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MSI is known for its gaming laptops but the business segment also has an affordable option in the market.
The Prestige series from MSI caters to workhorse and business users.
MSI is a brand that most of you know for its gaming notebooks in the market. But MSI caters to other laptop verticals as well, including the ones that are comparatively easy on the pocket for under Rs 1 lakh. The MSI Prestige 14 AI EVO model is available in the market and one of the few products that don’t cost you in six-digit figures in the country.
The company is catering to the business segment with this model that has a host of AI features and a reliable workhorse machine. It competes with brands like Lenovo and HP but can MSI create a space for itself among these legacy names? We decided to give it a shot for a few weeks to find the answer.
Business By Trade
There is a definite trait about business laptops with the simple but functional design. The durable plastic body on the MSI Prestige 14 AI EVO is a big tick on that aspect, and for a 14-inch form factor, this one weighs under 2 kg which you would say makes it comparatively lighter than the other business laptops. Having said that, this laptop is not going to win any design awards and MSI should be fine with how it positions this product in the market.
You have a wide array of ports on the side and the back as well. The heat management is handled by the fans on the back, which is an interesting way to use the space to add all the traditional connectivity ports.
Display That Splits Opinions
MSI has made some intriguing moves with the display on the Prestige 14 AI EVO. You get a 16:10 ratio display that has thick bezels on all sides but you have an anti-glare panel with support for a 144Hz refresh rate screen. That’s where we got confused.
The panel is not the best out there but for the price you are getting anti-glare support which is rare but a useful addition. The colours are not very punchy and in some cases we noticed the content offers higher contrast that may not suit everyone.
Many Ports But Keyboard Needs Work
Some of the sleek laptops that we have tested recently come with a big caveat, the ports are missing. MSI is making sure the Prestige 14 AI EVO has no complaints on that front, and you have all the bases covered on both sides.
You have the USB ports ( the C too), HDMI port and even the ethernet port that has become a rarity on the premium laptops these days. People have to make that compromise when they want a lightweight laptop, and get an external hub to support these devices, but not with the Prestige 14 AI EVO.
Coming to the keyboard, the layout is fairly spread out but the size of the keys and the travel feedback came with a learning curve that took us a few days to adjust to from the other laptops we were using.
We feel MSI could have used the space a little better and increased the size of the keys. Even the trackpad could be more intuitive rather than resist basic contact for controls.
Does It Work?
Now we come to the main part of any PC, the performance. It has the Intel Core Ultra 7 processor with claims to support AI features (as given in the model name). We got the 16GB RAM variant which is ideally the unit people should buy these days if they want a Windows 11 PC. The lack of a dedicated GPU was an easy giveaway for the segment it targets and that makes it less conducive for heavy gaming or editing purposes.
The AI aspect is still in its nascency like what we see from most AI laptops in the market. The overall performance is satisfactory for regular use and the thermal management seems well controlled by the fan units. We did try pushing the limits of the hardware but not by a stretch to keep it contained.
The webcam gets a shutter for privacy which is a good addition that other brands should definitely offer. There are other security features that are an essential part of a business laptop.
The built-in battery does benefit with the use of the AI Intel processor and you can easily get the Prestige 14 AI EVO to last over a day with standby time in the equation. It charges quickly but nothing in comparison to the premium laptops that we have tested recently.
The MSI Prestige 14 AI EVO is a solid offering for the regular users who want to run some basic AI tools and not high-end performance for under Rs 1 lakh. You get an anti-glare screen, a full suite of ports and a reliable battery life in the package.