The Gateway 14.1" offers affordability and basic functionality for everyday tasks like web browsing, document editing, and media consumption. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, being pricier, provides higher performance suitable for demanding applications such as engineering software, 3D rendering, and machine learning tasks. It also typically has a more premium build quality, longer battery life, and greater portability due to its lighter weight and compact design. If your work or hobbies require advanced computing power and you frequently move around, the MSI may justify its higher cost. However, for casual use and budget-conscious buyers, 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"
The Gateway 14.1" has no clear advantages over the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo.
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Good overall build quality
Good speakers
Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
5.6/10
8.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" has a less powerful CPU and less RAM, leading to slower performance, a lower quality screen that affects the visual experience, and reduced battery life which hampers portability for sustained use. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offers a superior CPU and more RAM for snappy general use, a higher quality screen for better viewing, along with excellent battery life and portability, albeit with higher costs, and storage capacity, keyboard, speaker quality, as well as operating noise and heat management proportionally better but of lesser emphasis.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" laptop may struggle with gaming and 3D applications due to a less powerful GPU and a lower screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth and detailed visuals. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offers a better GPU and a higher refresh rate, providing a more capable platform for these tasks, despite both having adequate CPUs and screen quality.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
8.0/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" generally has lower-quality CPU, RAM, and GPU and a screen that isn't as sharp or color-accurate, which makes it less suitable for demanding engineering applications or design work that require high performance and detailed visuals. In contrast, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo offers more powerful processing components and a superior screen, which are essential for such tasks, though it might be slightly less portable and have a noisier operating sound.
Content Creation
5.8/10
8.1/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
5.8/10
7.9/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
4.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
8.2/10
14.1in
SIZE
13.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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" offers adequate resolution and brightness suited for everyday tasks like browsing and office work, but it may fall short in color accuracy for professionals in engineering and design. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, with its higher resolution and brightness, delivers vibrant images and wide color gamuts, making it an excellent choice for detailed design work. However, both laptops lack the high refresh rate desired for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications, which could detract from the experience in those areas.
Build Quality
5.1/10
7.4/10
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo 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
$1,280
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
"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 Prestige 13 AI Evo
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
98,595
Recommendations made
21,363
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.