Choosing between the Gateway 11.6" and the MSI Creator M14 depends on your needs. The Gateway is easier on the wallet and more portable due to its size, making it suitable for basic tasks like browsing and word processing. The MSI, however, offers powerful performance suitable for tasks such as 3D modeling, video editing, or gaming, but it comes at a higher cost and is less portable. If battery life is a priority, the MSI generally lasts longer on a single charge. Consider the balance between cost, performance, and portability that aligns best with your daily tasks. 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 Gateway 11.6"
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
8.0/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" laptop may fall short in delivering smooth performance due to a less powerful CPU and lower RAM, which could affect multitasking and speed, whereas the MSI Creator M14's superior CPU and higher RAM ensure robust performance for various applications. Additionally, the MSI offers a higher quality screen and better battery life, which enhances the overall experience for general use, although the Gateway's smaller size might make it more portable.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.3/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" laptop lacks a dedicated graphics processing unit (GPU) and has a lower screen refresh rate, which makes it unsuitable for the high demands of gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14 comes with a powerful GPU and a higher refresh rate screen, enabling smoother visuals and better performance for gaming and 3D tasks, although it might be more expensive.
Engineering and Design
5.4/10
8.4/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has less powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU, which are crucial for the demands of engineering and design software, and its smaller screen offers lower resolution for detailed work. In contrast, the MSI Creator M14 provides a high-performance CPU, ample RAM, superior GPU, and a high-quality screen, better suited for such tasks, albeit it's less portable and might have a louder operating noise.
Content Creation
5.7/10
8.0/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
7.8/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7/10
7.5/10
11.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway 11.6" likely has limited resolution and low brightness, making it unsuitable for tasks where clarity is key, which is why it's not optimal for general use or any specialized tasks. The MSI Creator M14, with its good resolution and high color accuracy, caters well to engineering and design professionals who need precise color representation, but it falls short for gaming and 3D because it probably doesn't offer a high refresh rate that's crucial for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" has 8 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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
Excellent
Good
11.6in
SIZE
14.0in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 has good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
How the Gateway 11.6" and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
Gateway 11.6"
MSI Creator M14
GENERAL
Price
Price
$89
$1,500
Release Date
Release Date
August 1, 2021
March 1, 2024
Overall Dimensions
Overall Dimensions
11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7''
12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88''
Weight
Weight
2.6 lbs
3.53 lbs
Width
Width
11"
12.39"
Depth
Depth
7.5"
9.19"
INTERNAL
Processor
Processor
Intel Celeron N4020
Intel i7-13620H
RAM
RAM
4 GB
32 GB
DDR Memory Version
DDR Memory Version
4
5
RAM Slots
RAM Slots
0
2
Storage
Storage
64 GB
1024 GB
Storage Slots
Storage Slots
1
1
Graphics
Graphics
UHD Graphics 600
RTX 4060 (45 W)
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus
Mux Switch / Advanced Optimus
No
No
GPU Type
GPU Type
Dedicated
GPU Memory (VRAM)
GPU Memory (VRAM)
8 GB
Supports DLSS
Supports DLSS
No
Yes
Supports Ray Tracing
Supports Ray Tracing
No
Yes
BATTERY
Battery Life
Battery Life
8 Hours
4.5 Hours
Battery Capacity
Battery Capacity
Unknown
53.5 Wh
SCREEN
Diagonal Size
Diagonal Size
11.6"
14"
Display Technology
Display Technology
IPS
IPS
Resolution
Resolution
1366 x 768
2880 x 1800
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
60Hz
60Hz
Display Brightness
Display Brightness
200 nits
350 nits
Screen Aspect Ratio
Screen Aspect Ratio
16:9
16:10
Pixel Density
Pixel Density
135.09 PPI
242.59 PPI
Contrast
Contrast
Unknown
1019: 1
Display Response Time
Display Response Time
Unknown
12.9 ms
DCI-P3
DCI-P3
35 %
100 %
sRGB
sRGB
50 %
100 %
Adobe RGB
Adobe RGB
35 %
85 %
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS
Build Quality Score
Build Quality Score
5.1/10
7.8/10
Portability Score
Portability Score
9.2/10
7.8/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
Gaming Laptop Appearance
No
No
Premium Business Laptop
Premium Business Laptop
No
No
Fan Noise Score
Fan Noise Score
7/10
7.8/10
Facial Recognition
Facial Recognition
No
No
Upper Side Temp (Max)
Upper Side Temp (Max)
Lower Side Temp (Max)
Lower Side Temp (Max)
Palm Rest Temp (Max)
Palm Rest Temp (Max)
Keyboard Lighting Color
Keyboard Lighting Color
N/A
White
Warranty Period
Warranty Period
1 year
1 year
HARDWARE FEATURES
Keyboard Quality Score
Keyboard Quality Score
5.3/10
8/10
Speaker Quality Score
Speaker Quality Score
6/10
7.5/10
Webcam
Webcam
720p
720p
Fingerprint Reader
Fingerprint Reader
No
Yes
Backlit Keyboard
Backlit Keyboard
No
Yes
Number Pad
Number Pad
No
No
CONNECTIVITY
USB Type-A
USB Type-A
2
3
USB-C ports
USB-C ports
0
1
USB-C Charging
USB-C Charging
No
No
Display Outputs
Display Outputs
1
2
Thunderbolt Ports
Thunderbolt Ports
0
0
DisplayPorts
DisplayPorts
0
0
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
1
1
Ethernet
Ethernet
No
Yes
Bluetooth Version
Bluetooth Version
4
5.3
WiFi Version
WiFi Version
5
6E
Get a great deal on the Gateway 11.6" or the MSI Creator M14
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
98,295
Recommendations made
21,298
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.