Best MSI Gaming Laptop

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Pros & Cons

• Ultra-thin
• Build quality

• Heats up which could cause throttling

Key Features

• RAM: 32 GB DDR4
• CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB)
• Display: 1920 x 1080
• Refresh rate: 144Hz

MSI GS65 Stealth THIN-259 Review

In one of our other articles, we mentioned how slim the GV62 8RD-200 is; that was before we got to the GS65 Stealth Thin. Sorry, GV62, but the GS65 kicks ass when it comes to portability at only 0.7 inches – yep, we were thrilled too, but the name is in the title. Despite how thin the GS65 it is it packs in a hefty amount of power into such a slim design.

Unlike other MSIs out there, this one doesn’t come with the typical grain finish, allowing for a much smoother aesthetic for a premium-quality look. You won’t have to be tired of those thick bezels consuming the majority of your screen with this MSI. The bezels on this one are almost non-existent, maximizing the viewing space with an 82% screen-to-body ratio, saving you money on an extra monitor suitable for gaming.

SteelSeries is back at it again with the quality keyboard with reliable, durable key switches. Each key is programmable to suit the aesthetic you’re going for – the SteelSeries app even includes templates to choose from that include flags so you can rep your home country. The ‘Numpad’ is gone on the GS75 Stealth Thin, adios, and hello to a central keyboard.

Aside from the high-quality build and compact design, the MSI GS65 packs in a lot of power. It is ready for you to throw the latest, high system-requirement games at it with its GTX-1070 GPU and its six-core i7-8750H processor – yes, we did say six cores. These six cores allow for extremely high computing performance, except we don’t suggest heavy CPU loads for an extended period as thermal throttling does occur.

Colors are almost true-to-life making this a perfect laptop for photo editors, while gaming scenes look like they could pop out of your screen – let’s hope you aren’t playing Resident Evil.

The battery life – like on many laptops – isn’t the best. It can last up to 2.5 hours which is good enough, just not for long trips on-the-go. We understand that MSI has created a thin design, but this does make the keyboard flex quite a lot. To match up with the GE73, we chose the 32 GB RAM,  1 TB SSD version of this laptop to compare the price.

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Pros & Cons

• Smooth gameplay on ultra-high settings
• Fast load times
• Plenty of storage

• Battery life
• Expensive

Key Features

• RAM: 32GB
• Display: 17.3″
• CPU:  Intel i7-8750H (6 cores)
• Storage: 512 GB SSD
• Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 2080 8G Max-Q
• Display: 1920 x 1080

MSI GS75 Stealth-093 Review

Another slim laptop to include on our list is the MSI GS75 Stealth-093, which means one thing – it is slightly flimsy. The body is brushed with an aluminum finish that is fingerprint-prone, so if there are children with sticky fingers running around your GS73VR, hide it immediately!

This MSI offers lag-free, smooth gameplay with high FPS to ensure you’re able to play graphically taxing titles. During these sessions, the GS75 Stealth-093 won’t get super warm as the three fans manage temperatures. However, they do get noisy – if you’re stuck into a game, you really won’t notice.

Once again, like most MSI gaming laptops, the keyboard is top-notch for a computer. Feedback from the keys is excellent, and it doesn’t give a mushy feel as many keyboards do. The Dragon Center dashboard application that comes with MSI comes with a variety of things for you to customize and view, from altering the colors of the RGB backlighting, to seeing the temperatures and memory on the system monitor tab.

Like many gaming laptops, the GS75 Stealth-093 does not come with an optical drive which shouldn’t be an issue in the digital age where most people aim for digital games – unless you’re a collector, of course. There is an IPS panel on the MSI GS75 Stealth-093, meaning the colors are quite accurate – at 94% color accuracy, it is brilliant for gaming and other tasks.

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Pros & Cons

• Runs games well in full HD
• Comfortable keyboard with minimal noise
• MSI’s NTSC display technology

• Internals warm up fast
• Not VR ready (1050 Ti)

Key Features

• RAM: 8 GB
• CPU: Intel Core i7-7700HQ
• Storage: 128 GB SSD + 1TB HDD (5400RPM)
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (4GB)
• Display: 1920 x 1080
• Weight: 4.8lbs

MSI GL62M 7REX-1896US Review

The MSI GL62M 7REX-1896US satisfies the needs of those looking for a gaming laptop under $1,200. If you love virtual worlds and the range of new VR games out there, you’ll be saddened to know that unlike the GE73, MSI GV62 isn’t VR ready. Yet, it does pack a lot of power into a thin design for a great price.

Most MSI gaming laptops look similar, we can probably all agree, except the GV62 is a very sleek looking gaming laptop due to how thin it is compared to other MSI’s.

If you’re a traveler or often out-and-about, the MSI GV62 has a thickness of only 1.2 inches and a weight of 4.8 pounds, making it the perfect on-the-go laptop that you’ll be able to take anywhere.

If you’re all about speed, you’ll love this MSI – it boots up and launches games fast, all while running even the most difficult games with higher FPS thanks to the almighty 1050 Ti.

With these better performing games, there’s always the worry of temperatures rising, resulting in throttling. However, the GV62s cooling system does a fantastic job of managing temperatures.

While running these games smoothly, you’ll be wanting to climb to the top of the leaderboard, which often means you’ll have to have a great keyboard. Well, you’re in for a treat as the MSI GV62 features full-size, tactile feedback, responsive keyboard to ensure you’re winning in battle.

If you don’t like wearing headphones while gaming and love to unplug, the downside of the MSI GV62 is the audio quality.

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Pros & Cons

• Anti-glare
• Runs demanding games easily

• Heats up very fast
• Loud fan

Key Features

• RAM: 32 GB
• CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H
• Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD RAID + 2TB 5400rpm HDD
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 (8 GB)
• Display: 1920 x 1080
• Weight: 6.83 lbs

MSI GE73 Raider Review

Quality usually comes with a price, and the MSI GE73 Raider comes with that – but hear us out. The case on the GE73 is solid, 1.2 inches, with little-to-no flexing. If you’re not very delicate with your backpack, sometimes even forgetting that your laptop is even in there, there’s no need to worry about easily destroying this MSI.

The lid has a weight to it, protecting your screen, so you don’t have to fork out an extra few hundred dollars for a replacement – we know after spending over $2,000, you won’t want to be doing that! Speaking of the screen, the viewing angles on the GE73 are brilliant; you know what else looks great? Gameplay.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 allows for high FPS even on ultra-high settings, and some of the smoothest gameplay you’ll experience. Unlike most touchpads on laptops, the one on the GE73 is usable and comes with dedicated left and right buttons for those of you brave enough to game without a mouse.

This is also a VR-ready laptop that makes the most out of the latest technology.

Keyboards are one of the most important parts of choosing the right gaming laptop, and the RGB SteelSeries keyboard on this bad boy allows for an ultimate gaming experience. Each of the keys can be individually customized using the included software, so you don’t have to deal with the typical all-red colors – you can also change the RGB lighting on the back of the GE73 to show it off to everyone.

The camera is HD yet definitely not high quality – if you often find yourself stuck in Skype meetings, then we suggest investing in a better webcam so that you don’t look like a potato. You can get this laptop for $1900 with different configurations, but for an extra $300 you can buy our chosen version which balances performance and quality. If budget is a limitation check out our guide to budget gaming laptops.

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Pros & Cons

• Great color contrast
• Mechanical keyboard
• VR ready

• Heavy – almost 7 lbs
• Bulky

Key Features

• RAM: 16 GB
• CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H
• Storage: 512GB SSD M.2 SATA + 1TB (SATA) 7200RPM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8 GB)
• Display: 1920 x 1080
• Weight: 6.48 lbs

MSI GT63 Titan-052 Review

Beefier than most MSIs on our list, the MSI GT63 Titan-052 is a pricey gaming laptop – is it worth it?

We say it is!

The GT63 Titan can run games exceptionally well with the Intel Core i7 8th Gen processor and GTX 1080 GPU; it just doesn’t do so well when it comes to portability – unless you have a giant backpack and a good back. Much like the GS65, the GT63 comes with a six-core processor, allowing for top-notch performance which we’d expect for the price.

Like some of the other MSIs we have reviewed, the GT63 Titan features a button that can be used to activate fan boot, drastically reducing processor and GPU temperatures. Again, the fans are loud; you have to compromise when purchasing a portable gaming device. You should, however, clean the laptop fan occasionally because dust can contribute to fan noise too.

Customizable key colors are a common theme among MSI laptops; they allow you to add a touch of ‘you’ to them. Mechanical keyboards are a go-to for gamers – the SteelSeries keyboards featured on these MSI laptops are just perfect for people who dislike soft keys.

The power of the GT63 is excellent for multiple purposes, from gaming to editing where importing videos usually takes centuries. Overall, this is one of the most outstanding GTX 1080 gaming laptops.

MSI Gaming Laptop Buying Guide

When looking to purchase a laptop for gaming, there are some things that you should look out for. Below, we have listed some of the most important things that shouldn’t be overlooked.

GPU: Enhanced Video Performance

When looking to purchase a laptop for gaming, it is important that you look at the graphics card used. After all, laptops don’t allow you to upgrade the GPU and therefore you should choose one that’ll last. For this exact reason, it is important that you know what you plan on playing or even what you currently play.

If you don’t play very demanding games, you could get away with a budget-friendly GPU for gaming. That being said, we highly recommend opting for a GTX 1050 GPU or higher depending on what you play.

CPU: The Brains of a Computer

The next important thing to look out for in a gaming laptop is the processor. As we said in the GPU section above, you should first have an idea of what you intend to play before choosing a CPU. While some games may run perfectly fine on a laptop with an Intel Core i3 CPU. Other, more demanding titles will require at least an Intel Core i5 CPU for better performance.

Luckily for you, the laptops on our list feature high-end CPUs for gaming. 

RAM: Improve Your Gaming Experience

RAM (Random-Access Memory) is another very important specification that shouldn’t be overlooked. When in the market for a gaming laptop, you should ensure that the RAM is upgradable. This way, you’ll get the most out of your gaming laptop. We also don’t recommend settling any lower than 8 GB RAM for gaming—even if it means spending a little extra cash. For more information on RAM, why not take a look at our guide to the best RAM for gaming?

Resolution: Important for Crisp Visuals

Unless you’re a photo editor, resolution may not be your first priority when purchasing a laptop for gaming. Albeit, when gaming in 2019, you should aim for a high-quality gaming screen for the best possible gaming experience. Now, I don’t know about you, but good visuals improve my gaming experience significantly.

I mean, who wants to game on a potato? Definitely not us! Which is why we don’t recommend going any lower than 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Battery Life: Vital for Travelling Gamers

Battery life is especially important if you’re one to game on-the-go. Today, laptops last around 4- to 5-hours depending on what you’re doing and what you’re playing on them. When gaming, the laptop may die much faster and therefore you’ll have to carry your charger with you everywhere you go. What’s more, a high-end laptop that boasts a powerful CPU, GPU, and a high-resolution screen won’t last very long, either.

What can you do about this? Honestly, not much. Though you should take a look at the average battery life under the laptop specification. After all, it’s nice to know what to expect from your laptop.

Frequently Asked Questions – MSI Laptops

If you’re planning to buy an MSI gaming laptop, then you must have some questions. Let me try to answer them preemptively.

Which Laptop Brand Is Best for Gaming?

This depends on your preferences, and aside from MSI, great laptop brands for gaming are:

• Acer
• Lenovo
• Dell
• Razer
• Alienware

These are the most popular ones. However, if you’re looking for something different, we’d gladly recommend the best ASUS gaming laptop on the market.

Why Are MSI Laptops so Expensive?

Well, you probably already know the answer to this question. Laptops manufactured by MSI are sporting top-of-the-line quality and feature all the latest gaming hardware. There are some cheaper models available, usually manufactured pre-2015, but you’ll have trouble finding them even on Amazon.

If the price is a big turning point for you, why don’t you look at some of the best gaming laptops under $800 which can manage to run the latest titles with little to no difficulty.

Are Laptops Good for Gaming?

Portable and light, of course, laptops are good for gaming! Although gaming laptops typically have smaller screens and pretty bad keyboards, laptops have their advantages. They are portable and upgradeable, making on-the-go gaming easy. If a laptop is not luggable and a smartphone is not enough, gaming tablets are a decent option for gaming on-the-go.

Summary

Gaming laptops have become a trend recently and that’s for no small reason. Advancements in technology have allowed some pretty powerful processing units to fit slim portable chassis designs. I mean, having a massive PC station for gaming is awesome, but so is being able to game from anywhere at any time.

There are many popular laptop manufacturers, but MSI is leading right now, thanks to the awesome design decisions and the overall quality of their portable gaming machines. All of the laptops from our recommendations are top-tier, but I really recommend going for our premium pick, the GS75, as it’s probably the best gaming laptop currently available.

Sources:

1. MSI Notebook Best Performance, MSI FAQ
2. How to Increase FPS of Games, MSI Support