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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gigabyte A5, priced in the lower midrange, offers a stronger graphics card suitable for intensive 3D tasks, gaming and engineering applications, but it's heavier and less portable. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 is more budget-friendly with integrated graphics suitable for general use and basic tasks; it's lighter and more portable, making it a better option for on-the-go use. 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 Gigabyte A5
- Good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.1
6.0
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Gigabyte A5 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
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
7.3
6.6
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
7.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte A5 is good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Gigabyte A5 is equipped with a more powerful CPU and dedicated Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, making it well-suited for demanding engineering and design applications, whereas the MSI Modern 14 relies on integrated graphics which is less capable in handling intensive tasks, although it offers higher portability due to its lighter weight and smaller size.
Screen Quality
7.2
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Gigabyte A5 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design.
The Gigabyte A5's screen delivers pleasing visuals with its resolution and brightness, making it suitable for everyday tasks and professional design work where accurate color representation is essential. However, its lower refresh rate can be a drawback for gaming and 3D applications, which require smooth motion to enhance the experience. The MSI Modern 14 offers a balanced screen performance for both general use and creativity-focused tasks, but like the Gigabyte A5, it falls short for gaming and 3D usage due to a less optimal refresh rate.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Gigabyte A5 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$830
$748
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Gigabyte A5 has a price of $830 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $748.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.3
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Gigabyte A5 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte A5, with its robust CPU and ample RAM, handles intensive tasks efficiently, making it ideal for users needing extra performance, but may fall short on portability and battery life. Meanwhile, the MSI Modern 14 boasts a high-quality screen and is easier to carry around with longer battery life, suited for users prioritizing mobility and everyday tasks, but might not cater as well to those with heavy processing needs.
Content Creation
7.3
7.2
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Gigabyte A5 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for content creation.
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
7.0
7.1
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Modern 14 and Gigabyte A5 are both good for software development.
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.
Battery
6.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 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.
Build Quality
7.2
7.0
The Gigabyte A5 and MSI Modern 14 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Gigabyte A5 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte A5 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$830 | $748 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.2'' x 10.2'' x 1'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.68 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.21" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.15" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5600H | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 49 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 281 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.2/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte A5
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Florian Glaser | September 2022
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
MSI Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
Rtings
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 Gigabyte A5 or the MSI Modern 14
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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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