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What we think
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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 offers superior graphics performance with a dedicated Nvidia RTX graphics card, making it suitable for intensive gaming, 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering tasks. However, its larger screen and heavier build reduce its portability. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 is more portable due to its smaller size and lighter weight but comes with integrated graphics that are suitable for general use and less demanding applications. It won't handle intensive tasks as well as the Aorus 7. If you value portability and are on a budget, the Modern 14 is a good choice, while the Aorus 7 is better for those needing high performance for specialized tasks despite being less portable and 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 Gigabyte Aorus 7
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Very good portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8
6.0
8.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is considered good for gaming and 3D applications largely because it has a powerful Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU and a high screen refresh rate of 360Hz, which are very important for rendering graphics smoothly and providing responsive gameplay.
Engineering and Design
8.1
6.6
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.1/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
8.3
6.4
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
360Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
351.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
For general use, the Gigabyte Aorus 7 provides a vivid and sharp display with adequate brightness, making activities like browsing and watching videos more enjoyable compared to the MSI Modern 14, which offers acceptable quality but isn't as bright or vibrant for such tasks. In engineering and design, the Aorus 7's better coverage of professional color gamuts ensures more accurate color representation which is essential for precision work, while the MSI Modern 14 delivers satisfactory color fidelity but might not meet the needs of color-critical applications. When it comes to gaming and 3D tasks, the Aorus 7 falls short due to a lower refresh rate, which can hinder the smoothness of fast-paced visuals, while the MSI Modern 14 also isn't built for high-refresh-rate demands, affecting gameplay and 3D animation fluidity.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
5.9 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Gigabyte Aorus 7 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,190
$525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has a price of $1,190 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.6
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
351.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use.
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 offers a more gaming-focused CPU and graphics card, ensuring better performance and a smoother visual experience with its high refresh rate screen, but it is less portable and has modest battery life. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 provides portability with its lighter weight and smaller size, alongside adequate performance for general use tasks, but it sacrifices screen quality and gaming capabilities.
Content Creation
7.6
7.2
8.5/10
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 Aorus 7 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
7.4
7.1
8.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 and MSI Modern 14 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
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 has 6 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
7.4
7.0
The Gigabyte Aorus 7 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 Aorus 7 and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gigabyte Aorus 7 | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,190 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2023 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 10'' x 1.02'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.95 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.7" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i5-12500H | 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 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 360Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 351 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.2/10 | 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 | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 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 | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Gigabyte Aorus 7
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TechRadar
Matt Hanson | July 2020
"The Gigabyte Aorus 7 is a gaming laptop that is pitched at perhaps the hardest market to get right: the mid-range. So, unlike high-end gaming laptops that can throw the latest and greatest components together in a bid to attract gamers with plenty of money to spend, or budget gaming laptops that can make wise cuts that are justified as long as the price is low enough, mid-rangers like the Gigabyte Aorus 7 have to balance the two."
MSI Modern 14
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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 Aorus 7 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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