The Gateway 14.1" is a budget-friendly option with basic performance, suitable for general use like web browsing and document editing. It is lighter and may have longer battery life for on-the-go tasks, but it has less storage and memory. The MSI Cyborg 15, on the other hand, is a more powerful machine with advanced features like a high-end processor, a dedicated graphics card, and more storage and memory, making it well-suited for intensive engineering tasks, 3D modeling, and gaming. However, it is heavier, possibly has shorter battery life, and is more expensive. 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
Advantages of the MSI Cyborg 15
Good for general use
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" has less RAM and a lower-tier CPU compared to the MSI Cyborg 15, which limits its performance for general use. Also, the Gateway's screen, keyboard, and speaker quality are rated as poor, whereas the MSI offers a better screen, good keyboard and speaker quality, and more robust hardware overall, enhancing the overall user experience.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
7.2/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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
5.5/10
7.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
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.
Content Creation
5.8/10
7.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Cyborg 15 is 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
5.8/10
7.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
4.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 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
6.0/10
6.8/10
14.1in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the Gateway 14.1" and MSI Cyborg 15 offer adequate screen resolutions and brightness, but their panel types aren't the premium ones that provide the best viewing angles and color accuracy. When considering engineering and design, the screens on these laptops don't cover wider color gamuts like Adobe RGB and DCI-P3, which are crucial for precise color work. As for 3D and gaming, the lower refresh rates on these laptops mean less smooth visuals, which can be a significant drawback for fast-paced action and detailed animations.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.1in
SIZE
15.6in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The Gateway 14.1" has very good portability, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
6.7/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 has only fair 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
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
"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."
"The focus of the MSI Cyborg 15 lies on a compromise of performance, mobility, and power consumption. Due to the reduced performance settings, the CPU and GPU perform below their capabilities. Nonetheless, their computing power is still sufficient for FHD gaming at high to maximum settings even then. The power consumption, which is low for a gaming laptop, can be translated into a good battery life. Realistic values of 7 to 8 h are still possible, despite the relatively small battery capacity of 53.5 Wh. Unfortunately the USB-C port doesn't offer any support for Power Delivery, which would be a sensible feature in the case of the Cyborg."
Get a great deal on the Gateway 14.1" or the MSI Cyborg 15
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.
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