2023-05-08 05:07:26
Now just as important as gaming laptops, ultrabooks are the subject of special attention from the main manufacturers. At MSI, the task falls to the Prestige range, available in various diagonals and configurations but with one thing in common, to be designed for mobility. Sober chassis, low weight, comfortable autonomy, so many imperatives to seduce nomads and students looking for a laptop capable of following them on a daily basis in any situation. From this perspective, the 14-inch format is undoubtedly the one that lends itself to the exercise. This is why we chose to test the MSI Prestige 14 Evo B13M, equipped with an Intel Evo platform with a 13th generation Intel Core i5 processor. To try it is to adopt it ?
Master in the art of going unnoticed
Aesthetically, the MSI Prestige 14 Evo is minimalist. A aluminum frame gray in color, with slight champagne reflections depending on the lighting, and for the only differentiating element, a discreet MSI logo (5×2 cm). The underside of the chassis is a little more elaborate with 45° ventilation grilles.
The set is good quality and inspires confidence in terms of durability over time. Some areas, especially in the center, are more sensitive to pressure but without worrying. A classic observation on an ultrabook with a contained weight (1.5 kg).
In terms of scalability, access to the components does not pose any difficulty, except for a screw hidden under a witness sticker… The upgrade possibilities are nevertheless limited to the SSD or even the WiFi card even if at the time current, with a chip WiFi 6E AX on board, interest is limited.
Simplicity rhymes with efficiency
The interior of this Prestige 14 Evo is to match, just as sober and elegant. The only downside is the clearly visible fingerprint sensor to the right of the touchpad. Many competitors are adopting a more discreet integration, through the power button. It’s a detail, but in view of the “premium” positioning of the Prestige range with a price starting at more than 1200 euros, the difference is in the details.
The MSI B13M makes up for it, however, with the presence of a camera (with physical activation button) fitted with sensors infra-rouge, thus offering the reconnaissance faciale via Windows Hello. A daily plus, just like the 1080P definition of the camera which allows you to enjoy more detailed images. Addicts to video Teams will appreciate.
Touches wide (15,7×16,1 mm), well spaced (3,7 mm), soft hit despite a short stroke (1.3 mm) and lively feedback, the keyboard is very comfortable. And this even if your use is more “ old school » or that you use it for several hours. Students will appreciate the soft sound of the keys, barely perceptible, even in the silence of a library or lecture hall. Black keys and white lettering ensure good readability in all circumstances. The white backlight can be adjusted to three intensities. No particular grievance regarding the touchpad (120×75 mm) which “does the job”.
Illuminate so you don’t get distracted
Besides its look, the other advantage of this MSI Prestige 14 Evo B13M lies in its screen. At format 16:10, it allows you to take advantage of an increased vertical display surface (1920×1200 px). The slab also benefits from a beautiful 500 nit brightnessenough to contain reflections in a bright environment, its surface is shiny. A characteristic that will not be unanimous but which allows you to enjoy an improved feeling of finesse compared to an anti-reflective / satin panel. On the colorimetric side, thesRGB space is fully covered, the contrast ratio excellent (1623:1), as is the DeltaE (2.3). Only the white point, a little high (6900K) might possibly be criticized by photographers and other demanding users.
Conversely on the sound side, it is better not to be too. Like many ultrabooks, the sound reproduction remains perfectible. In question, a rather artificial rendering that lacks warmth. Too bad because the power and the spatialization are rather better off than the average.
Prestige of an Intel Evo platform but…
It’s hard not to notice it with this sticker that sits proudly on the wrist rest, the MSI Prestige 14 Evo B13M-241FR has an Intel Core i5-13500H processor. A 13th generation CPU with 12 cores (8 efficient, 4 powerful) at a TDP of 45W.
What to ensure solid performance for most uses. No dedicated graphics card, however, so you have to make do with the Intel Iris Xe chip. The latter may be suitable for casual gamers who are not very demanding on graphics parameters (in other words, playing in Medium around 35 FPS) but suffers when tasks are able to use graphics acceleration (OpenCL or CUDA). Typical example under Davinci Resolve where despite a higher CPU power, our MSI Prestige is left behind by the Honor Magicbook and its GeForce RTX 2050. Nothing prohibitive for all that but to keep in mind when choosing for creatives who spend dozens of hours editing videos and/or managing photos in Lightroom (even if for the latter the impact remains less, at least at present, only a few very specific tasks being compatible with graphics acceleration).
Beyond performance, not having a dedicated GPU eliminates a heat source. Consequences, the temperatures remain contained, around 75°C for the CPU. At least, by staying on the “Balanced” Windows profile. By switching to “Better Performance” mode, the processor is obviously a little faster with slight gains on short tasks but at the cost of a CPU temperature which then approaches 100°C. Not of much interest to us. Stay on the “Balanced” mode under Windows and the MSI Center seems the most judicious, both in terms of heat produced and of noise pollution which thus remains below 39 dBA (compared to 43 dBA in Perfs mode). At this level, the blowing of the fan is certainly audible but bearable even in a quiet room.
Remains a bad habit at MSI, favoring low temperatures by default with a aggressive fan curve from the smallest task. You must therefore customize it via the MSI Center or opt for Silence mode (and de facto accept lower performance) to have a fan that is triggered intermittently.
Let’s end with a word regarding theautonomyconsistent with the use of an ultrabook with nearly 11h measured in current use (Web browsing, active WiFi, brightness at 160 cd/m2). Mains power is supplied via USB-C and therefore permanently occupies one of the two ports. Not always practical when you have to connect several peripherals even if Thunderbolt 4 compatibility allows you to use a dock / docking station if necessary. A third USB-A port is nevertheless present as well as an HDMI output, a micro-SD card reader and a headphone / microphone jack.
Our opinion on the MSI Prestige A14 B13M
With its Prestige A14 B13M, MSI offers an attractive ultrabook in more ways than one. Nice look, neat finish, screen in 16:10 format, latest generation Intel H series processor, comfortable keyboard without forgetting autonomy compatible with nomadic use.
But MSI is not the only manufacturer in the segment. The competition is numerous and often better equipped to do well. More affordable prices for the Asus Vivobook or a more flattering finish for the Zenbook. Without forgetting Honor or Huawei, which are just as attractive in terms of chassis and services, with the added bonus of slabs that are often better defined at an equivalent price. There remains an argument in favor of the MSI, its brighter panel (500 nits). But is it enough?
The MSI Prestige A14 B13M scores 3.5/5
- Points forts
- Bright 16:10 display
- Sober design, insensitive to fingerprints
- Good autonomy
- Comfortable keyboard
- Facial recognition
- Intel Evo 13e gen, WiFi 6E
- To review
- Fingerprint reader location
- No High Definition panel (ie 1920×1200 px)
- (Only one USB-C port actually available)
- (no dedicated graphics card)
The different MSI Prestige A14 B13M currently on sale:
14″ IPS 1920 * 1200 (16:10), Core i5-13500H, Intel Iris Xe, SSD 500 Go, 1,5 Kg
Designed for nomads with its contained weight (1.5 kg) and comfortable autonomy (11 hours), the MSI Prestige 14 Evo B13M will also appeal with its sober design, capable of suiting both students and professional users. this 14-inch MSI ultrabook, a bright panel (500 nits) in 16:10 format offering 100% coverage of the sRGB space. A plus for photographers…
14″ IPS 1920 * 1200 (16:10), Core i7-13700H, Intel Iris Xe, SSD 1 To, 1,5 Kg
The MSI Prestige 14 Evo B13M impresses with its sober look, able to suit both students and professional users. But this is not its only asset. A bright screen (500 nits) in 16:10 format offering 100% coverage of the sRGB space, low weight (1.5 Kg) and comfortable battery life (11 hours). Students and mobile users will appreciate. Just like the co…
14″ IPS 1920 * 1200 (16:10), Core i7-13700H, Intel Iris Xe, SSD 1 To, 1,5 Kg
The MSI Prestige 14 Evo B13M impresses with its sober look, able to suit both students and professional users. But this is not its only asset. A bright screen (500 nits) in 16:10 format offering 100% coverage of the sRGB space, low weight (1.5 Kg) and comfortable battery life (11 hours). Students and mobile users will appreciate. Just like the co…
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