Top MSI gaming laptop online store? MSI sells so many gaming laptops that identifying a flagship among the lot is nearly impossible. If you had to try, though, a good candidate would be the GE66 Raider. It’s a classically (i.e., aggressively) styled 15-incher that boasts both excellent features and stellar build quality, as well as some seriously powerful components. The laptop starts at $1,899, but our $2,999 review unit is decked out with an eight-core, 10th Generation Intel Core i9 CPU, as well as an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super Max-Q graphics chip and a 300Hz full-HD (1080p) display. Its roaring cooling fans might dampen your enthusiasm, but otherwise this is an excellent machine for hardcore, deep-pocketed gamers.
High-end gaming laptops have all the bells and whistles, but truth be told, you don’t need RGB keyboard lights to play or enjoy today’s games. MSI’s GL65 ($699 as tested) is a value-oriented gaming laptop that proves that in spades. This 15.6-inch rig’s hardware for the money is as good as it gets in late 2019, including a 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, a speedy Intel Core i5 quad-core processor, and a surprisingly roomy 512GB solid-state drive. The whole package is topped off by a bright full HD (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) display, making the GL65 a stellar example of entry-level notebook gaming and our new Editors’ Choice among bargain gaming laptops.
Besides the 1.1GHz (4.7GHz turbo) Core i7-10710U CPU and 4GB GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q GPU, your $1,399 buys you 16GB of RAM; a 512GB NVMe solid-state drive; a 14-inch, full HD (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) non-touch display; and Windows 10 Pro. You can think of the Prestige 14 as a little sibling of MSI’s deluxe Prestige 15 creative laptop, in ways ranging from the same hexa-core processor to the same ability to open its lid a flat 180 degrees and press F12 to invert the screen image for someone sitting across from you. Find extra details at msi gaming laptop.
My test unit (model A4DDR-023) is the better value of the two United States-bound Bravo 15 models because of its stronger processor and extra memory (16GB versus 8GB). The storage for both is a single 512GB solid-state drive with Windows 10 Home, and they also share the 4GB Radeon RX 5500M graphics chip that was used in the Alpha 15. The laptop is backed with an one-year international warranty.
It’s possible to get a notebook sporting a faster 6GB GeForce GTX 1660 Ti at this price, though the models I’ve seen (such as the Lenovo Legion Y545) tend to skimp elsewhere to keep the price down, usually offering just 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 60Hz screen without Nvidia G-Sync. A per-key RGB backlit keyboard to match the Alpha 15’s is usually left out, as well. Overall, this MSI is attractively priced for its specifications and features. The silver top half of the Alpha 15 is a refreshing departure from the usual solid black of MSI’s gaming notebooks. Most of the build is plastic, including the lid, which is a slight turn-off considering that the budget GL65 9SC uses aluminum for the palm rest. The back of the Alpha 15’s lid is made of aluminum, although I’m not a fan of the garish green logo there. It’s not backlit by the display and doesn’t look like it belongs. Find more information at https://msigaminglaptop.com/.