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MSI Modern 15 A10RB Laptop Review: The Dell XPS 15 Lite

Create in style. The Modern 15 is fit for budget-conscious users who need more power than the typical Ultrabook without spending too much on heavier higher-end options equipped with Core H CPUs and GeForce GTX GPUs.

The MSI Modern 15 is the 15.6-inch version of the 14-inch Modern 14. Unlike the pricier MSI Prestige series, the more affordable Modern series targets office users and content creators on tighter budgets.

The unit we have here comes equipped with the quad-core Core i7-10510U Comet Lake-U CPU and Nvidia GeForce MX250 GPU for about $1100 USD. Lesser options with Core i5 and Intel UHD Graphics only are also available, but the 1080p display is fixed across the lineup. Though one may be quick to dismiss the Modern 15 as nothing more than an enlarged Modern 14, there are actually quite a few differences both inside and out that we will detail below.

The Modern 15 competes with mid-range business laptops and certain Ultrabooks including the Asus ZenBook 15, Dell XPS 15, HP Spectre x360 15, Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15, Dell Latitude 5500, and the Lenovo ThinkPad T590 and X1 Carbon series.

More MSI reviews:

MSI Modern 15 A10RB (Modern 15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-10510U 4 x 1.8 - 4.9 GHz, Comet Lake-U
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce MX250 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1519 MHz, Memory: 1752 MHz, GDDR5, 441.87, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2666, 10-10-10-28, Dual-Channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, Chi Mei N156HCE-EN1, IPS, CMN15E8, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Comet Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Soundcard
Intel Comet Lake PCH-LP - cAVS
Connections
4 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm combo, Card Reader: MicroSD
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): 15.9 x 356.8 x 233.7 ( = 0.63 x 14.05 x 9.2 in)
Battery
52 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, Creator Center, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.6 kg ( = 56.44 oz / 3.53 pounds), Power Supply: 300 g ( = 10.58 oz / 0.66 pounds)
Price
1100 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
80.1 %
02/2020
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
i7-10510U, GeForce MX250
1.6 kg15.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
83.1 %
09/2019
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
i7-8565U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
1.7 kg18.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
86.6 %
07/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250
1.9 kg19.95 mm15.60"1920x1080
85 %
01/2020
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
i7-10510U, GeForce MX250
2.1 kg19.3 mm15.60"3840x2160
85.2 %
11/2019
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
i7-10710U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
1.7 kg16 mm15.60"3840x2160
83.9 %
12/2019
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
i7-1065G7, Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
1.5 kg14.7 mm15.00"2496x1664

Case

The Modern 15 shares the same matte aluminum alloy materials as the Modern 14 for the same smooth texture and impression. Nonetheless, there are several physical differences. The Power button, webcam placement, ventilation grilles, and ports are all different between the Modern 14 and Modern 15 even though they may look similar at first glance.

In terms of chassis rigidity, the MSI is not as as tough as competitors like the Dell XPS 15, HP Spectre x360 15, Asus ZenBook 15, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, or most Dell Latitude laptops. The lid of the Modern 15 is more susceptible to flexing and pushing down on the center of the keyboard flexes the surface more so than on any of the aforementioned alternatives. It's not weak or fragile by any means, but the difference is noticeable.

Dimensions are nearly the same as the Dell XPS 15 7590 albeit much lighter by about 300 g. In short, you'll be sacrificing chassis rigidity for a lighter laptop by going with the MSI Modern 15. This is one of the lightest 15.6-inch laptops available with dedicated GeForce graphics options.

Same materials as on the Modern 14. This black chassis color is exclusive to U.S. buyers
Same materials as on the Modern 14. This black chassis color is exclusive to U.S. buyers
Smooth matte surfaces attract fingerprints fairly quickly
Smooth matte surfaces attract fingerprints fairly quickly
Exhaust grilles face upward toward the front of the screen
Exhaust grilles face upward toward the front of the screen
Display can open up to the full 180 degrees
Display can open up to the full 180 degrees
Normal webcam positioning unlike on the Modern 14. There is no privacy shutter, but the F6 key toggles the webcam
Normal webcam positioning unlike on the Modern 14. There is no privacy shutter, but the F6 key toggles the webcam
No manufacturing imperfections on our particular test unit
No manufacturing imperfections on our particular test unit
365.8 mm / 14.4 inch 248 mm / 9.76 inch 19.95 mm / 0.785 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs366 mm / 14.4 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.7 kg3.64 lbs361.2 mm / 14.2 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 19.3 mm / 0.76 inch 2.1 kg4.65 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs354 mm / 13.9 inch 220 mm / 8.66 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 1.7 kg3.64 lbs356.8 mm / 14 inch 233.7 mm / 9.2 inch 15.9 mm / 0.626 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Port options are different from the Modern 14 and not necessarily better despite the fact that the Modern 15 is larger. The Modern 14, for example, comes with two USB Type-C ports and a full-size SD card reader whereas the Modern 15 has just one USB Type-C port and a MicroSD reader. In return, the Modern 15 has one additional USB Type-A port for a total of three.

Port positioning is not as tightly packed as on the smaller Modern 14. The omission of a Kensington Lock is strange considering the target audience.

Front: No connectivity
Front: No connectivity
Right: MicroSD, 2x USB Type-A USB 3.2 Gen. 2
Right: MicroSD, 2x USB Type-A USB 3.2 Gen. 2
Rear: No connectivity
Rear: No connectivity
Left: AC adapter, HDMI 1.4, USB Type-C  USB 3.2 Gen. 1 + DP), USB Type-A USB 3.2 Gen. 1, 3.5 mm combo audio
Left: AC adapter, HDMI 1.4, USB Type-C USB 3.2 Gen. 1 + DP), USB Type-A USB 3.2 Gen. 1, 3.5 mm combo audio

SD Card Reader

Transfer rates from the spring-loaded MicroSD card reader are slow and not unlike on the smaller Modern 14. Moving 1 GB of pictures from our UHS-II test card to desktop takes about 38 seconds compared to less than 7 seconds on the Prestige 15.

Fully inserted MicroSD card
Fully inserted MicroSD card
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
178 MB/s +564%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
149 MB/s +456%
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
76.3 MB/s +185%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
69.2 MB/s +158%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
26.8 MB/s
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
192.5 MB/s +562%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
188 MB/s +546%
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
84.1 MB/s +189%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
82.2 MB/s +182%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
29.1 MB/s

Communication

The Intel 9560 comes standard for Wi-Fi 5 or 802.11ac connectivity and integrated Bluetooth 5. We recently upgraded our wireless equipment with the Netgear RAX200 connected to a multi-gig server to more properly test 802.11ac speeds and faster. Transfer rates average about 1200 Mbps when standing one meter away from the router against a theoretical 1.73 Gbps. We didn't experience any notable connectivity issues during our time with the unit.

Upgradeable M.2 WLAN module
Upgradeable M.2 WLAN module
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
1244 (889min - 1355max) MBit/s
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
755 MBit/s -39%
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
661 MBit/s -47%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
621 MBit/s -50%
iperf3 receive AX12
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
1128 (1084min - 1146max) MBit/s
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
696 MBit/s -38%
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
653 MBit/s -42%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
630 MBit/s -44%
07014021028035042049056063070077084091098010501120119012601330Tooltip
MSI Modern 15 A10RB; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1128 (1084-1146)
MSI Modern 15 A10RB; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1244 (889-1355)

Maintenance

The bottom panel is secured by 11 Philips screws. Access is easy albeit it will require breaking a "Factory Seal" sticker. Once inside, users will have direct access to most motherboard components unlike on the Modern 14.

Accessories and Warranty

Included extras are a USB Type-A to RJ-45 adapter and a faux leather sleeve. Most other OEMs reserve these free accessories only for their higher-end flagship offerings and so it's nice to see them included here on a mid-range lineup.

The standard one-year limited warranty applies in the United States. Owners who register their purchases with MSI may receive a few more months of coverage or accidental damage protection at no extra charge.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Key size and feedback are identical to the Modern 14 and so all our existing comments apply here. Key layout, however, is different in more ways than one. For example, the "End" key has been removed while the "fn" key is now on the left side of the keyboard instead of the right side. The Power button has been relocated to the top right corner and many of the secondary function keys are different than how they appear on the Modern 14. Strangely, the "F6" key has no LED light to show if the webcam has been toggled on or off unlike on the Modern 14.

Touchpad

The Precision-enabled clickpad (10.5 x 6.5 cm) is slightly larger than the clickpad on the Modern 14 (10 x 5.7 cm) but still smaller than the clickpad on the XPS 15 (11.3 x 6.8 cm). Though cursor control is smooth and reliable even if gliding slowly, feedback from the integrated mouse keys could have been firmer despite the relatively loud clatter when pressed.

Key size and feedback are similar to the Modern 14, but key layout is different
Key size and feedback are similar to the Modern 14, but key layout is different
Feedback and travel are not as crisp or deep, respectively, when compared to the HP Spectre or Lenovo ThinkPad T series
Feedback and travel are not as crisp or deep, respectively, when compared to the HP Spectre or Lenovo ThinkPad T series
Clicking on the clickpad is spongier than we would like
Clicking on the clickpad is spongier than we would like
Full-size Arrow keys with no integrated NumPad
Full-size Arrow keys with no integrated NumPad

Display

The Modern 15 uses the same Chi Mei N156HCE-EN1 IPS panel as found on the 2017 Asus ZenBook Pro UX550 series, Lenovo Ideapad 720S-15IKB, and the Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB. Thus, core characteristics like color coverage, response times, and contrast ratios are similar between these systems. When compared to the more expensive 4K UHD Prestige 15, the FHD Modern 15 has faster response times for less ghosting but with a dimmer backlight and narrower color spectrum. Interestingly, PWM is present on both the Modern 15 and Prestige 15 at the exact same frequency of 26040 Hz to imply that MSI is using very similar components between the two models.

The panel here is a mid-range offering as it doesn't have the super-fast response times of most high-end gaming laptops or the brightness of some certain high-end alternatives like the XPS 15 or MacBook Pro. Texts and images still appear crisp with a slight layer of graininess that is common on matte panels. Uneven backlight bleeding is present but thankfully minimal and easy to overlook.

"Chin" bezel is narrow compared to most other 15-inch laptops
"Chin" bezel is narrow compared to most other 15-inch laptops
Display is as bright as the Asus ZenBook 15 or HP Spectre x360 15
Display is as bright as the Asus ZenBook 15 or HP Spectre x360 15
No edge-to-edge glass or 4K UHD options
No edge-to-edge glass or 4K UHD options
Narrow bezels on three of the four sides
Narrow bezels on three of the four sides
Matte subpixel array
Matte subpixel array
Minor-moderate uneven backlight bleeding along the bottom edge
Minor-moderate uneven backlight bleeding along the bottom edge
269.3
cd/m²
282.7
cd/m²
294.7
cd/m²
242.4
cd/m²
289.4
cd/m²
285.4
cd/m²
248.6
cd/m²
269.4
cd/m²
277.2
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei N156HCE-EN1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 294.7 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 273.2 cd/m² Minimum: 15.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 289.4 cd/m²
Contrast: 1072:1 (Black: 0.27 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.32 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 2.49
ΔE Greyscale 3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
92% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
59.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
66.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
92.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.22
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Chi Mei N156HCE-EN1, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
BOE NV156FHM-N63, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
LQ156M1, IPS, 15.60, 1920x1080
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
LP156WFC-SPD1, aSi IPS LED, 15.60, 1920x1080
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
AU Optronics AUO30EB, IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Sharp LQ156D1JW42, IPS, 15.60, 3840x2160
Display
-3%
3%
-39%
3%
25%
Display P3 Coverage
66
66.6
1%
66.5
1%
38.79
-41%
68.3
3%
82
24%
sRGB Coverage
92.1
87.7
-5%
98
6%
58.3
-37%
94.3
2%
98.3
7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
66.5
64.1
-4%
68.4
3%
40.11
-40%
68.4
3%
96.2
45%
Response Times
4%
-37%
18%
-25%
-20%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
43.2 ?(22.8, 20.4)
41.2 ?(22, 19.2)
5%
52.8 ?(25.6, 27.2)
-22%
37.2 ?(19.2, 18)
14%
56.8 ?(26, 30.8)
-31%
60 ?(29.2, 30.8)
-39%
Response Time Black / White *
34.4 ?(20.4, 14)
33.2 ?(19.6, 13.6)
3%
32 ?(16.4, 15.6)
7%
27.2 ?(17.2, 10)
21%
40.8 ?(20.4, 20.4)
-19%
41.2 ?(22.8, 18.4)
-20%
PWM Frequency
26040 ?(13)
1020 ?(25)
-96%
26040 ?(24)
0%
Screen
-32%
21%
-42%
-5%
4%
Brightness middle
289.4
312.6
8%
588
103%
276
-5%
284.6
-2%
464.5
61%
Brightness
273
290
6%
555
103%
262
-4%
285
4%
451
65%
Brightness Distribution
82
85
4%
89
9%
88
7%
85
4%
92
12%
Black Level *
0.27
0.31
-15%
0.4
-48%
0.23
15%
0.25
7%
0.5
-85%
Contrast
1072
1008
-6%
1470
37%
1200
12%
1138
6%
929
-13%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
2.32
5.78
-149%
2.5
-8%
5.6
-141%
3.52
-52%
3.36
-45%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
5.76
8.86
-54%
6.3
-9%
16.4
-185%
5.56
3%
7.06
-23%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
2.49
3.78
-52%
0.6
76%
4.7
-89%
3
-20%
3.42
-37%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3
5.4
-80%
4.5
-50%
3
-0%
3.2
-7%
1.3
57%
Gamma
2.22 99%
2.21 100%
2.2 100%
2.18 101%
2.28 96%
2.14 103%
CCT
6867 95%
7864 83%
6836 95%
7075 92%
7070 92%
6596 99%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
59.8
57.1
-5%
63.2
6%
36.9
-38%
61.1
2%
84.8
42%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
92
87.4
-5%
98
7%
58.1
-37%
93.8
2%
98.3
7%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-10% / -22%
-4% / 7%
-21% / -34%
-9% / -6%
3% / 3%

* ... smaller is better

Color space covers approximately 92 percent and 60 percent of sRGB and AdobeRGB, respectively, to be not unlike what we measured on the Modern 14. The Sharp 4K UHD panel on the pricier Prestige 15 is able to cover 85 percent of the 3D AdobeRGB space for deeper and more accurate colors.

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

Further measurements with an X-Rite colorimeter show a well-calibrated display out of the box with average grayscale and color DeltaE values of just 3 and 2.32, respectively. Attempting to calibrate the display even further ourselves resulted in no major improvements. Interestingly, the colors Red and Cyan and are represented slightly less accurately than the other primary and secondary colors.

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
34.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 14 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. » 91 % 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
43.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22.8 ms rise
↘ 20.4 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. » 68 % 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 26040 Hz ≤ 13 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 26040 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 13 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 26040 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 not bad when under shade because of the matte overlay, wide viewing angles, and 180-degree hinges. Anything brighter, however, will wash out the screen. A brighter laptop is recommended like the XPS 15, MacBook Pro, or Prestige 15 if you plan on using your laptop outdoors frequently.

Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under shade
Outdoors under sunlight
Outdoors under sunlight
Wide IPS viewing angles. Colors and contrast do not degrade unless if viewing at extreme angles
Wide IPS viewing angles. Colors and contrast do not degrade unless if viewing at extreme angles

Performance

The Core i5/i7 and GeForce MX250 options of the Modern 15 target office users and content creators desiring more performance than the typical Ultrabook equipped with UMA graphics only. For even more power without sacrificing portability, MSI offers the pricier Prestige 14 and Prestige 15. Alternatives like the Dell XPS 15 or HP Spectre x360 15 have much faster Core H-series CPUs albeit in heavier and thicker form factors.

There are two SODIMM slots for dual-channel memory unlike the single-channel-only Modern 14 for up to 64 GB of DDR4-2666 RAM. LatencyMon shows no recurring DPC latency issues even when the wireless is enabled.

Processor

After being left disappointed by the Core i5-10210U in the Modern 14, we weren't expecting very much from the Core i7-10510U in the Modern 15. But to our surprise, the Core i7-10510U here performs better than expected with CineBench multi-thread scores that are 16 to 25 percent higher than the average Core i7-10510U in our database. Raw performance is faster than even the more demanding 35 W Ryzen 7 3750H while outperforming the Core i7-8565U in the older PS63 Modern by up to 25 percent. The hexa-core Core i7-10710U is faster still, but this particular processor is not available on the Modern series.

Performance sustainability is decent. When running CineBench R15 Multi-Thread in a loop, the initial score of 859 points drops and stabilizes at about 795 points by the second loop to represent a performance deficit of 7.5 percent over time.

See our dedicated page on the Core i7-10510U for more technical information and benchmark comparisons.

CineBench R15
CineBench R15
CineBench R20
CineBench R20
04590135180225270315360405450495540585630675720765810855Tooltip
MSI Modern 15 A10RB GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø795 (785.64-858.83)
Lenovo ThinkPad P53s-20N6001NGE Quadro P520, i7-8565U, Intel SSD 760p SSDPEKKW256G8; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø624 (521.26-694.16)
Lenovo IdeaPad 330-17IKB 81DM GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, WDC Blue WD10SPZX-24Z10T0; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø526 (522.29-550.6)
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585 Vega 10, R7 3700U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-512G; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø654 (639.01-676.19)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7 Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7, Toshiba KBG40ZNS256G NVMe; CPU Multi 64Bit: Ø717 (684.67-772.41)
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U
497 Points
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U
472 Points -5%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
465 Points -6%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
460 Points -7%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
458 Points -8%
MSI PS63 Modern 8SC
Intel Core i7-8565U
437 Points -12%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
  (362 - 497, n=37)
437 Points -12%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U
421 Points -15%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
383 Points -23%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
356 Points -28%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
352 Points -29%
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK-034
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
352 Points -29%
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
351 Points -29%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
334 Points -33%
CPU (Multi Core)
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
2562 Points +35%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
2410 Points +27%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
2024 Points +7%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U
1897 Points
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK-034
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
1633 Points -14%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
1549 Points -18%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U
1530 Points -19%
MSI PS63 Modern 8SC
Intel Core i7-8565U
1523 Points -20%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1499 Points -21%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
  (1015 - 1897, n=38)
1412 Points -26%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
1398 Points -26%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U
1225 Points -35%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
1138 Points -40%
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
1117 Points -41%
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U
202 Points
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U
199 Points -1%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
189 Points -6%
MSI PS63 Modern 8SC
Intel Core i7-8565U
183 Points -9%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
180 Points -11%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
  (113 - 202, n=42)
178.4 Points -12%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
174 Points -14%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U
170 Points -16%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
156 Points -23%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
147 Points -27%
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
143 Points -29%
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK-034
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
143 Points -29%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
139 Points -31%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
135 Points -33%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
1138 Points +40%
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
1051 Points +29%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
830 Points +2%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U
813 Points
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK-034
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
734 Points -10%
MSI PS63 Modern 8SC
Intel Core i7-8565U
695 Points -15%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
693 Points -15%
Dell Latitude 5500
Intel Core i7-8665U
688 (599.53min - 729.94max) Points -15%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
672 Points -17%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
  (482 - 856, n=45)
666 Points -18%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
640 Points -21%
MSI Modern 14 A10RB-459US
Intel Core i5-10210U
596 Points -27%
Dell Latitude 13 3390
Intel Core i5-8250U
564 Points -31%
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
494 Points -39%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
2.18 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
2.13 Points
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
 
1.95 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
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1.52 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
11.81 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
9.37 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
7.82 Points
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
7.56 Points
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
 
6.69 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
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
26481 Points
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
  (6763 - 26265, n=3)
19637 Points
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK-034
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
19290 Points
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U
18307 Points
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
15324 Points
Rendering Single 32Bit
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
7345 Points
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
7260 Points
Average Intel Core i7-10510U
  (5740 - 7748, n=3)
6919 Points
Dynabook Portege A30-E-174
Intel Core i7-8550U
6212 Points
MSI Alpha 15 A3DDK-034
AMD Ryzen 7 3750H
4527 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 *
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Core i7-1065G7
232.9 s *
Dell XPS 13 7390 Core i7-10710U
Intel Core i7-10710U
171.1 s *

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
202 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
813 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
111.4 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help

System Performance

PCMark benchmarks rank our Modern 15 higher than expected. Our scores outpace even the higher-end Prestige 15 and its faster GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU. We can't pinpoint the likely cause of the discrepancy, but the higher native resolution of the Prestige 15 is probably partly responsible.

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
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
5409 Points
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5009 Points -7%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4828 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
4547 Points -16%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3861 - 5409, n=11)
4243 Points -22%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
4105 Points -24%
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
4101 Points -24%
Essentials
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
9711 Points
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
9477 Points -2%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
9067 Points -7%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
9048 Points -7%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
9000 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
8929 Points -8%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (8021 - 9764, n=11)
8892 Points -8%
Productivity
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
7972 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
7443 Points -7%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (6625 - 7972, n=11)
7331 Points -8%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
7201 Points -10%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
6832 Points -14%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
6771 Points -15%
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
6625 Points -17%
Digital Content Creation
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
5547 Points
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5520 Points 0%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4680 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
3841 Points -31%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (2621 - 5547, n=11)
3225 Points -42%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
3096 Points -44%
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
2981 Points -46%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
4175 Points +5%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
3958 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
3885 Points -2%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3764 Points -5%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3214 - 3958, n=8)
3594 Points -9%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3546 Points -10%
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
3365 Points -15%
Work Score Accelerated v2
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
5443 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
5225 Points -4%
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5132 Points -6%
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
5070 Points -7%
Average Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (4599 - 5443, n=8)
5026 Points -8%
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
4633 Points -15%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4483 Points -18%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3958 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5443 points
PCMark 10 Score
5409 points
Help

Storage Devices

Two M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe slots are available. Our particular test model comes with the relatively new 512 GB Western Digital SN730 NVMe SSD with sequential read and write rates of over 2000 MB/s each. Performance is comparable to the Samsung SSD PM981 as found on most high-end laptops if not better at least according to AS SSD and CrystalDiskMark. Depending on where you purchase the Modern 15, however, different SSDs may be present.

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

CDM 5.5
CDM 5.5
AS SSD
AS SSD
Primary WD drive is easier to access compared to the Modern 14
Primary WD drive is easier to access compared to the Modern 14
Unoccupied M.2 NVMe slots takes space away from the battery
Unoccupied M.2 NVMe slots takes space away from the battery
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
AS SSD
0%
21%
-21%
11%
Seq Read
2084
1887
-9%
2551
22%
1220
-41%
1274
-39%
Seq Write
2442
1432
-41%
2376
-3%
1152
-53%
1395
-43%
4K Read
47.52
52.3
10%
52.7
11%
52.3
10%
50.3
6%
4K Write
135.8
146
8%
153
13%
146.6
8%
119.8
-12%
4K-64 Read
1043
969
-7%
1406
35%
652
-37%
1599
53%
4K-64 Write
955
1375
44%
1439
51%
847
-11%
1455
52%
Access Time Read *
0.062
0.034
45%
0.067
-8%
0.077
-24%
0.044
29%
Access Time Write *
0.076
0.075
1%
0.027
64%
0.106
-39%
0.092
-21%
Score Read
1299
1210
-7%
1714
32%
826
-36%
1777
37%
Score Write
1335
1664
25%
1829
37%
1109
-17%
1714
28%
Score Total
3326
3483
5%
4418
33%
2371
-29%
4411
33%
Copy ISO MB/s
1926
1375
-29%
2625
36%
2070
7%
2830
47%
Copy Program MB/s
714
468
-34%
495.9
-31%
571
-20%
609
-15%
Copy Game MB/s
1425
1287
-10%
1384
-3%
1219
-14%
1424
0%
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-14%
-22%
-27%
-33%
Write 4K
208.4
141.6
-32%
126.2
-39%
151.5
-27%
150.8
-28%
Read 4K
51
45.28
-11%
48.93
-4%
59.3
16%
47.3
-7%
Write Seq
2687
1975
-26%
1345
-50%
1424
-47%
981
-63%
Read Seq
2168
2272
5%
1373
-37%
1609
-26%
976
-55%
Write 4K Q32T1
489.2
458.6
-6%
383.8
-22%
393.6
-20%
442.7
-10%
Read 4K Q32T1
600
391.4
-35%
434.8
-28%
369.4
-38%
499.7
-17%
Write Seq Q32T1
2699
2393
-11%
2966
10%
1946
-28%
1706
-37%
Read Seq Q32T1
3374
3464
3%
3230
-4%
1934
-43%
1758
-48%
Write 4K Q8T8
960
Read 4K Q8T8
1441
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-7% / -5%
-1% / 5%
-24% / -23%
-11% / -5%

* ... smaller is better

WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3374 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2699 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 600 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 489.2 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 2168 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 2687 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 51 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 208.4 MB/s

GPU Performance

3DMark scores are where we expect them to be at just a few percentage points higher than the average GeForce MX250 in our database. Performance is about 35 percent faster than most MX150 laptops save for the Razer Blade Stealth and its impressive 25 W MX150. Upgrading to the Prestige 15 and its GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU will net a massive graphics boost by as much as 100 to 160 percent.

Gaming performance is also good considering than the Modern 15 isn't supposed to be a gaming machine. Demanding titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider can run at native 1080p and 30 FPS so long as most graphics settings are on Low. Undemanding titles like DOTA 2, Fortnite, or Rocket League are able to reach 1080p60 more easily.

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

3DMark 11
3DMark 11
Ice Storm Extreme
Ice Storm Extreme
Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike
Fire Strike
Time Spy
Time Spy
 
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
80542 Points +238%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
35068 Points +47%
Asus Zenbook UX510UW-CN044T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6500U
25986 Points +9%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-10510U
23806 Points
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
22113 Points -7%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (13805 - 23863, n=25)
21491 Points -10%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
19255 Points -19%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
18881 Points -21%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
18633 Points -22%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 3500U
13919 Points -42%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U
10265 Points -57%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
11483 Points +197%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
7774 Points +101%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
5688 Points +47%
Asus Zenbook UX510UW-CN044T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6500U
4133 Points +7%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-10510U
3868 Points
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (2939 - 3885, n=29)
3531 Points -9%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
3144 Points -19%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
2874 Points -26%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
2789 Points -28%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 3500U
2020 Points -48%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U
1309 Points -66%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
3572 Points +208%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
3028 Points +161%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
1589 Points +37%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-10510U
1160 Points
Asus Zenbook UX510UW-CN044T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6500U
1138 Points -2%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (881 - 1169, n=22)
1070 Points -8%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
872 Points -25%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
862 Points -26%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
833 Points -28%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 3500U
618 Points -47%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U
421 Points -64%
2560x1440 Time Spy Score
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
3621 Points +177%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
3282 Points +151%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
1708 Points +31%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-10510U
1308 Points
Asus Zenbook UX510UW-CN044T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6500U
1206 Points -8%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (980 - 1308, n=22)
1186 Points -9%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
974 Points -26%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
961 Points -27%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
948 Points -28%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 3500U
697 Points -47%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U
484 Points -63%
3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance GPU
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
14550 Points +197%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
11542 Points +135%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
7043 Points +44%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-10510U
4905 Points
Asus Zenbook UX510UW-CN044T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6500U
4826 Points -2%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4594 Points -6%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3585 - 4942, n=29)
4404 Points -10%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
4380 Points -11%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3560 Points -27%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 3500U
3332 Points -32%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U
1914 Points -61%
1280x720 Performance Combined
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U
10350 Points +128%
Asus FX503VM-EH73
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, i7-7700HQ
7696 Points +70%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U
6480 Points +43%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
NVIDIA GeForce MX250, i7-10510U
4532 Points
Asus Zenbook UX510UW-CN044T
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M, 6500U
4466 Points -1%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (3532 - 4638, n=29)
4250 Points -6%
Dell XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 Core i7
Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU), i7-1065G7
4143 Points -9%
Asus Zenbook 14 UX433FN-A6023T
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, i7-8565U
3707 Points -18%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 9, R5 3580U
3041 Points -33%
Walmart Motile M142
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), R5 3500U
2003 Points -56%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U
1910 Points -58%
3DMark 11 Performance
5302 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
17955 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3562 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1308 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 +113%
MSI GL72 7QF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
60 (50min) fps +9%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
55 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (24 - 56, n=8)
46.6 fps -15%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
46 (29min - 74max) fps -16%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
38 fps -31%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
31 fps -44%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
29 fps -47%
1920x1080 Medium Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
56 fps +195%
MSI GL72 7QF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
24 (18min) fps +26%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
19 fps
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
17 (13min - 28max) fps -11%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (7 - 19, n=8)
16.3 fps -14%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
15 fps -21%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
8 fps -58%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:SM
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
53 fps +308%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
47 fps +262%
MSI GL72 7QF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
20 (11min) fps +54%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
13 fps 0%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
13 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (12 - 15, n=6)
13 fps 0%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
12 (10min - 23max) fps -8%
1920x1080 Highest Preset AA:T
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
47 fps +370%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
41 fps +310%
MSI GL72 7QF
Intel Core i7-7700HQ, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M
17 (1min) fps +70%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
10 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (9 - 10, n=5)
9.4 fps -6%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
9 (6min - 20max) fps -10%
The Witcher 3
1024x768 Low Graphics & Postprocessing
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
188 fps +169%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
70 fps
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
62.1 (52min - 69max) fps -11%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (47.4 - 70, n=24)
60.8 fps -13%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
56.4 fps -19%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
53.8 fps -23%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
41.9 fps -40%
1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
114.8 fps +187%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
40 fps
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
37.6 (30min - 43max) fps -6%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
36.8 fps -8%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (30 - 40, n=27)
35.3 fps -12%
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
66.2 fps +187%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
60.4 fps +161%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
23.1 fps
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
20.1 fps -13%
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (16.3 - 23.1, n=27)
20.1 fps -13%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
19.9 (15min - 24max) fps -14%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
18.8 fps -19%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
13.3 fps -42%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Asus TUF FX705GM
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile
36.5 fps +204%
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
34.4 fps +187%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
12 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (9 - 16, n=24)
11.6 fps -3%
Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro i7
Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce MX150
11.5 (9min - 14max) fps -4%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
11.5 fps -4%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
10 fps -17%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
8.1 fps -32%
BioShock Infinite
1280x720 Very Low Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
323.6 fps +52%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
212.3 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (133.9 - 212, n=14)
187.3 fps -12%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
123.7 fps -42%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
117.9 fps -44%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
109.6 fps -48%
1366x768 Medium Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
238.3 fps +108%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
114.5 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (98.4 - 117.5, n=14)
109.1 fps -5%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
73 fps -36%
1366x768 High Preset
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
206.8 fps +111%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
98.1 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (84 - 100.5, n=14)
93.6 fps -5%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
61.5 fps -37%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
Lenovo IdeaPad S740-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
81.7 fps +116%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
37.8 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (32.3 - 38.1, n=14)
35.7 fps -6%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
22.6 fps -40%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
21.3 fps -44%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
20.5 fps -46%
Rocket League
1280x720 Performance
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
182.9 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (175.4 - 182.9, n=3)
178.1 fps -3%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
119.7 fps -35%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
100.7 fps -45%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
96.1 fps -47%
1920x1080 Performance
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
139.3 fps
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
 
139.3 fps 0%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
94.3 fps -32%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
76.9 fps -45%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
65.3 fps -53%
1920x1080 Quality AA:Medium FX
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (77 - 109, n=3)
92.4 fps +1%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
91.2 fps
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
61 fps -33%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
59.9 fps -34%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
46.2 fps -49%
1920x1080 High Quality AA:High FX
Average NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  (52.1 - 80, n=3)
64.3 fps +6%
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
Intel Core i7-10510U, NVIDIA GeForce MX250
60.8 fps
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 i7-1065G7
Intel Core i7-1065G7, Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Ice Lake 64 EU)
42.8 fps -30%
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 5585
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 10
38.9 fps -36%
Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15 Ryzen 5 3580U
AMD Ryzen 5 3580U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 9
30.4 fps -50%
0102030405060708090100Tooltip
MSI Modern 15 A10RB GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G: Ø37.1 (35-39)
Average of class Office  : Ø43.5 (37.4-101.1)
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 212.3 114.5 98.1 37.8
The Witcher 3 (2015) 70 40 23.1 12
Rocket League (2017) 182.9 91.2 60.8
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 55 19 13 10

Emissions

System Noise

The cooling solution consists of two asymmetric fans and three heat pipes between them that are arranged differently than on the Modern 14. Unfortunately on the Modern 15, fan noise is always present even when on Windows Power Saver or the preset MSI Silent profile. Disconnecting the laptop from AC power causes no changes to the minimum fan noise. We're able to measure a minimum fan noise of 32 dB(A) against a background of 28.3 dB(A) to be audible when in quiet environments like classrooms or small conference rooms. It's a shame that the Modern 15 is never truly silent during low processing loads unlike on most other Ultrabooks. On the flip side, running medium loads will only bump up fan noise just marginally since the fans are already at relatively high RPMs to begin with.

Running Witcher 3 results in a stable fan noise of just under 40 dB(A) which is a common range on many laptops with dedicated GeForce GPUs including the HP Spectre X360 15. We're able to record a temporary maximum of almost 51 dB(A) when running Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously before fan noise falls and stabilizes at 45 dB(A). In general, expect the Modern 15 to be louder than the typical UMA graphics-only Ultrabook.

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

(August 2, 2020 update: According to a reader and owner of a Core i3 MSI Modern 15, It may be possible to completely stop the fans when on Super Battery mode whilst running low workloads like light browsing or Word. We're unable to confirm this with our Core i7 SKU, so results may vary.)

Smaller ~40 mm fan closest to the CPU side
Smaller ~40 mm fan closest to the CPU side
Larger ~50 mm fan closes to the GPU side
Larger ~50 mm fan closes to the GPU side
2x SODIMM DDR4 slots
2x SODIMM DDR4 slots
CPU and GPU share one large heat pipe
CPU and GPU share one large heat pipe
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
UHD Graphics 630, i5-9300H, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
GeForce MX250, i7-8565U, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
GeForce MX250, i7-10510U, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Noise
8%
9%
9%
6%
5%
off / environment *
28.3
28.4
-0%
29.3
-4%
29.4
-4%
30.1
-6%
29.3
-4%
Idle Minimum *
32
28.4
11%
29.3
8%
29.3
8%
30.1
6%
30.1
6%
Idle Average *
32
28.4
11%
29.3
8%
29.3
8%
30.1
6%
30.2
6%
Idle Maximum *
32
28.4
11%
29.8
7%
31.8
1%
30.1
6%
30.2
6%
Load Average *
34.5
33.9
2%
32.4
6%
33.5
3%
30.1
13%
31.5
9%
Witcher 3 ultra *
39.5
39.8
-1%
33.5
15%
39.7
-1%
37
6%
Load Maximum *
50.9
40.2
21%
37.2
27%
35.8
30%
42
17%
47
8%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
32 / 32 / 32 dB(A)
Load
34.5 / 50.9 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: 28.3 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2043.942.74239.539.8254439.341.138.139.9314038.137.737.137.54037.939.536.538.338.95037.938.335.73736.56335.338.83635.936.78035.235.434.834.43610033.534.532.733.434.8125343433.231.634.216032.333.232.731.733.420032.632.331.431.233.425031.33231.73133.231531.33130.930.733.540030.930.130.429.935.150030.730.829.829.336.463030.130.129.229.33580030.429.829.228.935.710003129.529.228.537.2125032.531.529.228.139.7160034.93029.127.841.8200033.129.828.927.842.5250034.131.428.627.744.4315034.228.32827.940.9400029.628.127.927.741.7500029.128.327.827.440.6630028.728.327.827.338.4800028.428.227.627.334.91000028.12827.427.432125002827.927.627.330.51600027.827.827.527.328.4SPL4441.740.840.252.3N4.84.343.88.2median 31median 30median 29.2median 28.1median 35.1Delta2.11.81.40.72.9hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseMSI Modern 15 A10RB

Temperature

Surface temperatures when idling are generally flat with the warmer spots toward the center rear of the laptop closest to the processors. When gaming or running other intensive loads, these hot spots can become as warm as 45 C on the keyboard center to as much as 57 C on the bottom vents. The competing Asus ZenBook 15 with the faster GTX 1650 Max-Q runs much cooler at about 45 C to 47 C when under similar processing loads. Fortunately, the hot spots on the MSI are away from the palm rests, clickpad, and WASD keys to be unobtrusive.

We can observe no Modern Standby issues unlike what we discovered on the recent Lenovo IdeaPad S740.

Most of the waste heat exit upwards towards the front of the screen instead the rear or sides
Most of the waste heat exit upwards towards the front of the screen instead the rear or sides
AC adapter can reach over 56 C when on maximum load for over an hour
AC adapter can reach over 56 C when on maximum load for over an hour
Max. Load
 46.6 °C
116 F
54.2 °C
130 F
50.4 °C
123 F
 
 38.6 °C
101 F
49 °C
120 F
37.6 °C
100 F
 
 33 °C
91 F
32 °C
90 F
31.2 °C
88 F
 
Maximum: 54.2 °C = 130 F
Average: 41.4 °C = 107 F
46.2 °C
115 F
59.4 °C
139 F
42.4 °C
108 F
34.2 °C
94 F
45.6 °C
114 F
39.8 °C
104 F
30.8 °C
87 F
35.6 °C
96 F
34.8 °C
95 F
Maximum: 59.4 °C = 139 F
Average: 41 °C = 106 F
Power Supply (max.)  57 °C = 135 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.4 °C / 107 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 54.2 °C / 130 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 59.4 °C / 139 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.2 °C / 79 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(-) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 39.3 °C / 103 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (33 °C / 91.4 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-5.3 °C / -9.5 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 to identify for any potential throttling or stability issues. When running Prime95, CPU clock rates would boost to around 3.7 GHz for the first 20 seconds or so until reaching a core temperature of 73 C. Thereafter, clock rates would drop and stabilize at 3.1 GHz in order to maintain a core temperature of around 73 C. In comparison, the Core i5-10210U in the Modern 14 would stabilize at only 2.3 to 2.5 GHz when subjected to the same conditions. Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously would cause CPU and GPU temperatures to stabilize at 81 C and 70 C, respectively. Impressively, the CPU would never drop below 3.0 GHz.

Running Witcher 3 results in a stable CPU and GPU temperature of 69 C each compared to 92 C and 79 C on the more powerful Asus ZenBook 15.

Running on batteries will limit CPU performance. A 3DMark 11 run on battery power returns Physics and Graphics scores of 7459 and 4840 points, respectively, compared to 11006 and 4905 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 27
Prime95 Stress 3.1 -- 73 50
Prime95 + FurMark Stress 3.0 1380 81 70
Witcher 3 Stress ~4.7 1683 ~69 68

Speakers

The stereo speakers are loud enough to fill a small-to-medium sized conference room , but they are lacking in bass. Our pink noise measurements show roll-off beginning at about 500 Hz compared to about 250 Hz on the HP Spectre series. Quality is good enough for voice calls or conference calls while multimedia playback will be better with earphones. Maximum volume introduces no static or vibrations on the palm rests.

2x 2 W speakers located near the front corners
2x 2 W speakers located near the front corners
Pink noise at maximum volume
Pink noise at maximum volume
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2041.44241.42540.541.140.53139.137.739.14036.536.536.55036.135.736.16336.23636.2803534.83510034.732.734.712535.533.235.516043.932.743.920051.331.451.325056.631.756.631561.830.961.840063.430.463.450067.929.867.963066.829.266.880074.229.274.2100067.829.267.8125072.829.272.8160074.929.174.9200072.628.972.6250067.828.667.8315064.92864.940006827.968500066.827.866.8630066.527.866.5800063.127.663.11000065.227.465.21250066.327.666.31600069.927.569.9SPL82.140.882.1N52.4452.4median 66.5median 29.2median 66.5Delta51.4535.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseMSI Modern 15 A10RBApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
MSI Modern 15 A10RB audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.3% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 41% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 49% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 49% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 42% 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 6 W and 15 W depending on the brightness level and power profile. If gaming, expect consumption to be in the 59 W to 83 W range. It's worth noting that the MSI Prestige 15 is able to offer 100 to 160 percent faster graphics performance for a mere 25 percent increase in power consumption.

Running both Prime95 and FurMark simultaneously results in a temporary spike to about 109 W from the small (~7.5 x 7.5 x 3.0 cm) 90 W AC adapter. Power consumption would stabilize at 98 W as shown by our graphs below meaning that you will not be able to recharge the system at a decent rate when running demanding processing loads. A larger 120 W or 130 W AC adapter would have been appropriate. Note that the SKU with only UMA graphics comes with a smaller 65 W AC adapter.

Constant consumption when running Witcher 3 on Ultra 1080p settings
Constant consumption when running Witcher 3 on Ultra 1080p settings
Relatively constant power consumption when running 3DMark 06
Relatively constant power consumption when running 3DMark 06
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spines to 88 W before falling and stabilizing at 67 W. Interestingly, there are minor but recurring spikes of about 2 to 3 W
Prime95 initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spines to 88 W before falling and stabilizing at 67 W. Interestingly, there are minor but recurring spikes of about 2 to 3 W
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spikes to 109 W before falling and stabilizing at 98 W. Note the sudden dip to about 62 W four minutes in
Prime95+FurMark initiated at 10s mark. Consumption spikes to 109 W before falling and stabilizing at 98 W. Note the sudden dip to about 62 W four minutes in
Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.71 / 1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 6.6 / 9.9 / 14.7 Watt
Load midlight 82.9 / 109.3 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 15 A10RB
i7-10510U, GeForce MX250, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
i7-8565U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
i5-9300H, UHD Graphics 630, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G, aSi IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
i7-10510U, GeForce MX250, Intel SSD 660p 2TB SSDPEKNW020T8, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
i7-10710U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Power Consumption
-11%
27%
24%
20%
-9%
Idle Minimum *
6.6
5
24%
3.79
43%
4.1
38%
5.2
21%
6.1
8%
Idle Average *
9.9
13.2
-33%
6.9
30%
8.3
16%
8.5
14%
13.2
-33%
Idle Maximum *
14.7
24
-63%
9.2
37%
11.8
20%
8.7
41%
19.2
-31%
Load Average *
82.9
70
16%
62
25%
61.6
26%
65.6
21%
75
10%
Witcher 3 ultra *
59.4
63.3
-7%
54.4
8%
56.5
5%
74
-25%
Load Maximum *
109.3
114
-4%
108
1%
69.4
37%
92.4
15%
89.7
18%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery capacity is 37 percent smaller than on the Prestige 15 (82 Wh vs. 52 Wh) for a 15 percent decrease in battery life when under similar WLAN loads. Still, at 6.5 hours, runtimes are about average for its category. Most other 15-inch laptops have larger batteries including the ZenBook 15, XPS 15, and Spectre x360 15 for longer runtimes.

We connected a USB Type-C charger but the system would not recharge.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
15h 24min
WiFi Websurfing
6h 28min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 41min
MSI Modern 15 A10RB
i7-10510U, GeForce MX250, 52 Wh
Asus ZenBook 15 UX534FT-DB77
i7-8565U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, 71 Wh
Dell XPS 15 7590 i5 iGPU FHD
i5-9300H, UHD Graphics 630, 97 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad T590-20N4002VGE
i7-8565U, GeForce MX250, 57 Wh
HP Spectre X360 15-5ZV31AV
i7-10510U, GeForce MX250, 84 Wh
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
i7-10710U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, 82 Wh
Battery Runtime
47%
59%
85%
61%
22%
Reader / Idle
924
1289
40%
1355
47%
1147
24%
WiFi v1.3
388
503
30%
844
118%
628
62%
646
66%
456
18%
Load
101
174
72%
100
-1%
209
107%
173
71%
125
24%

Pros

+ fast performance considering the light weight
+ 2x M.2 storage slots, 2x DDR4 SODIMM
+ well-calibrated display out of the box
+ above-average CPU performance
+ compact size; narrow bezels
+ normal webcam positioning
+ full-size Arrow keys
+ easy serviceability

Cons

- slow recharge rate when running high processing loads
- no Kensington Lock, fingerprint reader or IR camera
- servicing requires tearing a 'Factory Seal' sticker
- no Thunderbolt 3 or full-size SD reader
- clickpad feedback could be firmer
- cannot recharge via USB Type-C
- slow SD reader performance

Verdict

In review: MSI Modern 15A10RB. Test unit provided by MSI
In review: MSI Modern 15A10RB. Test unit provided by MSI

You'll want to consider the Modern 15 over more well-known laptops like the Dell XPS 15, HP Spectre x360 15, Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 15, or the MacBook Pro for its lighter weight, cheaper price, and easily upgradeable RAM and storage as these are the strengths of the MSI system. The Core i7-10510U CPU pairs well with the GeForce MX250 GPU and they each run at above average speeds on the Modern 15.

Main drawbacks to keep in mind are its slower CPU performance when compared to more powerful Core H Ultrabooks, softer keyboard keys, and lack of Thunderbolt 3 support. The chassis is more prone to flexing and damage while the display is not as bright as higher-end alternatives. The Modern series is supposed to be home to affordable mid-range laptops, after all.

An annoying aspect we think deserves more attention is fan behavior. There's no reason why the system fans shouldn't be silent when idling on desktop on Silent mode or Power Saver mode. Most laptops with Core U series CPUs are quieter when under such low-power conditions.

If you can live with the weaknesses, then the Modern 15 will prove to be a powerful laptop relative to its small size and light weight. If you want more performance or something more durable, however, then consider the Prestige 15 or "proper" business laptops like the HP EliteBook, ThinkPad X1 Carbon, or the Dell Latitude 7000 series.

MSI Modern 15 A10RB - 05/20/2021 v7
Allen Ngo

Chassis
76 / 98 → 78%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
78%
Connectivity
53 / 80 → 66%
Weight
68 / 20-75 → 87%
Battery
71%
Display
86%
Games Performance
65 / 78 → 83%
Application Performance
92 / 95 → 97%
Temperature
82%
Noise
81%
Audio
78%
Camera
38 / 85 → 44%
Average
73%
80%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > MSI Modern 15 A10RB Laptop Review: The Dell XPS 15 Lite
Allen Ngo, 2020-02- 5 (Update: 2020-08- 2)