MSI Cyborg 14: A light-weight, low-cost gaming laptop computer with Steam Deck-like battery life

Desk of Contents

The MSI Cyborg 14 took my breath away once I first grasped it at CES 2024 — it is as gentle as feather.

Now, I get to mess around with it for this evaluate, and I nonetheless cannot recover from how gentle it’s. Gaming laptops are usually clunky, chunky, and chubby, and right here comes the Cyborg 14, all slim and trim, being a conveyable haven for informal avid gamers.

No, it does not have the newest and biggest internals, but it surely packs simply sufficient “oomph” to energy your favourite triple-A titles with out costing you an arm and a leg. Learn extra to see why the MSI Cyborg 14 has earned a spot on our finest gaming laptops and finest low-cost laptops pages.

MSI Cyborg 14 worth and specs

The Cyborg 14 on this evaluate prices $1,099 on Greatest Purchase, and it comes with the next specs:

• Intel Core i7-13620H CPU

• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU

• 16GB of RAM

• 512GB of SSD storage

• 14-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel show with a 144Hz refresh charge

• Home windows 11 Dwelling

MSI made this laptop computer for the avid gamers who say, “I don’t need all the bells and whistles — just give me what I need to play my favorite games.” And as you may discover out later on this evaluate, these specs could appear humble, however they pack a punch, with sturdy internals designed to ship respectable gaming efficiency.

MSI Cyborg 14 design

Lastly! A gaming laptop computer that does not really feel like a brick. I am unable to say it sufficient — this MSI machine is breathtakingly gentle. After I first picked up, my jaw dropped. I used to be anticipating heft, bulk, and cargo, however as an alternative, it is as gentle as a whisper.

It weighs simply 3.5 kilos. For perspective, the MSI Cyborg 14 weighs as a lot as a 14-inch M3 MacBook Professional. This dangerous boy isn’t any heavier than a thick hardcover ebook.

Although it could weigh as a lot as a MacBook, it definitely does not have its sleekness. In spite of everything, it is nonetheless a gaming laptop computer. It is between 0.73 and 0.88 inches thick. (The total dimensions are 12.4 x 9.2 x 0.73 – 8.88 inches.)

The Cyborg 14 jogs my memory of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, which is even lighter at 3.3 kilos (it is also thinner at simply 0.62 inches).

Design-wise, the MSI Cyborg 14 has a chassis that balances reticence and minimalism with futuristic parts. What do I imply by this? Nicely, the lid has an onyx shade with an ultra-subtle, barely there MSI insignia. However then, the lip — the a part of the laptop computer that helps you open the lid with ease — is translucent and harking back to the see-through Sport Boy launched within the late 90s.

You will discover the identical “clear” vibes on the Cyborg 14’s hinge and underside, supplying you with a peek into some inner elements. Nevertheless, maintain a microfiber towel prepared; the chassis is a little bit of a fingerprint magnet.

General, this is the gaming laptop computer you may need to carry with you on a aircraft. It will barely add any weight to your journey bag as soon as it is stuffed inside.

MSI Cyborg 14 show

The MSI Cyborg 14, as its identify suggests, sports activities a 14-inch, 144Hz refresh-rate show with a 1920 x 1200-pixel decision display. However these mumbo-jumbo figures do not let you know a lot concerning the show high quality, so I examined the display by firing up the F1 trailer from YouTube.

I wasn’t anticipating a lot — only a run-of-the-mill panel for budget-conscious customers. Nevertheless, as soon as I noticed Brad Pitt pop up on the display, I used to be shocked. I may see the tiny hairs between his brows. (Did he at all times have a unibrow?) I may even spot the faint pores on Pitt’s face and the delicate five-o’clock shadow on his higher lip.

In one other scene, a girl with gorgeous blue eyes appeared on the show. Showcasing the show’s crisp and sharp particulars, the limbal ring that surrounded her iris regarded significantly putting as dappled daylight danced on her peepers.

Nevertheless, at 235 nits, the MSI Cyborg 14 is dim AF. This is not a laptop computer that will likely be forgiving throughout ultra-dark scenes in video games. On Cyberpunk 2077, textures are daring and detailed, just like the silver lamé go well with of 1 character and the shimmery gold masks of one other NPC, however dim environments have been troublesome to see. The show can also be a problem for those who’re exterior throughout a vivid day or sitting subsequent to a sunlit window.

The show is surrounded by a thick prime bezel (that accommodates the clear lip and 720p webcam) and mid-sized aspect bezels. The chin, nevertheless, is sort of chunky, giving The Pretty OddParents’ “Crimson Chin” character a run for his cash.

MSI Cyborg 14 ports

MSI Cyborg 14 does not have a big selection of ports, however that is OK as a result of this laptop computer is supposed to help informal avid gamers and entry-level fanatics.

On the left aspect:

On the proper aspect:

On the again:

Needless to say the USB Kind-C port cannot be used to cost the laptop computer, but it surely can be used to attach a monitor.

MSI Cyborg 14 audio

Curb your expectations. At this worth level, the audio will not be spectacular. The twin-speaker setup on the Cyborg 14 is nothing particular. It isn’t dangerous, but it surely’s not terrible both.

I fired up Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” on the Apple Music app, and the funky tune sounded shallow and lacked depth. Nevertheless, whereas taking part in Cyberpunk 2077, it is more durable to understand the mediocre sound high quality (in a great way). From the myriad of intense conversations to heart-dropping hearth fights, the audio delivers clear dialogue and impactful sound.

The audio system aren’t quiet per se, however they are not bombastic both. For essentially the most half, the Cyborg 14’s sound system is sort of middling.

MSI Cyborg 14 keyboard and trackpad

The Cyborg 14’s keyboard is the one place the place one can really inform that that is, certainly, a budget-friendly gaming laptop computer.

If I positioned two laptops in entrance of you, one being the Cyborg 14, and blindfolded you earlier than asking, “Which is the cheap one?”, the Cyborg 14’s plasticky keycaps would betray it.

And truthfully? That is OK. Some budget-friendly avid gamers don’t give a flying monkey’s behind whether or not the keyboard is manufactured from hay for chrissakes — they will doubtless pair a controller to the Cyborg 14 anyway.

The Cyborg 14’s keyboard can be very clicky — maybe too clicky. When you’re “in the zone” and typing up a storm on the workplace, I would not be shocked for those who attracted passive-aggressive side-eyes kind your fellow co-workers.

No, the Cyborg 14’s keyboard is not my favourite, however at the least it appears to be like cool. It has a light-blue backlighting, which has three ranges of brightness. (There is not any RGB lighting on the Cyborg 14, by the best way, as a result of who needs their laptop computer to appear to be a maniacal disco ball?) Plus, the white letters and symbols are giant and distinction properly with the black keys.

Lastly, MSI continues that clear contact on the W, A, S, D keys (and the facility button), breaking the monotony. In any other case, it might be one other boring black-and-white keyboard.

The trackpad responds effectively to Home windows 11 gestures, together with pinch-to-zoom and two-finger scrolls.

MSI Cyborg 14 benchmarks and efficiency

Sure, MSI put a last-generation CPU contained in the Cyborg 14. (It has a Thirteenth-generation Intel Core i7-13620H, though we’re at the moment in an period the place 14th-generation processors are the newest and biggest.)

Why? To chop prices, making gaming accessible to individuals who do not have deep pockets. And likewise, as you may discover out in a bit, Thirteenth-gen CPUs nonetheless slap.

On Geekbench 6, a benchmark that stress checks the CPU, the Cyborg 14 delivered a rating of 12,073, which is sort of much like the efficiency of the Asus ROG Zephryus G14, which has an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU and the identical GPU because the MSI laptop computer (i.e., RTX 4060 GPU). It notched a rating of 12,170.

We additionally ran the Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark on the Cyborg 14. With the Excessive preset at 1080p, the MSI gaming laptop computer averaged 61 frames per second (60 frames per second is the baseline informal avid gamers typically search). With DLSS on, a function that depends on AI upscaling to squeeze out extra frames, the Cyborg 14 climbed to a whopping 113 frames per second.

For perspective, the ROG Zephyrus G14 scored a mean of 102 frames per second (DLSS off).

MSI Cyborg 14 battery life

The MSI Cyborg 14’s battery life is surprisingly lengthy for a gaming laptop computer.

For instance, the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, which additionally packs an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, lasted simply 1 hour and 17 minutes on the PCMark 10 gaming battery life check. Conversely, the Cyborg 14 lasted three hours.

That is the longest a gaming laptop computer has ever lasted on a cost since I have been testing gaming rigs for Mashable.

MSI Cyborg 14 webcam

The MSI Cyborg 14’s webcam is a little bit of a potato, as one would count on from a 720p shooter.

The laptop computer business has at all times been traditionally terrible at offering good webcams, however that’s particularly so relating to gaming laptops. The Cyborg 14’s 720p renders shade effectively sufficient, however you may nonetheless discover some noise, lack of element, and poor sharpness. I would not begin a Twitch streaming channel with this webcam — that is for positive.

Is MSI Cyborg 14 value it?

The MSI Cyborg 14 is not for fanatics who flip their nostril up at mid-level graphics, last-generation CPUs, and less-than-premium keyboards. It is for informal avid gamers who need one thing that is “good enough.”

It delivers respectable body charges on graphics-intensive, triple-A titles and a very good show for indoor avid gamers. Plus, it is unbelievably gentle. Should you’re in search of a good gaming laptop computer in your travels, the MSI Cyborg 14 is an efficient alternative.

Nonetheless, the Cyborg 14 has stiff competitors with the likes of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, which can be tremendous gentle. As of this writing, its simply $100 extra, however squeezes out extra efficiency. Nevertheless, it lasts only one hour and 17 minutes on a cost in comparison with the Cyborg 14’s three-hour battery life. Sure, gaming laptops are recognized for being power guzzlers, however at the least you’ll be able to unplug for 3 hours — which is so long as a Steam Deck lasts on a single cost — with out being shackled to an outlet.

Full of energy and portability at an important worth, the MSI Cyborg 14 is likely one of the finest gaming laptops of 2024.

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