The MSI Prestige has an outstanding appearance right away thanks to its matte finish, squared form, and flattened edges. This laptop has a distinctive design in the back vent area and a stylish MSI logo on the top lid, but it also has a 5-degree bump-up when the cover is opened (see photo below), which improves the airflow behind the computer to help keep things cool.
GOOD DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
The MSI Prestige has a clean, contemporary appearance with small bezels and sharp corners. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a power indicator, and a low battery indicator are all located on the left side of the device. A MicroSD card reader, an Audio Combo Jack, and a USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A port are located on the right side of the device (headphone and microphone in one). If the user chooses not to use the face unlock feature, a fingerprint scanner is integrated into the top left of the trackpad to unlock the laptop.
MSI selected three simplified, monochromatic colour schemes. Two are available for the 14″ (carbon grey and bluestone), and two are available for the 15″ (urban silver and carbon grey), with the carbon grey colour being offered in both sizes.
Although this laptop is heavier than an ultralight notebook like the Dynabook Protégé, it also seems much more opulent. It gives off the impression of being a high-end device that can handle any demands you may have during a workday thanks to its sharp edges and metal finish. The stiffness of the computer is also increased by the use of aluminium in its construction. We never had the impression that we were holding a delicate piece of glass. This laptop does not require a case or the need to be bubble wrapped, so it may be placed into a bag, carried around a complex, or taken to a coffee shop.
The bezels are only 5 mm on the sides, but they are 10 mm and 20 mm on top and bottom, respectively, which is a big increase.
This screen has another distinctive quality in that it can be fully reclined to lay flat on a table. Even better, the F12 function button allows you to easily share your screen with the person seated across from you by flipping it 180 degrees. As the screen is not touch-sensitive, this just allows for viewing of the content on the screen and not for interaction with it.
IN USE
A 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU power the MSI Prestige 14″. We never experienced any throttling or slowness while using this laptop for daily tasks because spreadsheets, text documents, and pdf files opened quickly and could be processed and modified without any lag. Thanks to the rapid integrated Wi-Fi 6E, emails and virtual meetings felt speedier. The Prestige had no issues running multiple monitors, several dozen Google Chrome tabs open, Spotify audio playing, and Slack chats open.
Because Windows Hello is already incorporated into this laptop, unlocking it simply required a quick glance after you went through the procedure of adding your face. The built-in fingerprint scanner is located at the top left of the trackpad if, for some reason, it doesn’t work or if you don’t want to use your face for security. The facial scanning only once failed during our tests. We were in a hurry to unlock and were holding the laptop in our hands while standing, so it might have been a user error.
The laptop’s speakers were a pleasant surprise. We expected them to be mediocre because this laptop isn’t made for excellent audio quality, video editing, or audio engineering, but we were pleasantly surprised by the level of quality. These are certainly not going to replace any dedicated speakers or headphones, but they work just fine for a fast online meeting while you’re on the go, some background music at your office, or a quick film.
The trackpad on this business laptop was snappy, simple to operate, and a good size, turning out to be a little wider than anticipated. Nevertheless, we soon learned to value the extra width. Even during extended work hours and all-day use, the keyboard’s keys were comfortable to type on. While typing, the keys made a satisfying but not unduly loud clicking sound that would not disturb someone working nearby or grow grating after a while. For individuals who might carry this laptop around or only use the built-in keyboard, this ease of usage is fantastic news.
Without having expert understanding of how particular applications affect total computing power and performance, the MSI Center Pro app enables pro-level modifications. Options for this setting include High Performance, Balanced, Silent, and Super Battery, which can be chosen through the application’s window or by physically assigning the F-keys. Although there were modest performance adjustments, nothing outlandish was observed. The same is true for battery life; at most, we managed to squeeze close to seven hours of use out of the battery despite using the device for a variety of basic chores and being mindful of attempting to avoid using the charger for as long as possible.
Without having any prior professional experience, the MSI Center Pro app enables pro-level changes.
This laptop’s camera and microphone provided a passable, albeit unimpressive, visual experience and overall high-quality audio.
The 720p camera is adequate for fast virtual meetings on the road, but if you like a high-quality image, choose an external webcam. However, the Prestige can block out background noise whether you’re in a coffee shop or co-working environment owing to MSI’s AI Noise Cancellation, making it easier for people in virtual meetings with you to work without being interrupted.
FINAL VERDICT
The MSI Prestige 14″ excels in productivity and business applications, however it is not the best choice for producers or editors of visual content.
The Prestige was a pleasure to use and easily handled days’ worth of email, spreadsheets, and text documents. The additional connectors were a welcome change of pace as Thunderbolt ports now seem to be the norm for laptops. With two quick, more secure, and quicker options than even the most complex alphanumeric passcode, the security options made signing in simple.
We like it a lot visually because we like matte dark greys and simple styles. We especially liked the scarcely noticeable branding and the dark accents.
The MSI Prestige 14″ is worth considering if you’re looking for a powerhouse that spends most of its time at a desk and is not always on the go, but its short battery life is a significant drawback.
