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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HP and MSI laptops have similar prices, but there are key differences to consider. The MSI Modern 14 offers double the storage and memory, which can significantly improve multitasking and data handling, making it a better option if you require more space and better performance. However, it has a slightly smaller battery compared to the HP 14" Laptop, which may result in shorter battery life. Both use an AMD Ryzen 5 processor with integrated Vega 7 graphics, indicating comparable processing power and casual gaming capabilities. The MSI also has a backlit keyboard which might appeal if you often work in low-light conditions. If you prioritize storage, memory, and typing comfort over battery life, the MSI Modern 14 seems a better fit. Conversely, if battery life is a priority, you may lean towards the HP 14" Laptop, but remember you'll have less storage and memory at your disposal. 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
- The HP 14" Laptop has no clear advantages over the MSI Modern 14.
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
- Good for general use
- Good for software development
- Good overall build quality
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Modern 14 is good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
6.0
6.6
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI Modern 14 and HP 14" Laptop are both only fair for engineering and design, though the MSI Modern 14 is somewhat better.
The HP 14" Laptop's modest CPU, integrated graphics, and average screen quality make it just adequate for engineering and design, whereas the MSI Modern 14 offers double the RAM and a more advanced CPU for better multitasking and performance, yet both may limit more intensive tasks due to their similar integrated GPUs and fair screen quality. Both models are quite portable, offer decent keyboards, and reasonable operating noise, but for engineering and design tasks where CPU power, RAM, and screen quality are very important, these laptops are regarded as just fair choices.
Screen Quality
6.3
6.4
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The MSI Modern 14 has a better screen than the HP 14" Laptop for content creation.
For general use, both the HP and MSI laptops offer screens with adequate resolution and brightness, but lack the higher quality panels that would improve viewing angles and color reproduction, which is less critical for basic tasks like web browsing or document editing. Engineering and design work benefit from wide color gamuts for accurate color representation; however, these laptops may not cover the full DCI-P3 or Adobe RGB spectrums, which could limit color precision in professional creative work. When it comes to 3D and gaming, the lower refresh rates on these screens can result in less fluid motion and slower response times, and while their resolution and panel types are suitable for everyday tasks, they're not optimal for high-end gaming experiences.
Battery
8.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 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
6.0
7.0
The MSI Modern 14 has good build quality, while the HP 14" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$418
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The HP 14" Laptop has a price of $418 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.8
6.0
3.6/10
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
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Modern 14 to be only fair for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The HP 14" Laptop and the MSI Modern 14 are considered fair for gaming and 3D because they both have integrated AMD Ryzen 5 Vega 7 graphics, which are modest for these tasks, and their screens are capped at a 60Hz refresh rate, which limits the smoothness of motion compared to displays with higher refresh rates.
Content Creation
7.0
7.2
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Modern 14 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
7.1
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 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 Modern 14 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.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
14.0in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 and HP 14" Laptop both have very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the HP 14" Laptop and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP 14" Laptop | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$418 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.8'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.22 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.76" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.86" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 5500U | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8.5 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 265 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 8.3/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | 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 | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HP 14" Laptop
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Consumer Reports
Nicholas De Leon | October 2022
"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."
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 HP 14" Laptop or the MSI Modern 14
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.
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Why trust us
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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About the laptop team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.
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