The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 offers a touch display, higher brightness, better color space coverage, and longer battery life, which is ideal for creative professionals who prioritize screen quality and on-the-go use. It's also equipped with more versatile connectivity options like Thunderbolt ports, but comes at a higher price and a slightly heavier weight. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 provides more RAM, which is great for multitasking and runs on the latest version of Windows. With its lower price and lighter weight, the MSI is more budget-friendly and portable, but has a smaller battery and less impressive display features, making it better suited for general use and everyday productivity tasks. Both have solid build quality and similar screen sizes and resolutions, so your decision may hinge on whether you prefer creative features or value for money and portability. 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 Duo 14
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has no clear advantages over the MSI Modern 14.
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Good keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
6.8/10
6.4/10
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
314.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, and engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 offers higher resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use as text appears sharper and the screen remains visible in various lighting conditions. For engineering and design, the Zenbook Duo's wider color gamuts ensure more accurate color representation, vital for detailed and color-sensitive work. However, its lower refresh rate limits its appeal for gaming and 3D applications, where smoother motion representation is key.
Battery
8.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has 8.5 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
7.8/10
7.0/10
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality, though the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$999
$748
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 has a price of $999 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $748.
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 are both good for general use.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14, with its dual-screen feature, higher power CPU, and significant battery capacity, offers a unique experience for multitasking and power users, yet this comes at the cost of heavier weight and a lower portability score compared to the MSI Modern 14, which, while having a less powerful processor, compensates with more RAM and better heat management, providing a balanced option for everyday tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.1/10
6.0/10
3.7/10
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
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 and MSI Modern 14 are considered fair for gaming and 3D because they both have integrated graphics chips rather than dedicated gaming GPUs, and their screens only have refresh rates of 60Hz which is adequate for general use but not ideal for high-level gaming where higher refresh rates can provide smoother visuals. Furthermore, the screen quality in terms of brightness and color accuracy is better on the ASUS compared to the MSI, but both feature standard resolutions and IPS panels which offer good viewing angles and color reproduction for general usage and some level of gaming and 3D work.
Engineering and Design
6.6/10
6.6/10
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 are both only fair for engineering and design.
The ASUS Zenbook Duo 14, with its higher-quality Iris Xe graphics, brighter screen, and higher color coverage, is better suited for tasks like engineering and design compared to the MSI Modern 14, which, despite having more RAM, offers weaker Vega 7 graphics, less screen brightness, and significantly lower color coverage. However, the MSI Modern 14 is more portable and has a quieter operating noise, making it a tradeoff between performance for engineering tasks and comfort for everyday use.
Content Creation
7.3/10
7.2/10
5.5/10
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 ASUS Zenbook Duo 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
7.0/10
7.1/10
5.5/10
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
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Zenbook Duo 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
3.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 and ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the ASUS Zenbook Duo 14 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
"The Asus ZenBook Duo's second screen is like the Apple Touch Bar, but better. Most would agree that having two screens instead of one can really boost productivity and the ZenBook Duo is no different in this regard. It's tough going back to just one screen after becoming accustomed to spacious dual-screen setups. For a laptop form factor, however, users will have to accept some compromises. Firstly, weight is the most obvious drawback as the system is several hundred grams heavier than a regular ZenBook 14. Additionally, colors on the second screen will not be as vivid as the main display."
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 Duo 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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