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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Dell XPS 15 offers better general and engineering performance with a good display, robust build quality, and ample battery life, but it comes at a higher price and is less portable due to its larger screen and heavier weight. It has a better keyboard, more ports, including Thunderbolt, and features like ray tracing and DLSS that are valuable for intensive tasks. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 is more budget-friendly, lighter, and has longer battery life, making it more portable, but it has lower overall performance, fewer ports, and no advanced graphical features. The MSI Modern 14 may suit you if general use and portability are top priorities, while the Dell XPS 15 is well-suited for demanding engineering tasks and multitasking. 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 Dell XPS 15
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Very good overall build quality
- Very good battery life
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.2
7.2
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
606.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.7/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
The Dell XPS 15 excels in general use due to its powerful Intel i7 processor and dedicated graphics, a high-capacity battery, and exceptional screen quality; however, it is less portable and heavier than the MSI Modern 14. The MSI Modern 14 provides good general performance with ample RAM and a solid Ryzen processor, it's more portable with a lighter build and smaller screen, but it has a shorter battery life and the screen quality doesn't match that of the Dell.
Gaming and AI
6.8
6.0
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.1/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Dell XPS 15 and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Dell XPS 15 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
8.1
6.6
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.4/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Dell XPS 15, with a powerful Intel i7 processor and dedicated Intel Arc GPU, offers robust performance for engineering and design, aided by its larger screen with a higher resolution and better color accuracy. By contrast, the MSI Modern 14 uses an integrated AMD Ryzen GPU which isn't as powerful, and its smaller, less vivid screen doesn't match the XPS 15's display quality for detail-oriented work.
Content Creation
8.3
7.2
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell XPS 15 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
8.1
7.1
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Dell XPS 15 is very good for software development, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
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
7.4
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
606.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Dell XPS 15 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Dell XPS 15 offers a high-resolution display and superior brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and professional design work where crisp text and vibrant images are essential. It includes wider color gamuts, essential for precision in color grading and detailed engineering designs, ensuring more accurate color representation. However, for 3D applications and gaming, its standard refresh rate may lead to less fluid motion compared to displays with higher refresh rates designed specifically for these uses.
Battery
10.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Dell XPS 15 has 10 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
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Dell XPS 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Dell XPS 15 has very good build quality, while the MSI Modern 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,000
$525
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Dell XPS 15 has a price of $1,000 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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How the Dell XPS 15 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell XPS 15 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,000 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.6'' x 9.1'' x 0.71'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.21 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.57" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.06" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-13700H | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 86 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1200 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 606 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 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 | 9.1/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 10/10 | 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 | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell XPS 15
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Matthew Buzzi | May 2023
"The 2023 Dell XPS 15 is more or less exactly what you'd expect from the company flagship. Its fresh components deliver measurably superior power and longevity, while the machine's premium build and design remain intact. It may not be overly exciting, but XPS loyalists and upgraders should be more than happy."
MSI Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
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 Dell XPS 15 or the MSI Modern 14
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
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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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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