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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize performance for 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering tasks and can handle a slightly heavier device, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is a better suited option, thanks to its powerful Nvidia RTX GPU and faster refresh rates. However, if you are looking for something more budget-friendly, light, and portable for general use, the MSI Modern 14 will meet your needs while being easier to carry around, although it offers lower performance for intensive tasks due to its less powerful integrated AMD graphics. 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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
- Good for engineering and design
- Very good 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
Gaming and AI
6.6
6.0
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.7/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Modern 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is somewhat better.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, equipped with Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti and a higher refresh rate screen of 120 Hz, offers more advanced graphics capabilities suitable for gaming and 3D applications than the MSI Modern 14, which uses integrated AMD Ryzen graphics and provides a standard refresh rate of 60 Hz. While both have quality IPS displays, the Surface Laptop Studio's screen not only refreshes faster but is also higher resolution, which enhances the visual experience, particularly in graphics-intensive tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.3
6.6
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
4.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio offers superior performance for engineering and design due to its higher-end CPU and dedicated GPU, as well as a higher quality screen that's not only touch-capable but also has a greater resolution and color coverage, essential for design tasks. In contrast, the MSI Modern 14, while more portable and quieter, has a less powerful integrated GPU and a screen with lower resolution and color accuracy, which may not meet the demands of intensive engineering software and detailed design work.
Screen Quality
8.0
6.4
14.4in
SIZE
14.0in
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
491.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio features a high-resolution display with vibrant colors and brightness that benefits everyday tasks and engineering design with accurate color representation, but it has a lower refresh rate, making it less ideal for fast-paced gaming and 3D applications. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 has a more modest display with lower resolution and brightness which provides an adequate image for general use and less demanding design work, but it falls short for color-sensitive engineering tasks and isn't suited for gaming due to its similarly limited refresh rate. Refresh rate significantly impacts the gaming experience, which is why neither laptop excels in that area, while their panel types and resolutions are more tailored to productivity and professional applications.
Battery
8.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has 8 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.
Portability
Good
Very Good
14.4in
SIZE
14.0in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 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
$1,700
$525
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio has a price of $1,700 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $525.
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Key similarities
General Use
7.4
7.2
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
491.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.6/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Modern 14 are both good for general use.
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.
Content Creation
7.4
7.2
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Modern 14 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
7.3
7.1
5.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2400 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and MSI Modern 14 are both good for software development.
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.
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How the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio | MSI Modern 14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,700 | $525 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | October 1, 2021 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.7'' x 9'' x 0.75'' | 12.7'' x 8.7'' x 0.63'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4 lbs | 3.08 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.72" | 12.68" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.98" | 8.74" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11370H | AMD Ryzen 5 7530U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 1 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 58 Wh | 39 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 14.4" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1600 | 1920 x 1080 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 491 nits | 311 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 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 | 6.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 1 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 2 | 1 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Tom Brant | October 2021
"There’s no doubt that the Surface Laptop Studio is groundbreaking. We’ve come to expect such things from the Surface lineup, so it’s always nice to see a product that exceeds our expectations. The pull-forward laptop-screen concept has been tried before, but never in a device that’s so stylish and packed with innovative features like a haptic touchpad and robust digital stylus support."
MSI Modern 14
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Dig into reviews and images
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 Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio or the MSI Modern 14
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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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