The HP 14" Laptop is a budget-friendly option suitable for general use with moderate battery life. It's lighter and has a smaller screen, making it more portable than the MSI Raider GE78. However, the MSI Raider GE78 is a high-end laptop offering superior performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, and gaming thanks to its powerful processor and graphics card. It also has a larger screen and better build quality, but it's considerably heavier and has a shorter battery life, reducing its portability. If high performance for demanding tasks is a priority and budget is less of a concern, the MSI Raider GE78 is a solid choice, but for everyday tasks and greater mobility, the HP 14" Laptop is more practical. 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 Raider GE78
Very good for general use
Excellent for engineering and design
Best in class for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7/10
8.7/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
265.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
8.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for general use, while the HP 14" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 14" Laptop is designated fair for general use mainly due to its modest CPU and RAM, suitable for everyday tasks but may struggle with multitasking or demanding applications, and it also has average screen quality and battery life which are sufficient for casual use. On the other hand, the MSI Raider GE78 stands out with a powerful CPU and ample RAM, making it highly capable for a range of intensive tasks; however, it's less portable due to its larger size and weight, and has a shorter battery life, which might be less convenient for on-the-go use.
Gaming and AI
5.8/10
9.5/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is best in class for gaming and AI, while the HP 14" Laptop is poor.
The HP 14" Laptop has a modest GPU and a standard refresh rate, making it adequate for lighter gaming and 3D tasks, whereas the MSI Raider GE78 includes a top-tier GPU and a high refresh rate screen, lending itself to exceptional gaming and 3D performance. Additionally, the MSI model offers a higher-quality screen with better resolution, color coverage, and brightness, which enhances visual experience for demanding gaming and graphics work.
Engineering and Design
6.0/10
9.4/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider GE78 is excellent for engineering and design, while the HP 14" Laptop 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.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.8/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Raider GE78 is very good for content creation, while the HP 14" Laptop is good.
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
8.5/10
4.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 is very 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.
Screen Quality
6.3/10
8.6/10
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
265.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen than the HP 14" Laptop for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, the HP 14" Laptop, with its decent resolution and brightness, suffices, but the MSI Raider GE78's superior resolution and brightness provide a more vivid and sharp experience. For engineering and design, where color accuracy matters, the MSI's wider color gamuts give professionals the precision they need, while the HP falls short. However, the MSI Raider GE78's lower refresh rate, despite its better resolution and panel type, may not be ideal for smooth 3D rendering or fast-paced gaming, an aspect where other models with higher refresh rates would excel.
Battery
8.5 Hours
6.0 Hours
The HP 14" Laptop has 8.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 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.
Portability
Very Good
Poor
14.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3.2 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The HP 14" Laptop has very good portability, while the MSI Raider GE78 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0/10
8.5/10
The MSI Raider GE78 has very 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
$4,386
$0
$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000
The HP 14" Laptop has a price of $418 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
"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."
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the HP 14" Laptop or the MSI Raider GE78
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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