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MSI Modern 14 A10RB Laptop Review: Lighter than it Looks

For the modern office. MSI's latest mid-range office laptop for content creators offers Comet Lake-U, GeForce MX250 graphics, and a well-calibrated 14-inch 1080p display all for under $900 USD and at a weight of just 1.2 kg. Its advantages are clear, but some of its disadvantages are just glaring.

(February 3, 2020 update: MSI Modern 14 SKUs with the Core i7-10710U exist, but they are not available in the United States at the time of writing.)

Not to be confused with the higher-end MSI Prestige 14, the MSI Modern 14 is the more affordable version aimed at content creators and business users on tighter budgets. It foregoes most of the advanced features of the Prestige 14 like GTX graphics, 4K UHD panels, and Thunderbolt 3 support in favor of a lighter system that typical office workers can appreciate.

Current SKUs are fixed at the Core i5-10210U CPU and 1080p matte display. Upgradeable options are limited to the GPU (Intel UHD Graphics 620 or GeForce MX250), NVMe SSD, and DDR4 RAM up to 32 GB. The configuration tested here can be found on Xotic PC for $900 USD.

The MSI Modern 14 competes with both Ultrabooks and business-centric laptops like the Microsoft Surface Laptop series, Apple MacBook Pro series, Dell Latitude 7400, and the Lenovo ThinkPad P43s.

More MSI reviews:

MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US (Modern 14 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-10210U 4 x 1.6 - 4.2 GHz, Comet Lake-U
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX250 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1518 MHz, GDDR5, 441.87, Optimus
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2666, 10-10-10-28, Single-Channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, Chi Mei N140HCE-EN2, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Comet Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ, 512 GB 
Soundcard
Intel Comet Lake PCH-LP - cAVS
Connections
4 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Card Reader: SD reader
Networking
Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 16 x 322 x 222 ( = 0.63 x 12.68 x 8.74 in)
Battery
50 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2 W, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, MSI True Color, Driver and App Center, Creator Center, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.22 kg ( = 43.03 oz / 2.69 pounds), Power Supply: 255 g ( = 8.99 oz / 0.56 pounds)
Price
900 USD
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
80.9 %
01/2020
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
i5-10210U, GeForce MX250
1.2 kg16 mm14.00"1920x1080
88.2 %
10/2019
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.4 kg14.95 mm14.00"1920x1080
89.7 %
12/2019
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M
2 kg16.2 mm16.00"3072x1920
83.7 %
09/2019
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620
1.3 kg16.5 mm14.00"1920x1080
90.1 %
07/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
i7-8665U, UHD Graphics 620
1.1 kg14.9 mm14.00"2560x1440

Case

One of MSI's strengths is creating a visually appealing laptop. It's clear that the Modern 14 takes more than a few cues from the super-thin MSI GS series of gaming laptops as they share similar brushed aluminum surfaces and textures. When compared to the usual dull office laptop, the Modern 14 is definitely more stylish and attractive.

Unfortunately, visual appeal has come at the cost of chassis rigidity. The base exhibits some creaking when attempting to twist its sides and the overall skeleton doesn't give a sense of sturdiness. Alternatives like the XPS 13, Spectre 13, EliteBook 1040, Surface Laptop, MacBook Pro, and even most office laptops like the Dell Latitude 5000 or 7000 series are built stronger and can take more of a beating.

Perhaps as a direct result of the thin skeleton and flexible surfaces, the Modern 14 is much lighter than many alternatives at just 1.2 kg. Its weight is nearly identical to the 13.3-inch Dell XPS 13 while providing a larger 14-inch screen size. The pricier Yoga C940-14 and Prestige 14 are each slightly heavier and smaller in every dimension.

Front edges are tapered for a thinner look
Front edges are tapered for a thinner look
Lid opened to maximum angle (~180 degrees)
Lid opened to maximum angle (~180 degrees)
Small hinges are firm enough to prevent teetering when typing
Small hinges are firm enough to prevent teetering when typing
Brushed gray and blue aluminum surfaces in contrast to the white Prestige or black Gaming G series
Brushed gray and blue aluminum surfaces in contrast to the white Prestige or black Gaming G series
Webcam is positioned on the bottom display bezel instead of the top
Webcam is positioned on the bottom display bezel instead of the top
Chassis rigidity is on the weaker side for a ~$1000 Ultrabook or business laptop
Chassis rigidity is on the weaker side for a ~$1000 Ultrabook or business laptop
358 mm / 14.1 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 16.2 mm / 0.638 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs354 mm / 13.9 inch 220 mm / 8.66 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 1.7 kg3.64 lbs322 mm / 12.7 inch 222 mm / 8.74 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.2 kg2.69 lbs320.3 mm / 12.6 inch 215.6 mm / 8.49 inch 14.95 mm / 0.589 inch 1.4 kg3.09 lbs319 mm / 12.6 inch 215 mm / 8.46 inch 15.9 mm / 0.626 inch 1.3 kg2.76 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

MSI didn't skimp on port selection despite the thin profile and light weight. Users will have more options here than on the XPS 13 or HP Spectre 13 including full-size HDMI and multiple USB Type-A ports. The main drawback is that the USB Type-C port does not support Thunderbolt 3 unlike on the Prestige 14. Port positioning is also good but not perfect; we would have preferred to see USB Type-A ports on both sides while the HDMI port feels cramped next to the AC adapter port.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: Kensington Lock, SD reader, USB Type-C 3.2 Gen. 1, 2x USB 3.2 Gen. 1
Right: Kensington Lock, SD reader, USB Type-C 3.2 Gen. 1, 2x USB 3.2 Gen. 1
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Left: AC adapter, HDMI 1.4, USB Type-C 3.2 Gen. 1, 3.5 mm combo audio
Left: AC adapter, HDMI 1.4, USB Type-C 3.2 Gen. 1, 3.5 mm combo audio

SD Card Reader

While we can appreciate the fact that the system integrates a full-size spring-loaded SD card reader, transfer rates are unfortunately very slow. Moving 1 GB worth of pictures from our UHS-II test card takes about 36 seconds compared to just 7 seconds on the Prestige 15 or XPS 15.

Fully inserted SD card protrudes by a few millimeters
Fully inserted SD card protrudes by a few millimeters
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
172.4 MB/s +516%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
69.2 MB/s +147%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
28 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
192.1 MB/s +609%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
82.2 MB/s +203%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
27.1 MB/s

Communication

An Intel 9560 is included for Wi-Fi 5 connectivity in contrast to the Wi-Fi 6 compatible Intel AX200 in the pricier Prestige 15. We experienced no connectivity issues during our time with the test unit.

Removable WLAN module
Removable WLAN module
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1374 (720min - 1484max) MBit/s
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
621 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1291 (1212min - 1379max) MBit/s
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
696 MBit/s

Maintenance

The bottom panel pops out relatively easily with just a standard Philips screwdriver. Note, however, that a 'Factory Seal' sticker must be broken and further servicing beyond the M.2 WLAN module or battery pack will require additional disassembly. Core components like RAM and M.2 storage are inconveniently on the other side of the motherboard not unlike on the MSI GS65 or GS75.

The motherboard is upside-down and so most components are difficult to service
The motherboard is upside-down and so most components are difficult to service

Accessories and Warranty

Included extras are a faux leather carrying sleeve and a USB Type-A to RJ-45 adapter. It's uncommon to see these for free on mid-range laptops and so they are a welcomed sight.

The standard one-year limited warranty applies with one year of accidental damage protection for those who register their new laptops within 30 days of purchase.

Input Devices

Keyboard

As expected, the Modern 14 doesn't integrate the SteelSteries keyboard as found on most MSI G Series gaming laptops. However, we wish MSI had considered it because the keyboard on the Modern 14 feels spongier, shallower, and less satisfying to type on. Most Ultrabooks and business laptops like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15, Lenovo ThinkPad T series, or Dell Latitude series offer crisper keys than the MSI we have here. If you're already accustomed to the soft key feedback of most lower-end laptops like the Asus VivoBook 14 or Lenovo IdeaPad, however, then typing on the Modern 14 won't feel all that different.

Touchpad

The clickpad (~10 x 5.7 cm) is smaller and narrower than the clickpad on the XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 (~11.3 x 6.8 cm). Vertical movements and two-finger gestures feel cramped as a result. Cursor control is otherwise smooth with minimal sticking when gliding slowly across the surface.

The integrated mouse keys are shallow with relatively weak feedback. It works reliably enough for short periods, but an external mouse will feel more ergonomic and less tiring to click.

Standard keyboard layout with three levels of white backlight
Standard keyboard layout with three levels of white backlight
Although cramped with soft feedback, cursor control is reliable and without jumping issues
Although cramped with soft feedback, cursor control is reliable and without jumping issues
Key feedback could have been firmer especially for the Space and Enter keys. Clatter is moderate
Key feedback could have been firmer especially for the Space and Enter keys. Clatter is moderate
Full-size Arrow keys unlike on most other Ultrabooks
Full-size Arrow keys unlike on most other Ultrabooks

Display

The Modern 14 uses the same Chi Mei N140HCE-EN2 1080p IPS panel as found on the Acer Swift 3 SF314 and the older MSI PS42. Thus, innate characteristics like contrast ratio and the relatively slow response times are nearly the same between them. Note that the display is about 43 percent dimmer than the pricier Prestige 14 which uses a 4K UHD from AU Optronics panel instead.

Subjectively, text and images appear nearly as crisp as on a glossy display with only a minor layer of graininess common amongst most matte panels.

Bezel "chin" is thick relative to the narrow side and top bezels
Bezel "chin" is thick relative to the narrow side and top bezels
Ports are positioned close to one another
Ports are positioned close to one another
No 4K UHD, touchscreen, or glossy options
No 4K UHD, touchscreen, or glossy options
Narrow bezels on three sides of the display
Narrow bezels on three sides of the display
Subpixels are slightly blurred because of the matte overlay
Subpixels are slightly blurred because of the matte overlay
Minimal uneven backlight bleeding along the bottom corners
Minimal uneven backlight bleeding along the bottom corners
286.6
cd/m²
315.4
cd/m²
281.9
cd/m²
290.7
cd/m²
324.1
cd/m²
296.3
cd/m²
292.1
cd/m²
313.9
cd/m²
306.8
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N140HCE-EN2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 324.1 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 300.9 cd/m² Minimum: 13.3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 324.1 cd/m²
Contrast: 1473:1 (Black: 0.22 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.63 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.42
ΔE Greyscale 2.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
95% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
60.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.4% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
94.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.26
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Chi Mei N140HCE-EN2, IPS, 14.00, 1920x1080
MSI Prestige 14 i7-10710U
AUO123B, , 14.00, 3840x2160
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
BOE NV156FHM-N63, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
LP140WF9-SPE2, IPS LED, 14.00, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Samsung 156WR04, SDCA029, OLED, 15.60, 3840x2160
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
APPA044, IPS, 16.00, 3072x1920
Display
26%
-2%
3%
27%
Display P3 Coverage
64.2
81.5
27%
66.6
4%
66
3%
88.1
37%
sRGB Coverage
94.8
99
4%
87.7
-7%
97.9
3%
99.6
5%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.4
95.4
46%
64.1
-2%
67.3
3%
91.8
40%
Response Times
1%
-6%
29%
132%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
39.2 ?(20.8, 18.4)
41.2 ?(22, 19.2)
-5%
49.6 ?(23.6, 26)
-27%
2.3 ?(1.1, 1.2)
94%
52.4 ?(23.9, 28.5)
-34%
Response Time Black / White *
35.6 ?(21.2, 14.4)
33.2 ?(19.6, 13.6)
7%
30 ?(16.4, 13.6)
16%
2.4 ?(1.1, 1.3)
93%
34.9 ?(17.8, 17.1)
2%
PWM Frequency
25000 ?(28)
59.5 ?(100)
-100%
131700
427%
Screen
-5%
-70%
-9%
-45%
6%
Brightness middle
324.1
568
75%
312.6
-4%
384
18%
421.2
30%
519
60%
Brightness
301
513
70%
290
-4%
363
21%
417
39%
477
58%
Brightness Distribution
87
87
0%
85
-2%
90
3%
94
8%
86
-1%
Black Level *
0.22
0.28
-27%
0.31
-41%
0.17
23%
0.39
-77%
Contrast
1473
2029
38%
1008
-32%
2259
53%
1331
-10%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
1.63
3.18
-95%
5.78
-255%
3.5
-115%
6.06
-272%
2.28
-40%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
4.25
7.01
-65%
8.86
-108%
5.5
-29%
11.89
-180%
6.54
-54%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.42
1.14
20%
3.78
-166%
1
30%
0.86
39%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
2.2
4.79
-118%
5.4
-145%
4.6
-109%
2.8
-27%
0.9
59%
Gamma
2.26 97%
2.49 88%
2.21 100%
2.32 95%
2.15 102%
2145 0%
CCT
6887 94%
6488 100%
7864 83%
6884 94%
6235 104%
6572 99%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
60.2
85
41%
57.1
-5%
62
3%
81
35%
78
30%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
95
99
4%
87.4
-8%
97.7
3%
99.6
5%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
11% / 1%
-24% / -48%
-4% / -6%
4% / -14%
69% / 35%

* ... smaller is better

Color space encompasses approximately 95 percent and 60 percent of the sRGB and AdobeRGB standards, respectively, to be indicative of a mid-range panel. Users looking for deeper colors should consider the pricier Prestige 14 and its 4K UHD option.

vs. sRGB
vs. sRGB
vs. AdobeRGB
vs. AdobeRGB

The panel is well-calibrated out of the box with average grayscale and color DeltaE values of just 2.2 and 1.44, respectively. Color temperature is ever-so-slightly on the cool side which we were able to fix with our own X-Rite calibration. The included MSI True Color software makes one-click color adjustments easy for content creators.

Grayscale before calibration
Grayscale before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
Saturation Sweeps before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
ColorChecker before calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Grayscale after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
Saturation Sweeps after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration
ColorChecker after calibration

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
35.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21.2 ms rise
↘ 14.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 92 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
39.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.8 ms rise
↘ 18.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 54 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 25000 Hz ≤ 28 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 25000 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 28 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 25000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Outdoor visibility is about average for an Ultrabook. Pricier flagship alternatives like the MacBook Pro 15 or XPS 15 have brighter displays for better visibility when outdoors, but at least glare is minimal on the matte MSI display. Viewing angles are excellent to better exploit the 180-degree hinges. Colors and contrast degrade only if viewing from extreme angles not unlike other IPS displays.

Outdoors on a cloudy day
Outdoors on a cloudy day
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors on a cloudy day
Outdoors on a cloudy day
Wide IPS viewing angles
Wide IPS viewing angles

Performance

The 10th gen Core i5 CPU and GeForce MX250 GPU target office users who want more graphical power than the typical Intel UMA-only Ultrabook while being just as thin and light. Laptops with more powerful GTX options tend to be heavier and larger in the 15-inch range with the Razer Blade Stealth and MSI Prestige 14 being major exceptions.

RAM can be configured from 8 GB single-channel up to 32 GB single-channel via one SODIMM slot. We recommend configuring with at least 16 GB especially since RAM upgrades are difficult on this particular chassis.

Nvidia Optimus is included for automatic graphics switching. LatencyMon shows no DPC latency issues even when wireless is enabled.

Processor

The Comet Lake-U Core i5-10210U in our MSI is about 20 percent slower than the average Core i5-10210U in our database according to CineBench R15 Multi-Thread. Thus, raw performance is barely any better than the two-year old Core i7-8550U or even the Core i5-8265U that it directly replaces. In fact, even the Ryzen 5 3500U in the Walmart Motile laptop can outperform our MSI by about 20 percent. The disappointing results can be attributed to the limited Turbo Boost sustainability of the Modern 14 as detailed in our Stress Test section below.

See our dedicated page on the Core i5-10210U for more technical information and benchmarks.

CineBench R15
CineBench R15
CineBench R20
CineBench R20
04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø565 (559.89-595.69)
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø546 (537.14-592.71)
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL 81Q9 Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø627 (606.12-749.06)
Dynabook Portégé X30-F-10N UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB256HAHQ; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø521 (516.63-551.37)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
195 Points +15%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
184 Points +8%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
180 Points +6%
Dell G3 3590
Intel Core i5-9300H
172 Points +1%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U
170 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (134 - 174, n=35)
165.6 Points -3%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
156 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad P43s-20RH001FGE
Intel Core i7-8565U
155 Points -9%
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
152 Points -11%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
147 Points -14%
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points -16%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
139 Points -18%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
1051 Points +76%
Dell G3 3590
Intel Core i5-9300H
790 Points +33%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
756 (560min - 756max) Points +27%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
733 Points +23%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
693 Points +16%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
640 Points +7%
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
622 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (320 - 790, n=35)
609 Points +2%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U
596 Points
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
564 Points -5%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
494 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad P43s-20RH001FGE
Intel Core i7-8565U
452 Points -24%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
2.18 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (1.71 - 1.91, n=4)
1.85 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
1.65 Points
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
1.63 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
11.81 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
7.82 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (5.69 - 8.66, n=4)
7.34 Points
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
5.56 Points
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
31463 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
20546 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
18307 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (15037 - 22164, n=3)
17758 Points
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
15324 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P43s-20RH001FGE
Intel Core i7-8565U
13806 Points
Rendering Single 32Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
7345 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (6410 - 6613, n=3)
6478 Points
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
6212 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P43s-20RH001FGE
Intel Core i7-8565U
6128 Points
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
6038 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
4525 Points
wPrime 2.10 - 1024m
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
274.7 s *
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
 
218 s *
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
171.1 s *
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
465 Points +10%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
460 Points +9%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
460 Points +9%
Dell G3 3590
Intel Core i5-9300H
422 Points 0%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U
421 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (322 - 428, n=30)
407 Points -3%
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
399 Points -5%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
383 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad P43s-20RH001FGE
Intel Core i7-8565U
374 Points -11%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
356 Points -15%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
352 Points -16%
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
351 Points -17%
CPU (Multi Core)
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
2410 Points +97%
Dell G3 3590
Intel Core i5-9300H
1864 Points +52%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
1799 Points +47%
Lenovo Yoga C740-15IML
Intel Core i7-10510U
1607 Points +31%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
1549 Points +26%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
1398 Points +14%
Asus VivoBook 14 X403FA
Intel Core i5-8265U
1350 Points +10%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (722 - 1820, n=30)
1279 Points +4%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U
1225 Points
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
1138 Points -7%
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
1117 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad P43s-20RH001FGE
Intel Core i7-8565U
988 Points -19%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
170 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
596 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
92.2 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark results are generally comparable to a Core i7-1065G7 laptop save for the Essentials benchmark where the CPU performance advantages of Ice Lake come into play. We experienced no software or hardware issues during our time with the test unit.

PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 10 Standard
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Home Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 8 Work Accelerated
PCMark 10
Score
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
5500 Points +22%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
5469 Points +22%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4828 Points +7%
MSI Prestige 14 i7-10710U
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
4690 Points +4%
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4583 Points +2%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
4497 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3825 - 4497, n=3)
4205 Points -6%
Essentials
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
9701 Points +23%
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9678 Points +23%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
9067 Points +15%
MSI Prestige 14 i7-10710U
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
8903 Points +13%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (7861 - 9236, n=3)
8320 Points +6%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
7861 Points
Productivity
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
7494 Points +6%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
7201 Points +2%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
7040 Points
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6924 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (6298 - 7217, n=3)
6852 Points -3%
MSI Prestige 14 i7-10710U
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
6494 Points -8%
Digital Content Creation
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
6110 Points +37%
MSI Prestige 14 i7-10710U
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
4843 Points +9%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4680 Points +5%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
4461 Points
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3900 Points -13%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3067 - 4461, n=3)
3583 Points -20%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
4900 Points +41%
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4003 Points +16%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3799 Points +10%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3764 Points +9%
MSI Prestige 14 i7-10710U
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
3744 Points +8%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
3464 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
 
3464 Points 0%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5158 Points +3%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5132 Points +3%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
4992 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
 
4992 Points 0%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
4812 Points -4%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
4762 Points -5%
MSI Prestige 14 i7-10710U
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
4472 Points -10%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3464 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4992 points
PCMark 10 Score
4497 points
Help

Storage Devices

Our test unit comes with a 512 GB Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ M.2 SSD, but expect drives from other OEMs depending on the laptop reseller. Sequential read and write rates average about 1000 MB/s each to suggest an entry-level NVMe SSD. The Samsung PM981, Toshiba XG6, and Apple AP1024 all outperform our Kingston by over 2x in some cases.

See our table of HDDs and SSDs for more benchmark comparisons.

CDM 5.5
CDM 5.5
AS SSD
AS SSD
M.2 drive is underneath the motherboard which makes upgrading difficult
M.2 drive is underneath the motherboard which makes upgrading difficult
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Apple SSD AP1024 7171
AS SSD
51%
64%
73%
57%
Seq Read
1061
1887
78%
2525
138%
1723
62%
2531
139%
Seq Write
953
1432
50%
1253
31%
1386
45%
2289
140%
4K Read
35.59
52.3
47%
59.1
66%
43.25
22%
15.85
-55%
4K Write
87
146
68%
134.1
54%
98.3
13%
39.88
-54%
4K-64 Read
769
969
26%
1010
31%
1078
40%
1267
65%
4K-64 Write
733
1375
88%
1461
99%
1456
99%
1749
139%
Access Time Read *
0.084
0.034
60%
0.052
38%
0.05
40%
0.122
-45%
Access Time Write *
0.136
0.075
45%
0.029
79%
0.039
71%
0.095
30%
Score Read
911
1210
33%
1322
45%
1294
42%
1536
69%
Score Write
916
1664
82%
1721
88%
1693
85%
2018
120%
Score Total
2294
3483
52%
3670
60%
3638
59%
4317
88%
Copy ISO MB/s
956
1375
44%
2016
111%
3182
233%
1995
109%
Copy Program MB/s
496.5
468
-6%
542
9%
984
98%
584
18%
Copy Game MB/s
872
1287
48%
1278
47%
1824
109%
1135
30%
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
68%
66%
58%
49%
Write 4K
107.7
141.6
31%
128.4
19%
104.3
-3%
55.5
-48%
Read 4K
39.73
45.28
14%
46.37
17%
45.23
14%
16.21
-59%
Write Seq
926
1975
113%
1863
101%
1729
87%
1959
112%
Read Seq
1014
2272
124%
2340
131%
1861
84%
1763
74%
Write 4K Q32T1
343.6
458.6
33%
451.1
31%
509
48%
398.5
16%
Read 4K Q32T1
499.1
391.4
-22%
415.3
-17%
388.5
-22%
648
30%
Write Seq Q32T1
1033
2393
132%
2985
189%
2813
172%
2727
164%
Read Seq Q32T1
1604
3464
116%
2565
60%
2906
81%
3242
102%
Write 4K Q8T8
451.4
Read 4K Q8T8
1004
Total Average (Program / Settings)
60% / 57%
65% / 65%
66% / 67%
53% / 54%

* ... smaller is better

Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 1604 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1033 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 499.1 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 343.6 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1014 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 926 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 39.73 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 107.7 MB/s

GPU Performance

3DMark results are nearly identical to the Razer Blade Stealth with the older 25 W GeForce MX150 while being about 35 percent faster than the 10 W GeForce MX150. The GeForce MX250 is essentially a rebadged MX150 and so users shouldn't expect any significant performance gains between them. Meanwhile, the MX230 is about 30 to 35 percent slower than our MX250.

The gaming capabilities of the Modern 14 are decent for undemanding titles like DOTA 2 or Fortnite even though the system is not catered towards gamers. Nonetheless, be prepared for noticeable ghosting because of the slow black-white response times. Idling on Witcher 3 shows no recurring drops in frame rates to suggest no interrupting background activity or throttling behavior when gaming.

See our dedicated page on the GeForce MX250 for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Time Spy
Time Spy
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Walmart EVOO Gaming 17
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
116593 Points +399%
Maingear Vector 15
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
97136 Points +316%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
80615 Points +245%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK
45246 Points +94%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i5-10210U
23376 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (13805 - 23863, n=25)
21491 Points -8%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
18633 Points -20%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
17892 Points -23%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, i5-8265U
15803 Points -32%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, i5-8250U
12166 Points -48%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Walmart EVOO Gaming 17
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
18055 Points +370%
Maingear Vector 15
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
14718 Points +283%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
11332 Points +195%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK
8532 Points +122%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H
7199 Points +87%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i5-10210U
3845 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (2939 - 3885, n=29)
3531 Points -8%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
3062 Points -20%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
2874 Points -25%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, i5-8265U
2566 Points -33%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, i5-8250U
2291 Points -40%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Walmart EVOO Gaming 17
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
6910 Points +494%
Maingear Vector 15
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
5534 Points +375%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
3626 Points +212%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK
3353 Points +188%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H
2196 Points +89%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i5-10210U
1164 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (881 - 1169, n=22)
1070 Points -8%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
862 Points -26%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
847 Points -27%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, i5-8265U
786 Points -32%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, i5-8250U
623 Points -46%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Walmart EVOO Gaming 17
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
23734 Points +382%
Maingear Vector 15
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
19670 Points +300%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
12620 Points +157%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK
12388 Points +152%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H
8619 Points +75%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i5-10210U
4920 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4612 Points -6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3585 - 4942, n=29)
4404 Points -10%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3560 Points -28%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, i5-8265U
3399 Points -31%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, i5-8250U
2734 Points -44%
1280x720 Performance Combined
Walmart EVOO Gaming 17
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H
12450 Points +171%
Maingear Vector 15
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Mobile, i7-9750H
12192 Points +165%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK
8801 Points +91%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H
8589 Points +87%
Asus Zephyrus S GX531GM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-8750H
6839 Points +49%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i5-10210U
4596 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3532 - 4638, n=29)
4250 Points -8%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4045 Points -12%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3707 Points -19%
Asus VivoBook 14 X412FJ-EB023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX230, i5-8265U
3533 Points -23%
Asus VivoBook 15 X542UF-DM143T
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, i5-8250U
2740 Points -40%
3DMark 11 Performance
5085 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
14266 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3487 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1279 points
Help
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
1280x720 Lowest Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
117 fps +109%
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
82 fps +46%
MSI PS63 Modern 8RC
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q
57 fps +2%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
56 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (24 - 56, n=8)
46.6 fps -17%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
32 fps -43%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
31 fps -45%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
30 fps -46%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
29 fps -48%
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
56 fps +195%
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
53 fps +179%
MSI PS63 Modern 8RC
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q
33 fps +74%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
19 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (7 - 19, n=8)
16.3 fps -14%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
11 fps -42%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
10 fps -47%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
8 fps -58%
The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
188 fps +176%
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
186.8 fps +174%
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, AMD Radeon RX 5500M
165 (146min - 187max) fps +142%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
68.1 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (47.4 - 70, n=24)
60.8 fps -11%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
56.4 fps -17%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
42.6 fps -37%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
41.9 fps -38%
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
142.6 fps +275%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
114.8 fps +202%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
38 fps
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
36.8 fps -3%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (30 - 40, n=27)
35.3 fps -7%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
25.6 fps -33%
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
89.9 fps +318%
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, AMD Radeon RX 5500M
72 (62min - 79max) fps +235%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
60.4 fps +181%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
21.5 fps
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
20.1 fps -7%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (16.3 - 23.1, n=27)
20.1 fps -7%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
14.2 fps -34%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
13.3 fps -38%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
52.2 fps +346%
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, AMD Radeon RX 5500M
43.6 (36min - 48max) fps +273%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
34.4 fps +194%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
11.7 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (9 - 16, n=24)
11.6 fps -1%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
10 fps -15%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
9 fps -23%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
8.1 fps -31%
BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
323.6 fps +71%
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
224.2 fps +18%
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, AMD Radeon RX 5500M
201 fps +6%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
189.7 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (133.9 - 212, n=14)
187.3 fps -1%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
151.5 fps -20%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
144 fps -24%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
117.9 fps -38%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
109.6 fps -42%
1366x768 Medium Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
238.3 fps +103%
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
195.6 fps +66%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
117.5 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (98.4 - 117.5, n=14)
109.1 fps -7%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
84.2 fps -28%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
82.8 fps -30%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
73 fps -38%
1366x768 High Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
206.8 fps +106%
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
180.9 fps +80%
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, AMD Radeon RX 5500M
169 fps +68%
MSI PS63 Modern 8RC
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q
147.7 fps +47%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
100.5 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (84 - 100.5, n=14)
93.6 fps -7%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
76.4 fps -24%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
70.2 fps -30%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
61.5 fps -39%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, AMD Radeon RX 5500M
123 fps +225%
HP Pavilion Gaming 15-ec0017ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
107.4 fps +184%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
81.7 fps +116%
MSI PS63 Modern 8RC
Intel Core i7-8565U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q
62.1 fps +64%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
37.8 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (32.3 - 38.1, n=14)
35.7 fps -6%
HP Envy 13-ah0003ng
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
28.4 fps -25%
Asus VivoBook 14 F412FJ-EB084T
Intel Core i5-8265U, NVIDIA GeForce MX230
27.96 fps -26%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
22.6 fps -40%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
20.5 fps -46%
0102030405060708090100Tooltip
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ: Ø37.7 (36-40)
Average of class Office  : Ø43.5 (37.4-101.1)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 189.7 117.5 100.5 37.8
The Witcher 3 (2015) 68.1 38 21.5 11.7
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 56 19 12

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution consists of twin fans and three heat pipes between them. The GPU and CPU do not share any heat pipes unlike on most other laptops meaning that if one processor is being stressed, the temperature of the other processor will not be significantly affected.

Fan noise is always present at about 29.5 dB(A) against a background of 28.7 dB(A) when connected to the AC adapter. Setting the system to Silent mode or High Performance mode via MSI Creator Center would not change the minimum fan noise. Only when the laptop is disconnected from the outlet will the fans fully stop.

Running higher loads like 3DMark 06 will induce a fan noise of about 33.4 dB(A) to be not unlike what we recorded on the Lenovo ThinkPad P43s or Ice Lake-powered Yoga C940 when under similar conditions. Pulsing behavior is kept to a minimum. If gaming, fan noise can be up to 40.5 dB(A). The Modern 14 is a quiet system overall with a slightly higher noise ceiling than most Ultrabooks when under high processing stress.

We can notice no electronic noise or coil whine from our test unit.

Dual ~40 mm fans with three heat pipes on the other side of the motherboard
Dual ~40 mm fans with three heat pipes on the other side of the motherboard
The system is louder than most Ultrabooks only when under stressful conditions like gaming
The system is louder than most Ultrabooks only when under stressful conditions like gaming
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
GeForce MX250, i5-10210U, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
Lenovo ThinkPad P43s-20RH001FGE
Quadro P520, i7-8565U, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-256G
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
UHD Graphics 620, i7-8665U, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
Noise
1%
3%
-10%
3%
6%
off / environment *
28.7
28.4
1%
29.3
-2%
29.8
-4%
29.2
-2%
28.4
1%
Idle Minimum *
29.5
28.4
4%
29.3
1%
29.9
-1%
29.2
1%
28.4
4%
Idle Average *
29.5
28.4
4%
29.3
1%
29.9
-1%
29.2
1%
28.4
4%
Idle Maximum *
29.5
28.4
4%
29.3
1%
29.9
-1%
29.2
1%
28.6
3%
Load Average *
33.4
33.9
-1%
33.3
-0%
43
-29%
33.3
-0%
31.5
6%
Witcher 3 ultra *
37.9
39.8
-5%
45.4
-20%
Load Maximum *
40.5
40.2
1%
33.3
18%
46.1
-14%
33.3
18%
33.1
18%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
29.5 / 29.5 / 29.5 dB(A)
Load
33.4 / 40.5 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.7 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2041.437.244.639.737.42539.13437.537.1383138.33637.337.237.74036.435.536.337.136.2503534.936.135.8376334.234.83535.238.18033.933.933.734.934.410031.832.732.833.533.712532.731.831.631.733.116032.231.331.631.832.320031.530.830.431.232.125031.129.630.330.432.33153330.930.730.234.340032.230.829.629.83550032.530.629.429.134.663032.830.22928.635.280030.52928.228.331.3100030.128.728.428.130.8125029.828.628.227.830.7160030.329.128.227.931.6200030.3292827.831.8250030.128.527.927.632.6315029.82827.727.732.2400030.328.327.627.532500028.928.227.827.530630028.127.827.727.429800028.127.827.527.428.11000027.827.727.327.427.81250027.727.727.327.427.71600028.428.227.227.227.6SPL42.240.840.24043.8N4.443.83.85median 30.3median 29median 28.2median 27.9median 32Delta1.81.20.70.62hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseMSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US

Temperature

Surface temperatures when idling are flat on both sides with the rear being slightly warmer by a few degrees C. If gaming, hot spots can become as warm as 41 C up to 57 C. These spots are thankfully toward the rear of the chassis where fingers and palms are unlikely to touch as shown by our temperature maps below. In comparison, hot spots on the Ice Lake-powered Lenovo Yoga C940-14 are slightly cooler at up to 45 C when under similar stressful conditions. The palm rests and keyboard keys of the MSI never become uncomfortably warm to type on.

Dual rear exhaust
Dual rear exhaust
AC adapter after running Witcher 3 for over an hour
AC adapter after running Witcher 3 for over an hour
Max. Load
 37 °C
99 F
47.6 °C
118 F
27.8 °C
82 F
 
 32 °C
90 F
38.2 °C
101 F
28.2 °C
83 F
 
 26.8 °C
80 F
25 °C
77 F
25.2 °C
77 F
 
Maximum: 47.6 °C = 118 F
Average: 32 °C = 90 F
35 °C
95 F
58.2 °C
137 F
43.4 °C
110 F
32.4 °C
90 F
43.6 °C
110 F
37.4 °C
99 F
29 °C
84 F
31.8 °C
89 F
31.6 °C
89 F
Maximum: 58.2 °C = 137 F
Average: 38 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  57 °C = 135 F | Room Temperature 20 °C = 68 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32 °C / 90 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 47.6 °C / 118 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 58.2 °C / 137 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 20.7 °C / 69 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.1 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 26.8 °C / 80.2 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (+0.9 °C / 1.7 F).
System idle (top)
System idle (top)
System idle (bottom)
System idle (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (top)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Witcher 3 stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (top)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)
Prime95+FurMark stress (bottom)

Stress Test

We stress the laptop in order to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95, the CPU would boost to the 2.7 GHz to 3 GHz range for the first 40 seconds or so until reaching a core temperature of 70 C. Thereafter, clock rates drop to the 2.3 to 2.5 GHz range in order to maintain a core temperature of 71 C. These results are in line with what we observed in our CineBench R15 Multi-Thread loop test above and power consumption readings below.

Running Witcher 3 is more representative of real-world stressful loads. CPU and GPU temperatures would stabilize at 58 C and 75 C, respectively, compared to the 75 C and 91 C maximum on the 2019 HP Spectre x360 15 equipped with the same GeForce MX250 GPU. Core temperatures are relatively cool meaning that the below average CPU performance may be attributed to maintaining comfortable surface temperatures instead.

Running on battery will limit performance. A 3DMark 11 test on batteries returns Physics and Graphics scores of 6502 and 4345 points, respectively, compared to 6690 and 4920 points when on mains.

System idle
System idle
Witcher 3 stress
Witcher 3 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95 stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
Prime95+FurMark stress
CPU Clock (GHz) GPU Clock (MHz) Average CPU Temperature (°C) Average GPU Temperature (°C)
System Idle -- -- 31 26
Prime95 Stress 2.3 - 2.5 -- 72 29
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 2.3 - 2.6 1404 69 73
Witcher 3 Stress ~4.0 1683 ~58 75

Speakers

MSI has set high standards for itself in regards to audio quality with their powerful speakers in most G Series gaming laptops. The speakers in the Modern 14, however, are more typical of a cheap to mid-range laptop. Bass is weaker than expected with roll-off beginning at around 1000 Hz compared to 250 Hz or 500 Hz on many multimedia laptops like the HP Spectre x360 15. The speakers work well enough for voice calls and small conference rooms, but you'll want earphones for music and video playback. High volume settings will introduce no static or vibrations.

Stereo speakers located near front corners
Stereo speakers located near front corners
Pink noise at maximum volume
Pink noise at maximum volume
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2040.144.640.12536.537.536.53138.537.338.54037.436.337.45035.836.135.86338.43538.48034.933.734.910032.732.832.712532.331.632.316033.631.633.620035.930.435.925047.930.347.931555.530.755.540056.729.656.750059.229.459.263061296180068.328.268.3100076.928.476.9125079.828.279.8160076.128.276.1200072.32872.3250068.227.968.2315069.727.769.7400068.627.668.6500065.327.865.3630068.527.768.5800071.927.571.91000067.827.367.81250056.627.356.61600059.827.259.8SPL84.840.284.8N55.93.855.9median 65.3median 28.2median 65.3Delta7.60.77.635.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI Modern 14 A10RB-459USApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.7% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8.2% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.2% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (30.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 91% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 87% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 10% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 93% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Idling on desktop demands between 4 W and 8 W depending on the brightness level and power profile to be more efficient than most other Ultrabooks. If gaming, expect consumption to range between 53 W and 63 W. Note that the GTX 1650 Max-Q in the Asus ZenBook 15 can offer 110 to 170 percent faster graphics performance for a mere 19 percent increase in power consumption.

We're able to record a maximum consumption of 67.4 W from the small (~6.6 x 6.6 x 3 cm) 65 W AC adapter when running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously. The Modern 14 is able to maintain this rate even after five full minutes which is uncommon on thin and light laptops.

Stable power consumption when running 3DMark 06
Stable power consumption when running 3DMark 06
Stable power consumption when running Witcher 3
Stable power consumption when running Witcher 3
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spikes to about 37 W for 40 seconds before falling to 33 W thereafter. Small bumps in consumption occur periodically
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spikes to about 37 W for 40 seconds before falling to 33 W thereafter. Small bumps in consumption occur periodically
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spikes and stabilizes at 67.4 W
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spikes and stabilizes at 67.4 W
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.3 / 0.44 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.2 / 5.9 / 7.2 Watt
Load midlight 63.4 / 67.4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
i5-10210U, GeForce MX250, Kingston RBUSNS8154P3512GJ, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
i7-8565U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M, Apple SSD AP1024 7171, IPS, 3072x1920, 16.00
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019-20QE000VGE
i7-8665U, UHD Graphics 620, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G, IPS, 2560x1440, 14.00
Power Consumption
-79%
2%
-90%
-70%
7%
Idle Minimum *
4.2
5
-19%
3.2
24%
6.2
-48%
3.7
12%
3
29%
Idle Average *
5.9
13.2
-124%
7
-19%
9.6
-63%
12.1
-105%
6.3
-7%
Idle Maximum *
7.2
24
-233%
8.9
-24%
21.2
-194%
17
-136%
8.9
-24%
Load Average *
63.4
70
-10%
47.6
25%
104.3
-65%
91.5
-44%
40.8
36%
Witcher 3 ultra *
53.5
63.3
-18%
91.7
-71%
103
-93%
Load Maximum *
67.4
114
-69%
63.1
6%
135.3
-101%
102.3
-52%
67.5
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery capacity is smaller than most 15.6-inch laptops due to the smaller screen size of the Modern 14. Runtimes are still comparable to most Ultrabooks at about 8.5 hours of real-world WLAN use. Charging from empty to full capacity takes about 2 hours.

We tried connecting a USB Type-C charger, but the laptop does not support USB Type-C charging.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
16h 26min
WiFi Websurfing
8h 35min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 45min
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
i5-10210U, GeForce MX250, 50 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018-20KGS5DU00
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 57 Wh
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
i7-8565U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, 71 Wh
Lenovo Yoga C940-14IIL
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), 60 Wh
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 97 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M, 99.8 Wh
Battery Runtime
4%
32%
-8%
24%
-3%
Reader / Idle
986
1289
31%
910
-8%
WiFi v1.3
515
537
4%
503
-2%
636
23%
467
-9%
718
39%
Load
105
174
66%
64
-39%
199
90%
58
-45%
Witcher 3 ultra
54

Pros

+ great port options for a subnotebook
+ well-calibrated display out of the box
+ attractive and very lightweight
+ good GPU performance
+ small AC adapter
+ affordable

Cons

- below average CPU performance; poor Turbo Boost sustainability
- no 4K UHD, Thunderbolt 3, Core i7, or GTX graphics options
- RAM and SSD upgrades are not user-friendly
- cannot recharge with USB Type-C
- suboptimal webcam positioning
- chassis rigidity could be better
- keys are spongy and shallow
- slow SD reader performance
- no IR or fingerprint reader
- single-channel RAM only

Verdict

In review: MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US. Test unit provided by Xotic PC
In review: MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US. Test unit provided by Xotic PC

After dabbing in gaming laptops and professional laptops for so long, MSI is now ready to crack the affordable subnotebook office market with the Modern 14. The best characteristics of the Modern 14 are mostly visual; the 14-inch display is well-calibrated and ready to go while the travel-friendly weight, healthy port selection, and optional GeForce MX250 graphics all directly benefit the target audience. 

The main disadvantages of the Modern 14 are chassis rigidity, upgradeability, single-channel RAM, and keyboard feedback. Surfaces flex and creak more than most office laptops from Dell, Lenovo, or HP while common upgrades like RAM or storage are made more difficult. Keyboard keys are on the soft side and could have benefited from crisper feedback to better serve typists.

Other drawbacks include the "nose cam" webcam, no fingerprint reader or Thunderbolt 3 support, 8 GB of single-channel RAM, and average CPU performance from the Core i5-10210U. For less than $900, however, it's a fair price so long as you know the strengths and weaknesses of the system.

This isn't your dad's office laptop. The MSI Modern 14 targets younger office users and content creators with its visually attractive design and very light weight when compared to the mid-range office solutions from Dell, HP, or Lenovo.

MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US - 01/27/2020 v7
Allen Ngo

Chassis
71 / 98 → 73%
Keyboard
75%
Pointing Device
77%
Connectivity
46 / 80 → 58%
Weight
72 / 20-75 → 95%
Battery
83%
Display
89%
Games Performance
65 / 78 → 83%
Application Performance
84 / 95 → 88%
Temperature
88%
Noise
93%
Audio
70%
Camera
35 / 85 → 41%
Average
73%
81%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > MSI Modern 14 A10RB Laptop Review: Lighter than it Looks
Allen Ngo, 2020-01-27 (Update: 2020-02- 4)