The MSI GP66 Leopard offers more powerful performance for tasks like 3D modeling, machine learning, and gaming due to its stronger main processor and dedicated graphics card. As such, it's more suitable for engineering applications and intensive gaming. However, it has less battery life, is heavier, and costs more. On the other hand, the MSI Modern 14 provides adequate performance for general use and less demanding engineering work at a lower price point, with better battery life and portability thanks to its lighter weight and smaller screen size, but it is not intended for heavy graphics tasks or gaming. 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 MSI GP66 Leopard
Good for engineering and design
Good for gaming and AI
Good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Very good keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Modern 14
Very good portability
Good battery life
Key differences
Gaming and AI
7.8/10
6.0/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.7/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
7.9/10
6.6/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
8.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The MSI GP66 Leopard is good for engineering and design, while the MSI Modern 14 is only fair.
The MSI GP66 Leopard is equipped with a high-end Intel i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 3080 GPU, which provide robust performance suitable for demanding engineering and design tasks, whereas the MSI Modern 14, with its more modest AMD Ryzen 5 processor and integrated Vega 7 graphics, offers adequate capabilities for lighter workloads in these fields. While the GP66 Leopard boasts a better screen with higher refresh rates suited for detailed work, it is also heavier and less portable compared to the lighter and more travel-friendly Modern 14, which also has a longer battery life but somewhat inferior screen color coverage and brightness.
Screen Quality
7.5/10
6.4/10
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
362.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
311.0 nits
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a better screen than the MSI Modern 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
The MSI GP66 Leopard offers a high-resolution display and brightness, making it suitable for general tasks where readability and image clarity are key. For engineering and design, it has a wide color gamut which enhances color accuracy for detailed work, although it lacks in refresh rate which is vital for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications. The MSI Modern 14, with decent resolution and brightness, covers basic needs for general use and engineering tasks but falls short in both color range and refresh rate, limiting its effectiveness for professional design work and providing a less optimal gaming experience.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
15.6in
SIZE
14.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
3.0 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Modern 14 has very good portability, while the MSI GP66 Leopard has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0/10
7.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
$1,400
$748
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The MSI GP66 Leopard has a price of $1,400 and the MSI Modern 14 costs $748.
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.4/10
7.2/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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
7.2/10
7.1/10
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
5.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1080
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI GP66 Leopard 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.
Battery
5.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI GP66 Leopard has 5 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 MSI GP66 Leopard and the MSI Modern 14 compare to other laptops
"The MSI GP66 Leopard is a good budget high-performance gamer. The MSI also does a lot right outside of the pure performance despite it's low price. For example, the adaptive cooling system really surprised us positively, even in Extreme Performance Mode. And the display is not a budget panel either, but at least outshines the competition in terms of brightness. Of course, you also have to accept a few compromises in this price category. These include the Leopard's poor battery runtimes and the less than optimal build quality, which is also noticeable in the more complicated maintenance."
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 MSI GP66 Leopard or the MSI Modern 14
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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