MSI's Modern 14 C13M is the inexpensive little cousin of the Modern 15 B13M . Like its 15.6-inch big brother, the 14-inch Modern 14 C13M is built around a non-touch Full-HD screen in 16:9 format. Moving to a more modern 16:10 screen would provide more workspace, which would be preferable. However, for a laptop at this price, the Modern 14 C13M offers solid build quality and enough RAM to serve as a daily work machine, provided you don't have creative aspirations requiring graphics applications demanding.
Based on a 13th generation Intel Core i5 U-series processor (it is also available in a slightly more expensive version with a Core i7), the Modern 14 C13M is a high-performance laptop for school and professional use. At just over two pounds, it's portable enough for daily commutes around campus or to the local coffee shop. Just be sure to bring the charger for longer outings, as battery life is below average.
MSI Modern 14 C13M Specifications
Our MSI Modern 14 review system (model C13M-606US / C13M-415XFR in France) is not customizable and has a Core i5-1335U processor, 16 GB of RAM, integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics card and a 512 GB SSD hard drive. The 15.6-inch screen offers a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, but is not touchscreen. The price when it was launched was €849.
photo credit: Matt Elliott/CNET
The Modern 14 C13M performed well in lab tests. Its benchmark test results were in line with more expensive devices with Core i7 chips. Its Core i5-1335U processor is very similar to the Core i7-1355U. The Core i5-1335U simply runs at a lower frequency. In most cases, you won't see the difference between the two. None are suitable for demanding graphics applications when paired with an integrated Intel GPU, but they offer enough power for general office tasks and school work, unless your studies include scientific, engineering or CAD.
We found the Modern C13M to provide a smooth Windows experience, including when multitasking and browsing the web with dozens of tabs open in Chrome. Quiet during operation, the bottom panel only heated slightly after long periods of use, when running multiple apps while streaming video. We also appreciated having 512GB SSD storage, as many laptops at this price only offer a 256GB SSD.
Despite using an efficient 15-watt U-series processor, the Modern 14 C13M does not offer excellent battery life. It lasted just over 6 hours in our online streaming battery drain test, which is below average. The culprit isn't Intel's U-series processor, but rather the undersized three-cell 38-watt-hour battery.
Excellent build quality for this budget
Many laptops priced around $800 have a flimsy, creaky plastic shell, but MSI added some metal to the Modern 14 C13M's makeup. It's not an all-metal design, but there is more aluminum than plastic. The cover and palm rest are made of aluminum, while the bottom panel is made of plastic. Metal and plastic surfaces are rigid and resist bending quite well.
The Modern 14 C13M is available in three colors. We received the Pink Beige option. In reality, it is more pink than beige. You can opt for the more sober silver or black options.
photo credit: Matt Elliott/CNET
With a weight of 1.4 kg, the laptop is light enough for everyday travel, but you may feel a little cramped if you plan to use it as your primary work computer. We find that there is an appreciable difference between working on a 14-inch screen in 16:9 format and on a 14-inch screen in 16:10 format. The extra space from top to bottom makes a 16:10 screen of this size feel much larger. More lines of text fit on the screen, making it easier to read documents and web pages because you don't have to scroll as much as on the Modern 14 C13M's screen. And considering the large menus at the top of windows in apps like Chrome, Outlook, and Word, the number of lines that appear on the screen is already limited.
The screen dimensions are not its only drawback. While the Modern 14 C13M's overall design may be better than the average budget laptop, its screen is no better than most entry-level models. It is dark and the viewing angles are poor. When tested with a Spyder . The color performance of the screen is also poor. It only covers 69% of sRGB color spaces, 52% of AdobeRGB color spaces, and 51% of P3 color spaces.
On the other hand, the Full HD resolution provides enough pixel density on the 14-inch screen for text and image edges to be sharp. Additionally, the screen's anti-glare finish means you won't be bothered by reflections while you work.
photo credit: Matt Elliott/CNET
The screen hinge can rotate 180 degrees, allowing the screen to lay flat. This flexibility is mainly used to share the content of your screen with someone sitting in front of you. But in this scenario, this person would be looking at everything backwards. This is where MSI's Flip-n-Share feature comes in, which allows you to flip the screen by pressing the F12 key. It's a feature you probably won't use very often, but it's well designed. The screen rotates quickly without any video artifacts appearing or the screen going black for any length of time.
Sharing audio on the Modern 14 C13M will be a challenge. The basic 2-watt stereo speakers produce weak sound that is not suitable for music playback and is just enough for watching YouTube, Netflix and the like. Even at maximum volume, we had difficulty hearing dialogue during series and films.
Above the screen is an inexpensive webcam. This is a 720p webcam that produces a grainier image than you'll get with a more modern 1080p camera. However, among 720p webcams, it is not bad. The image has some noise, but the exposure is well balanced and the colors are accurate.
photo credit: Matt Elliott/CNET
The keyboard is spacious and the keys are firm and quiet. There is a three-level backlight but no fingerprint reader. And without an IR sensor on the webcam, you'll have to enter passwords instead of relying on biometric authentication. The touchpad's click response is a little louder than one would like. However, we cannot say that it is really noisy.
photo credit: Matt Elliott/CNET
The Modern 14 C13M offers a useful selection of external connections, with USB-C and USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a combo audio jack, and even a microSD card slot. Like other entry-level models, the laptop does not support Thunderbolt 4. The single USB-C offers USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity. We often balk at having just one USB port -C, but since the Modern 14 C13M's power adapter uses a proprietary connector, having a single USB-C port may be enough.
The Modern 14 C13M has the same flaws as many cheap laptops. Namely, a dim screen and weak speakers. Although we'd like to see it with a 16:10 screen, the 14-inch, 16:9 offers plenty of room to work while still keeping the device fairly portable. The build quality of the metal and plastic body is a cut above what's usually found on budgets, and the keyboard and touchpad are better than what's available on cheap models.
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