The MSI Modern 14 typically costs more but offers a better overall performance with more storage space and RAM, making it suitable for heavier tasks like engineering and 3D work. On the other hand, the Gateway 14.1" is more budget-friendly but with less power and capacity, better for general use and lighter tasks. The MSI also has a higher quality display and longer battery life, which is essential if you need to work on the go without frequent charging. If portability is a priority, both laptops are comparable, with the MSI being slightly lighter. The right choice depends on your balance of price to performance and the tasks you intend to use the laptop for. 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"
The Gateway 14.1" has no clear advantages over the MSI Modern 14.
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Good for general use
Good for software development
Good for content creation
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
7.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Modern 14 is good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The MSI Modern 14 offers more RAM and a superior processor with AMD Ryzen compared to the less powerful Intel Celeron and lesser RAM in the Gateway 14.1", delivering better overall performance for general use. Additionally, the MSI has significantly higher storage capacity and a backlit keyboard, enhancing not only performance but also the user experience compared to the Gateway, which has a lower build quality and a shorter battery life.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.0/10
3.5/10
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 MSI Modern 14 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" has a less powerful Intel UHD Graphics 600 GPU and a standard 60Hz refresh rate, making it poor for gaming and 3D, where as the MSI Modern 14, with an AMD Ryzen Vega 7 GPU and the same refresh rate, is somewhat better but still not ideal for demanding gaming and 3D applications due to limitations in both the GPU and the refresh rate. Even though both have basic 60Hz screen refresh rates, the MSI's superior GPU offers better rendering capabilities, which alongside its superior CPU, provides fair performance for gaming and 3D purposes, unlike the relatively weaker Gateway.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
6.6/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Modern 14 is only fair for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" laptop has a basic Intel Celeron processor and integrated graphics, which are less capable for demanding engineering and design software than the MSI Modern 14's AMD Ryzen processor with stronger integrated Vega graphics. Additionally, the Gateway's lower-quality display and limited RAM further hinder its engineering performance compared to the MSI, which offers better screen quality and more memory for complex tasks.
Content Creation
5.8/10
7.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Modern 14 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
7.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Modern 14 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
6.4/10
14.1in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The MSI Modern 14 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 14.1" and MSI Modern 14 laptops have screens that suffice for everyday tasks like web browsing and office work due to their adequate resolution and brightness, but their panel types do not deliver the vivid display or wide viewing angles found in higher-end models. While they can accommodate basic engineering and design work, professionals might find the color accuracy lacking, as these models typically don't cover the broad color gamuts required for precision tasks. Gamers and 3D designers would notice a lack of fluidity and detail during fast-paced scenes, as the laptops' screens don't offer the high refresh rates necessary for smooth motion and may not support higher resolutions well, affecting the overall visual experience.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gateway 14.1" has 8 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
Very Good
Very Good
14.1in
SIZE
14.0in
3.3 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 and Gateway 14.1" both have very good portability, though the MSI Modern 14 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.0/10
The MSI Modern 14 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
$748
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $748.
"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."
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 Gateway 14.1" or the MSI Modern 14
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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