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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 22, 2024·
For those on a tighter budget who still want a lightweight laptop for everyday tasks, the LG Ultra 13 is a solid choice; however, if your work involves more demanding activities such as video editing, 3D design, or other heavy creative tasks, investing in the MSI Creator M14 would be beneficial despite its higher cost, as it offers stronger performance and is designed for such purposes. Keep in mind, though, the MSI is likely heavier and may have less battery life, making the LG more convenient for on-the-go use. 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 LG Ultra 13
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the MSI Creator M14
- Very good for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Good for gaming and AI
- Very good for content creation
- Good overall display quality
- Good speakers
- Very good keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
4.5 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for general use, while the LG Ultra 13 is good.
The LG Ultra 13, with its efficient CPU and ample RAM, offers smooth performance for everyday tasks, combined with a high-quality screen and lightweight design for easy portability, complemented by long battery life. Meanwhile, the MSI Creator M14, geared with a robust CPU and more RAM, provides an enhanced experience for more demanding applications and multitasking, alongside a superior screen, though this comes at the cost of reduced battery life and a bit more weight, which may affect portability.
Gaming and AI
6.1
7.3
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.7/10
The MSI Creator M14 is good for gaming and AI, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The MSI Creator M14 has a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, making it better suited for gaming and 3D tasks which demand smooth graphics and fast frame rendering. While the LG Ultra 13 offers portability and sufficient performance for casual use, its GPU and refresh rate aren't optimized for the intensity of modern games and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
6.6
8.4
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
6.5/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for engineering and design, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The LG Ultra 13, with its solid CPU, ample RAM, and high-quality screen, is a strong choice for engineering tasks, but its more modest GPU might render it less capable for the most demanding design work. In comparison, the MSI Creator M14 steps up performance with a more powerful GPU, making it better suited for intensive engineering and 3D design, although this could come at the cost of reduced portability and potentially louder operating noise.
Content Creation
7.2
8.0
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI Creator M14 is very good for content creation, while the LG Ultra 13 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
7.2
7.8
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Creator M14 and LG Ultra 13 are both good for software development, though the MSI Creator M14 is somewhat better.
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
6.9
7.5
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
350.0 nits
The MSI Creator M14 has a better screen than the LG Ultra 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the LG Ultra 13 and MSI Creator M14 offer screens with a balance of resolution and brightness, making text clear and vibrant while ensuring comfortable visibility under most lighting conditions. With their coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, both laptops provide the color accuracy and range essential for engineering and design tasks, allowing for precise color work and detailed designs. However, for gaming and 3D applications, their screens fall short due to lower refresh rates, which means less smooth visuals during fast-paced scenes and less fluid motion for intensive graphics work.
Battery
10.0 Hours
4.5 Hours
The LG Ultra 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The MSI Creator M14 has 4.5 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.
Portability
Excellent
Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.1 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The LG Ultra 13 has excellent portability, while the MSI Creator M14 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$529
$1,500
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The LG Ultra 13 has a price of $529 and the MSI Creator M14 costs $1,500.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.4
7.8
The MSI Creator M14 and LG Ultra 13 both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the LG Ultra 13 and the MSI Creator M14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 13 | MSI Creator M14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$529 | $1,500 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.1'' x 0.6'' | 12.4'' x 9.2'' x 0.88'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.16 lbs | 3.53 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.08" | 12.39" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.14" | 9.19" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 4700U | Intel i7-13620H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 4.5 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 53.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2880 x 1800 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 350 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 7.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 7.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | 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 | No | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 13
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | April 2017
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
Get a great deal on the LG Ultra 13 or the MSI Creator M14
About LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, 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.
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