A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
The Gateway 14.1" is more budget-friendly and suitable for everyday tasks like browsing, office applications, and media consumption, with the added benefit of being light and easy to carry around. The MSI Creator M14, on the other hand, offers higher performance for demanding activities such as 3D design, video editing, or gaming, but it comes with a higher price tag, and it may be less portable due to its size or weight. If you prioritize performance and are engaging in creative or engineering work, the MSI is a good investment; for casual use, the Gateway could suffice. 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 14.1"
- Very good 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
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" may fall short in general use due to a weaker CPU and less RAM, which can lead to slower performance in multitasking, while a lower-quality screen, reduced portability, and shorter battery life could affect daily convenience and comfort. Conversely, the MSI Creator M14, with its robust processor and ample memory, facilitates smooth operation, and its high-quality screen, light form factor, and longer-lasting battery are ideal for varied everyday tasks, with the added benefits of solid storage capacity, comfortable keyboard, and better heat management enhancing the user experience.
Gaming and AI
5.4
7.3
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
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 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to its less capable GPU and lower screen refresh rate, which can lead to subpar visuals and gameplay smoothness. On the other hand, the MSI Creator M14's superior GPU and higher refresh rate make it well-suited for these demanding tasks, offering better graphics performance and a more fluid visual experience.
Engineering and Design
5.5
8.4
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 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" may not handle engineering software well due to less powerful CPU, RAM, and GPU, which are crucial for such tasks, and its screen quality is lower, affecting the clarity and detail of design work. In contrast, the MSI Creator M14, with its superior processing components and high-resolution screen, offers better performance for demanding engineering projects, albeit it may be heavier and produce more operating noise, slightly compromising portability and quiet use.
Content Creation
5.8
8.0
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
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 14.1" 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
5.8
7.8
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
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 14.1" 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
6.0
7.5
14.1in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway's screen offers adequate resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and basic engineering applications, but limited color coverage means colors may not be as vibrant for professional design work. The MSI Creator M14, with its superior color gamut, provides more accurate color representation, making it preferable for engineering and design but like the Gateway, its lower refresh rate detracts from the smooth visuals demanded in high-end gaming and 3D applications. While both laptops can handle general use comfortably, neither is ideal for gaming or 3D work due to refresh rate limitations.
Battery
8.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The Gateway 14.1" 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.
Build Quality
5.1
7.8
The MSI Creator M14 has good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$99
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.1in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.8in
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 14.1" to have very good portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gateway 14.1" and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 14.1" | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 13.1'' x 8.8'' x 0.75'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.35 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.1" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.78" | 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 | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.1" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 208 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.1/10 | 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 | |
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 | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Gateway 14.1"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | September 2021
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 14.1" 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.
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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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