MSI Modern 15 review

MSI Modern 15

The MSI MSI Modern 15 ranks as the #705 laptops globally, achieving a LibraScore of 66. Across all metrics, this product stands out most for its #360-ranked performance among 659 laptops. Consider the MSI Modern 14 or MSI Claw, which offer higher scores while staying in the same price range.

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Key takeaways
The MSI Modern 15's performance is excellent for productivity, but struggles with demanding tasks and gaming at high settings.
The MSI Modern 15's sturdy metal body and premium feel make its build its strongest suit overall.
The MSI Modern 15's display has a low sRGB rating, making it unsuitable for creative professionals.
The MSI Modern 15 offers a metallic build, backlit keyboard, and USB-A & USB-C ports, primarily.

Is it Worth it?

The MSI Modern 15 is a well-balanced laptop with powerful internals, making it ideal for productivity tasks. Its build quality is respectable, with metallic materials used throughout (excluding the disappointing trackpad). However, its mediocre display and lack of color accuracy render it unsuitable for creative users. The speaker system is also subpar. Despite these drawbacks, this laptop remains a great option for those with general productivity needs, offering decent gaming capabilities and ample power. Ultimately, it's worth considering if you prioritize performance over creative demands or high-quality audio features.

Build

The MSI Modern 15's build is its strong suit. The laptop features a sturdy metal body with a premium feel, exuding a sense of quality and durability. The use of metallic materials adds to the device's overall aesthetic appeal, making it stand out from more budget-friendly options. However, the trackpad feels like an afterthought, compromising the otherwise excellent build quality. Despite this minor flaw, the MSI Modern 15's construction is one of its most redeeming features, making it a solid choice for those seeking a reliable and well-built laptop. Give MSI Vector GP66 HX a try—it’s designed to provide an unparalleled build.

Display

The MSI Modern 15's display is a major letdown. With a sRGB rating of just 56, colors appear dull and bland, making it unsuitable for creative professionals who need accurate color representation. The peak brightness of 270 nits also falls short, resulting in significant glare in bright outdoor settings or well-lit rooms. While the matte finish does help alleviate this issue to some extent, it's not enough to redeem the display's overall mediocrity. This is a notable drawback for anyone who relies on their laptop for color-sensitive tasks like photo and video editing. Get your hands on MSI Cyborg 15 AI if you're looking for better display.

Performance

The MSI Modern 15 is a powerhouse for productivity-based tasks, thanks to its i7 processor combined with 16GB of RAM. It handled day-to-day activities such as web browsing, watching videos, and document editing smoothly. However, when it came to more demanding tasks like 4K video editing, the CPU struggled, resulting in frame drops and reduced quality. Gaming performance was decent, but only at lower settings. The Iris Xe chipset held its ground for casual gaming, but newer games required significant compromises on visuals. Overall, while the Modern 15 excels in productivity, it falls short in more demanding tasks that require robust performance. Consider discovering the power of MSI Prestige 14, featuring the latest advancements in performance.

Battery and Charging

The MSI Modern 15's battery life is average, lasting around 7.5 hours with moderate use. It's not ideal for all-day battery life, but decent considering competitors like the Dell Inspiron series. The charging time takes a while to reach full capacity, but I didn't notice any significant delay in getting back to work after unplugging. Overall, it's an acceptable trade-off for a laptop that packs a punch with its powerful internals.

Connectivity

The MSI Modern 15 boasts an impressive array of connectivity options, including USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and an SD card reader. It also features Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 for seamless wireless connections. However, the lack of a Thunderbolt 3 port is a notable omission. For a superior connectivity, MSI Summit E13 AI Evo could be the right choice.

Features

The MSI Modern 15 boasts powerful specs with an i7 processor and 16GB RAM, making it suitable for productivity tasks. Notable features include a metallic build, USB-A and USB-C ports, and a backlit keyboard. The laptop's display is matte-finished but has mediocre color accuracy and brightness (270 nits). A stereo speaker setup is also included, but its quality is disappointing. A better alternative might be MSI Cyborg 14, featuring a next-level features.

Support and Maintenance

The MSI Modern 15's support and maintenance are satisfactory, with a decent warranty period. The laptop's build quality is respectable, using metallic materials. However, the trackpad's poor performance and lack of color accuracy in the display are notable drawbacks. Overall, it's a good option for general productivity needs, but not ideal for creative professionals or those requiring all-day battery life.

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