If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option for everyday use, the HP 14" Laptop with its sufficient storage and performance could serve you well. However, if your work requires more intensive tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, or gaming, the MSI Cyborg 15, while more expensive, offers a higher-end processor, advanced graphics capabilities, and a faster refresh rate display, which can be crucial for such demanding activities. Keep in mind that the HP is more portable due to its lighter weight and smaller size, which can be advantageous for those who travel often or commute with their laptop. On the other hand, the MSI might have a shorter battery life given its powerful components. 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 HP 14" Laptop
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 keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7/10
7.3/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.5 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.2/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 14" Laptop offers modest performance with an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and integrated graphics, making it suitable for general tasks, with benefits like its lighter weight and longer battery life contributing to better portability. In contrast, the MSI Cyborg 15, powered by a more robust Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia graphics, excels in general use due to its stronger performance and better screen quality, though it has a shorter battery life and is heavier, which might affect its ease of carrying around.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
7.2/10
3.6/10
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
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop 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
6.0/10
7.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
The MSI Cyborg 15 is good for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 14" Laptop, with its Ryzen 5 CPU and integrated Vega 7 graphics, is adequate for engineering and design, offering a balance of performance and portability with a fair screen quality. In contrast, the MSI Cyborg 15's high-end Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, and a higher refresh rate screen make it better suited for demanding tasks, but it's heavier and less portable.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
6.8/10
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
234.0 nits
The MSI Cyborg 15 has a better screen than the HP 14" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, both the HP and the MSI Cyborg 15 laptops have fair screen quality, likely due to decent resolution and brightness, but they may lack higher-end panel technologies that provide exceptional clarity and color accuracy. For engineering and design tasks, their fair screen quality suggests they cover a reasonable range of colors but may not fully meet the standards of DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color gamuts required for precision work. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the poor screen quality of both laptops is probably because they don't offer the high refresh rates needed for smooth visuals, even though their resolution and panel type are adequate.
Portability
Very Good
Good
14.0in
SIZE
15.6in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.3 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.9in
The HP 14" Laptop has very good portability, while the MSI Cyborg 15 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
6.7/10
The MSI Cyborg 15 and HP 14" Laptop both have only fair build quality, though the MSI Cyborg 15 has somewhat better build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$418
$1,100
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The HP 14" Laptop has a price of $418 and the MSI Cyborg 15 costs $1,100.
The MSI Cyborg 15 and HP 14" Laptop 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
6.8/10
7.2/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.7/10
8.0 GB
RAM
8.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Cyborg 15 to be good for software development, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
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
8.5 Hours
7.5 Hours
The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Cyborg 15 has 7.5 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.
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How the HP 14" Laptop and the MSI Cyborg 15 compare to other laptops
"This feels like an ideal laptop for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on a laptop and isn’t too bothered by things like build quality or construction. It’s a laptop that will be used to pay bills, keep track of expenses, do some online shopping, and will be tucked away in a spare bedroom/home office. It’s an appliance designed to do a job without fuss. It’s not a premium experience—the materials do feel a little cheap, the display won’t exactly wow you, and the battery life is nothing to write home about, especially if you’ve used more expensive devices. But overall it’s not too shabby, especially for the price."
"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 HP 14" Laptop or the MSI Cyborg 15
About HP
HP, also known as Hewlett-Packard, is an American technology company that develops personal computers and computer peripherals. In the laptop industry, HP is known for its entry level Essential series laptops, its mid-range Pavilion, Envy, and Victus series, and high-end Omen and Spectre series, in addition to its business-oriented EliteBook, ProBook, and Dragonfly series laptops. HP laptops generally undercut other mainstream competitors in terms of price, placing itself as the value-oriented mainstream brand.
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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