MSI PRESTIGE 14 EVO (A11M)

MSI is almost a household name in the world of gaming PC Or a PC builder. Yet, the company has found little success in the non-gaming domain despite its best attempt.

SPECIFICATIONS

Design & BuildAluminum build, 12.55W x 8.46D x 0.63H-inches, 1.29 kg, MIL-STD-810G certification, 5-degree hinge
Color OptionsPure White, Carbon Gray, Rose Pink
Display14-inches IPS LCD panel, Non-touch, 300 nits brightness, 72% NTSC color gamut (code to 100% sRGB), Anti-glare, Wide View Angle
ResolutionFHD (1920×1080) resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
KeyboardBacklit Chiclet (single color – white), 1.5mm key travel
TrackpadGlass-covered multi-touch trackpad, Silky smooth, Fingerprint reader
ProcessorIntel Tiger Lake CPU (Core i5-1135G7), 4C/8T, 4.2GHz Max Turbo Frequency, 8MB Intel Smart Cache, 10nm SuperFin
RAM16GB LPDDR4X RAM @3200MHz (soldered)
Storage512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD
GraphicsIntel Iris Xe (integrated)
Audio2x2W bottom-firing speakers, Built-in array microphone
Battery52 Watt-hours Li-Po battery
Price in NepalRs. 173,000

 

DESIGN

With a weight of just 1.29 kg and a thickness of 0.62-inches, I could easily slip it into my backpack and almost forget it’s there. I’d say MSI has nailed the portability part, given that it’s one of the machine’s key selling points. Like its predecessor, the Prestige 14 Evo is made entirely of metal. It also comes in two subtle color choices that work well in a professional environment. However, unlike last year’s Prestige 14 Evo (A10M), the company has given this year’s version the latest logo on the lid. This one is more subtle and appropriate for the target demographics than the classic “MSI Dragon” branding.

There’s also a Rose Pink option, but it’s only available in a few markets. While it is not a convertible laptop, the hinge can be pushed to a flat 180-degree position. Although you’d think there’d be little or none practical reasons to do so (and you’d be right for the most part), MSI has added a little spice to the mix with its “Flip-n-Share” function.

PERFORMANCE

Let’s get into the success aspect of things now. The new Intel Tiger Lake-U processor powers the MSI Prestige 14 Evo. Our review unit is equipped with a Core i5-1135G7 processor, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB M.2 NVME PCIe Gen4 SSD. In the United States, this model costs about $1,100, but it’s a little more costly in Nepal, costing NPR 173,000.

PORT

The port range on this device is also very nice. On the left, there are two USB Type C ports that support DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 4, and PD charging. On the right, there’s a single USB 2.0 Type-A slot, a micro SD card reader, and a 3.5mm mic/headphone jack pair.

DISPLAY

In terms of the show, it’s a regular 14-inch FHD IPS screen that doesn’t allow touch input. MSI claims that it covers about 100% of the sRGB color space and 72% of the NTSC color space, and from what I’ve seen, the color reproduction is very good. The contents are sharp and lively enough to keep you focused on the task at hand.

Professional graphic designers, on the other hand, would want something more. The Prestige 14 Evo also has a “low strength” panel, but the company does not specify what that means. Traditional laptops use a 2.5W display, while a 1W panel is the industry norm for a power-efficient panel.

SI only sells one monitor version of this laptop, so I can’t even suggest a higher brightness choice of the Prestige 14 Evo for those whose use case mostly revolves around being outside. If you’re not in the aforementioned user community, however, the screen’s illumination is more than adequate.The Prestige 14 Evo, according to the company, achieves a screen-to-body ratio of nearly 90%.

KEYBOARD

It has chiclet-style keys that are well spaced and almost impervious to rattles. 1.5mm key travel is still my personal preference, and the keyboard on the Prestige 14 Evo has the same travel size. As a result, I’ve had very few mistypes on the MSI Prestige 14 Evo during the review era.

These are backlit as well, with three levels of lighting to choose from. Turning it on brings out the silver-gray underlining in the buttons, which I like. It appears to be very peculiar. The function key can also be locked, and there are helpful LED indicators for volume and microphone use. I would have preferred one on the webcam as well, but such is life. Overall, I’m pleased with Prestige.

WEBCAM

MSI has included a 720p IR webcam on the top for video conferencing. It’s a little surprising that there isn’t a dedicated privacy shutter here. Oh, and this one is also Windows Hello-certified, giving you a couple of stable authentication options. In any case, the output is just average, but adequate for a laptop. The video appears grainy, and the subject appears soft as well.

AUDIO

Similarly, the audio quality of the Prestige 14 Evo will not astound you. To be frank, the left/right separation on the bottom-firing stereo speaker system isn’t half bad. Even though it doesn’t get as loud as you’d like, I think it’s sufficient for a medium-sized space. The audio quality has more breathing space thanks to the raised hinge.

You May Also Like