MSI Modern 14 Review & Specification

Webcam	IR webcam (720p)
Power Supply	DC-in, 90W adapter
Display	14.0-inches Anti-glare IPS LCD panel, LED-backlit, (close to) 100% sRGB coverage, 72% NTSC, 60Hz refresh rate
Resolution	FHD (1920×1080) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
Storage	256GB / 512GB / 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD (non-upgradeable)
Battery	3-cell 52 Watt-hours Li-Ion battery
Connectivity	WiFi 802.11 ax, Bluetooth 5.1
Graphics	Intel Iris Xe (integrated), NVIDIA GeForce MX450 (2GB GDDR5)
Color options	Carbon Gray, Blue Stone, Beige Mousse
RAM	Up to 32GB DDR4 RAM @3200MHz (single slot)
Keyboard	Backlit Chiclet (single color – white), 1.5mm key travel
Audio	2x2W speakers, Hi-Res Audio certified, Nahimic
Processor	Intel Tiger Lake CPU (Core i5-1135G7), 4C/8T, 4.2GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 8MB Intel Smart Cache
Design & Build	Aluminum build, 12.56W x 8.62D x 0.67H-inches, 1.3 kg (2.87 lbs), MIL-STD-810G compliant

Price in Nepal – Rs.135,000

A new design aesthetic and the latest processors from Intel or AMD were introduced by MSI’s new Modern series of portable laptops. It is also targeted as an enterprise-grade consumer entry-level option.

Design

• Lightweight, thin build
• Decent number of ports

The MSI Modern 14 Ultrabook I have with me is in Carbon Gray color, starting with the design, while it is also available in Blue Stone or Beige Mousse options, depending on the area. It is one of the sleekest models of all the MSI laptops available in Nepal.

Nevertheless, the case is made of aluminum with a brushed finish. If you have questions about reliability, under the MIL-STD-810G classification, the laptop has gone through 10 distinct military-standard durability checks. 

You will find that this one has the latest sophisticated MSI logo instead of the traditional MSI dragon if you look closely at the lid. 

The old dragon logo on the business and efficiency lineup of MSI looked a little out of place, so this update is a warm welcome. 

You’re also not going to have any trouble opening the lid with one hand. For a better typing experience, doing so will raise the keyboard deck.

Audio

On either side of the bottom panel are two small speaker grills. The performance is nice enough while on a desk to casually enjoy music.

 Using the Nahimic Sound app, you can further configure the speaker or any connected Bluetooth audio speaker. 

A power connector, a Thunderbolt Type-C port, an HDMI Connector and a card reader can be found on the left side. Similarly, on the right-hand side are two USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectors, a power LED, a battery LED, and a combo audio port.

Keyboard

• Backlit (white), 1.5mm travel keyboard
• Trackpad with left/right integrated keys

Compared to the top and side edges, the MSI Modern 14 B11SB’s keyboard is made of plastic and is caved-in.

 As you can note a major flex if you apply moderate pressure against it, the company should have made the keyboard deck more robust. In this respect, however, the Ryzen version (B4MW) is better than the Intel one. 

The keyboard layout on the Intel version, on the other hand, looks more premium. There is a travel distance of 1.5mm for the keys here and I think it provides better input than the Ryzen version. 

Similarly, though its decals feel amateurish, the keys on the B4MW are comparatively mushier and I doubt they will not peel off over time.

Display

• FHD LCD panel 14′′ (LED-backlit)
• 100% sRGB (close to), 72 percent NTSC

As the name suggests, with an FHD resolution of 1920 to 1080 pixels, the New 14 sports a 14-inch display. For those looking for a larger real-estate screen, there’s the Modern 15. 

The display flexes slightly, but there’s nothing to worry about. On this screen, the side bezels are very thin. On the end, there is a 720p HD webcam, which is nothing special. 

Similarly, the latest MSI logo is the home of the bottom bezel. Except with its reflective surface, you can barely note the logo. There is this “Flip and Share” feature that I can see in offices and schools where you want to share something with your colleagues on the opposite side of the table or desk, which is useful. 

Only push the screen up to 180 degrees all the way and then “flip” the window to “share” the contents with them using the F12 key. Although its 72 percent NTSC color coverage is good enough for everyday use, for professional photographers or graphic designers, Modern 14 is not ideal. 

It’s a 60Hz screen, and for indoor use, the brightness is adequate. Yet, when the laptop is taken outside, visibility takes a hit.

Performance

Here, the Modern series is put in the business and productivity group of MSI as an entry-level laptop and is actually very decent for regular day-to-day use. 

As MSI likes to name them, there are four output modes or user scenarios: High Performance, Balanced, Quiet, and Best Battery. You can switch to a different performance mode using the F7 key or the MSI Center when you need more power.

 The above also lets you adjust the brightness of the panel and the brightness of the keyboard. For the high-performance mode, you can also adjust the fan speed. 

There is also an Application Optimizer that enhances the efficiency of selected applications in real-time or on the basis of a priority list of predetermined users. Compared to the Prestige or Summit series, being an entry-level laptop feature under the MSI Center is very restricted here.

Battery

• 52Wh Li-Ion 3-Cell Battery
• Control Adapter 90W

For me, this laptop’s most disappointing feature is its battery life. With a 4-cell 52Whr battery, it only supported an average screen-on-time of 3 hours with 50 percent brightness and 100 percent keyboard brightness level when using the computer in balanced mode.

 You can get either 65W or 90W power adapters in the package, depending on whether or not your version comes with a discrete GPU. So, of course, the MSI Modern 14 B11SB comes with a 90W adapter and in 2 hours it can charge the laptop from 0 to 100 percent. Instead of a DC-in link, I still think MSI should have included a Type-C charger here.

We have also reviewed Dell XPS 13 9310 . You can visit here to know more about it.