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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HP 15" Laptop is slightly less expensive and may offer better performance for general computing tasks with an i3 processor and satisfactory screen size for everyday uses. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14, despite being slightly more expensive, provides greater storage and RAM, as well as a Ryzen processor, which might be more suitable for heavier tasks like engineering work. The MSI's display also appears brighter, making it easier to use in various lighting conditions. However, the HP has a larger screen which may be more comfortable for extended use. Both laptops are portable, but the MSI is lighter, adding to its mobility. If you often tackle demanding applications or appreciate a more portable computer, the MSI could be a better choice, otherwise, if you seek to save money and need a laptop for day-to-day activities, the HP is a reliable option. 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 15" Laptop
- The HP 15" 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 for content creation
- Good overall build quality
- Very good portability
- Good speakers
- Good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
6.7
7.2
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
250.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The MSI Modern 14 is good for general use, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
The HP 15" Laptop, with an Intel i3 processor, 8 GB RAM, and a 15.6-inch screen, is larger and might not be as easy to carry as the MSI Modern 14, which is lighter and comes with a more powerful AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 16 GB RAM, enhancing performance and multitasking capabilities. While both laptops have comparable battery life and screen quality, the MSI excels in portability and processing power, making it better suited for varied general use.
Screen Quality
6.3
6.4
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
250.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The MSI Modern 14 has a better screen than the HP 15" Laptop for general use, content creation, and software development.
The HP 15" Laptop and MSI Modern 14 both have screens that suffice for everyday tasks like browsing and watching videos, thanks to their adequate resolution and brightness, but their standard panel type does not excel in color representation or viewing angles. For engineering and design, professionals require precise color accuracy and a wide color gamut; these laptops offer only fair performance since they don't fully cover professional color spaces like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB. When it comes to gaming and 3D applications, a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth visuals, and although these laptops might manage basic tasks, their standard refresh rates make them poorly suited for hardcore gaming or advanced 3D work where fluid motion and quick screen updates are key.
Portability
Good
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the HP 15" Laptop has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.0
7.0
The MSI Modern 14 has good build quality, while the HP 15" Laptop has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$375
$525
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
The HP 15" Laptop has a price of $375 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
5.9
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 15" Laptop is poor.
The HP 15" Laptop, with its integrated Intel i3 graphics, delivers modest gaming and 3D capabilities and is complemented by a standard refresh rate display suitable for casual gaming. The MSI Modern 14 offers similar performance due to its AMD Ryzen 5 integrated graphics and shares the same refresh rate, but it may offer slightly better screen quality and CPU performance, enhancing overall experience.
Engineering and Design
6.2
6.6
5.8/10
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 15" Laptop are both only fair for engineering and design.
The HP 15" Laptop offers a basic Intel i3 processor and integrated graphics, which might be adequate for light engineering and design work, but its 8GB of RAM and screen quality are limited for complex tasks that require high performance. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 packs a more potent AMD Ryzen 5 processor with better integrated graphics, double the RAM at 16GB for multitasking, and a higher quality screen, yet it's smaller and more portable, making it slightly better suited for engineering and design use.
Content Creation
6.9
7.2
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Modern 14 to be good for content creation, while the HP 15" Laptop is only fair.
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
6.7
7.1
5.8/10
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 15" 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
6.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The HP 15" Laptop 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.
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How the HP 15" Laptop and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HP 15" Laptop | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$375 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2022 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 9.5'' x 0.7'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 3.73 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.11" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.53" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i3-1215U | 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 | 128 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 41 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 | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 250 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 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 | 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 | 1 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HP 15" Laptop
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Dig into reviews and images
LaptopMedia
Alex Iliev | August 2022
"Chances are high that the HP 15 is one of the first laptops to pop up when you search for an inexpensive notebook. Indeed, its price tag is very tempting for many, and of course, this is the reason for its popularity. However, the HP 15" suffers from poor performance due to low power consumption. On the bright side, one of the good things about it is the port selection. On the inside, this includes two SODIMM slots for memory, an M.2 PCIe x4 slot for storage, and a SATA drive bay. However, the TN panel, and mediocre input devices are not ideal."
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 15" 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
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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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Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.
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