2
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
339.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Zenbook 14 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook 14, despite having an OLED screen offering vibrant colors and higher resolution, falls short in general use due to less RAM and storage, a lower battery capacity, and weaker heat management compared to the MSI Modern 14, which although has an IPS screen with lower color coverage, is equipped with more RAM and double the storage, ensuring smoother multitasking and better overall performance.
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.0
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
90Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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.
Content Creation
7.3
7.2
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The ASUS Zenbook 14 and MSI Modern 14 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
7.2
7.1
7.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2880 x 1800
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook 14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Zenbook 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the ASUS Zenbook 14 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| ASUS Zenbook 14 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$300 | $570 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.4'' x 8.7'' x 0.67'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.06 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.35" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.69" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-1240P | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 75 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2880 x 1800 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 339 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.8/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.6/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
ASUS Zenbook 14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | August 2022
"Users who travel frequently and are looking for a portable laptop are in the right place with the Asus ZenBook 14. The sleek case is extremely light (1.2 kg) and surprisingly thin (1.5 cm). Outdoor use is also enjoyable thanks to the bright Full HD display, which is something that can rarely be said about laptops with TN or IPS panels. The excellent battery life complements this as well. Longer trips are no problem with the ZenBook 14. Another plus point is the high-performance Ryzen 7 5700U, which often leaves the Intel competition in the dust thanks to its large number of cores."
MSI Modern 14
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Rtings
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 Zenbook 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.
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