Perfect mobile companion, the MSI Modern 14 B4MW-204FR is a 14-inch ultrabook designed for comfort and productivity. It offers a compact size, an elegant design and a well-calibrated borderless screen. Its comfortable autonomy is precious to accompany you all day long and its advanced configuration composed of a Ryzen 5 Hexa Core, 16 GB of RAM and fast SSD storage ensures a lively and functional system on a wide spectrum of tasks (navigation , multimedia). Its small weight of 1.3 kg is a force for mobility. However, there is no Windows Hello connection mode or state-of-the-art connectivity.
Features of MSI Modern 14 B4MW-204FR
Slab | 14 “Full HD IPS (1920×1080, anti-glare) |
Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 4500U Renoir (2.3 GHz, 6 cores) |
RAM installed | 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4 2666 MHz, 1 slot |
Graphic card | AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 |
Storage | 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD |
Connectivity | 2 USB 2.0 2 USB 3.1 Type-C (Gen1), HDMI, microSD / SDHC |
Network | Wi-Fi ac (2×2), Bluetooth 5.0 |
Backlit Keyboard | Yes |
Numeric keypad | – |
Windows Hello | – |
Audio system | 2 speakers 2W |
Operating system | Windows 10 Home 64-bit |
Autonomy announced / Battery | 9 hours / Li-ion 4 cells 52Whr |
Dimensions (mm) / Weight | 319 x 220 x 16.9 / 1.3 Kg |
Chassis, connectors, screen of the MSI Modern B4MW-204FR
Name change for the Prestige / Modern range. Formerly MSI PS42, the Modern 14 B4MW keeps the chassis of its predecessor and is therefore part of an elegant and very compact multimedia vision of the ultrabook. Indeed, if the manufacturer is better known for its gaming machines, it has been able to occupy this highly contested market for a few years now and offer powerful solutions in a quality case for ultra mobility. With a weight of 1.3 kg , it plays the card of mobility, reinforced by a silhouette 16 mm thick .
The MSI Modern B4MW-204FR takes place in a robust brushed aluminum frame which adjoins the screen with a very thin frame (occupancy rate of 80% screen / case). Note that the case meets the military resistance standard MIL-STD-810G for foolproof strength (extreme heat, shock, fall, humidity, altitude, exposure to the sun). Another highlight is its four-level white backlit keyboard that makes typing in the dark easier.
As the trend dictates, MSI has chosen to surround the screen of its B4MW with very thin borders. The impression of immersion is important, especially as the IPS panel is bright and visible from all angles and although MSI has chosen to preserve the webcam in its original location (unlike previous models). As for the panel, the dense Full HD definition (1920 x 1080 px) allows you to view High Definition content in the best conditions and to modulate the display. Another good point, it benefits from an anti- reflective treatmentwhich brings its share of comfort on the move and opens to 180 degrees (flat). This function called Flip\’n\’share by MSI allows you to easily share your work and slide the laptop under an external screen.
Let\’s finish the tour of the chassis with the connectors which, despite the compact format of the ultrabook, brings together everything you need in standard formats. There are two USB ports (limited to 2.0), a USB 3.1 Type-C port, an HDMI output, a microSD card reader, as well as a mini-jack combo socket. On the other hand, the webcam does not support Windows Hello facial recognition and it seems that MSI has removed the fingerprint reader from its 14 inch. Note that the wireless modules are entrusted to Wifi AC and Bluetooth 5.0. We expected more from 802.11 AX WiFi on this new range, too bad.
Performance, battery life of the MSI Modern 14 B4MW-204FR
Inside the Modern 14 B4MW-204FR sits an AMD Ryzen Renoir (2020) processor, the low power Ryzen 5 4500U Hexa Core . This shows a significant increase in performance compared to the Ryzen 5 3500U (2019), thanks in particular to the number of cores which increases but also to the finer engraving used. Basically, it allows scores close to an Intel Core i7-1065G7 on simple tasks (web, word processing, video playback) but takes the advantage when it comes to exploiting multi-cores, in particular in more resource-intensive tasks such as video editing, exporting or occasional photo editing, where its 6 cores clearly take the advantage.
Opposite, the RAM provides 16 GB RAM (scalable), a comfortable total for multitasking and to see the coming years calmly.
The graphics part is entrusted to an AMD Radeon Vega 6 integrated into the CPU. Its capabilities are amply sufficient for everyday work and the tasks listed above and even allow some games from time to time on graphically greedy games. Most will require you to make some concessions on screen definition and / or details.
Another highlight of this MSI ultrabook is the 512 GB NVMe PCIe SSD storage . This will significantly enhance the overall responsiveness of the system on a daily basis compared to a configuration with a mechanical hard drive. Based on a PCIe interface faster than SATA3, the SSD ensures shortened load times, almost instantaneous Windows launch and very fast file copies, not to mention the qualities in terms of energy savings, durability and silence from the SSD. Not to spoil anything, its capacity is not ridiculous and can accommodate a good part of your game library.
Autonomy is finally part of the strengths of the MSI Modern 14 B4MW and totals here nearly 9 hours of web browsing with active WiFi. It\’s satisfying and perfect for nomads.
Be First to Comment