The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is more expensive but offers significantly better performance for intensive tasks with a stronger processor, more memory, and dedicated graphics, suitable for 3D rendering, machine learning, and engineering work. It also has a higher resolution touchscreen display that's more vibrant and bright, ideal for color-sensitive work. On the downside, the battery life is average and the laptop isn't as portable due to its weight. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14 is more budget-friendly and lighter, making it more portable with better battery life, but it comes with a standard display and less power, suitable for general use and less demanding applications. 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 Lenovo Slim Pro 9i
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Best in class overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good speakers
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.5/10
7.2/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
618.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for general use, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
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.
Gaming and AI
7.6/10
6.0/10
6.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i typically includes a high-end GPU and a screen with a fast refresh rate which are crucial for smooth gaming and 3D performance. The MSI Modern 14, while having a decent CPU and screen quality, usually comes with a mid-range GPU and a standard refresh rate, which means it can handle some gaming and 3D tasks but won't perform as well as the Lenovo in those areas.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
6.6/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
6.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is suited for engineering and design tasks due to its high-end Intel i7 processor, ample 32 GB of RAM, dedicated Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and a high-resolution Mini LED screen, while the MSI Modern 14 has a mid-range AMD Ryzen 5 processor with integrated graphics, less RAM at 16 GB, and a standard full HD IPS screen, which makes it less capable for demanding engineering software and detailed design work. Additionally, the superior screen quality, with greater brightness and color range of the Lenovo, supports meticulous design, whereas the MSI Modern 14, while lighter and more portable, compromises on these features for general use.
Content Creation
8.5/10
7.2/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for content creation, while the MSI Modern 14 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
8.3/10
7.1/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is very good for software development, while the MSI Modern 14 is good.
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
9.6/10
6.4/10
14.5in
SIZE
14.0in
3072 x 1920
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
618.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i boasts a high-resolution, bright display with outstanding color accuracy, enhancing the visual experience for general use and detailed work like engineering and design. However, its lower refresh rate makes it less suitable for fast-paced 3D gaming where smooth motion is crucial. Conversely, the MSI Modern 14 offers decent resolution and brightness for everyday tasks and professional work but also falls short in gaming performance, mainly due to its similarly lower refresh rate that can't deliver the fluid visuals gamers seek.
Portability
Good
Very Good
14.5in
SIZE
14.0in
3.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0/10
7.0/10
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has very good build quality, while the MSI Modern 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,600
$748
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i has a price of $1,600 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $748.
"The Lenovo Slim Pro 9i is an impressive laptop with a brilliant Mini-LED display, a powerful 100-watt version of Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics, and excellent connectivity. Having run the Cinebench benchmark again, we were impressed with the CPU performance. That makes the Slim Pro 9i is an easy recommendation, especially for those who care about GPU and CPU performance. It’s also a fantastic choice if you frequently view HDR movies and games on your laptop."
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 Lenovo Slim Pro 9i or the MSI Modern 14
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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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