Top 8 Best MSI Gaming Laptop in 2023 – RTX 2060/3060, 15.6″/17.3″, 120/144 Hz, Intel i7

Micro-Star International, commonly known as MSI, introduced its first laptop way back in 2009. In 2016, the tech company became the largest gaming laptop supplier worldwide, according to a news report from DigiTimes based in China.

They offer high-end processors including i7-10th Gen, powerful GPUs like Nvidia RTX 3060, with RGB mechanical keyboards, super slim and lightweight designs, 120 Hz/144 Hz refresh rates, cooling chambers, and a lot more to make their devices stand out in the category of gaming laptops.

Every year, MSI continues to develop its wide selection of gaming laptops to compete with the performance of Desktop PCs - from the latest CPUs and GPUs, down to its unique designs and exclusive technologies.

Unique Features of MSI

1. Unique body design: MSI laptops have a very unique body design and form factor and design that sets them apart from other brand laptops like Asus, Acer, HP etc. The laptops have a metallic look and available in different colors including black and red.

2. Unique keyboard design: Most of the laptops have RGB keyboards and the key layout has full sized arrow buttons in a very ergonomic layout which most other laptops do not have.

3. High hardware specs: But the most important usp of msi laptops is that they offer very high hardware specs at extremely budget price points. If you want a laptop that has the most powerful laptop at the lowest possible price point, then MSI is the brand to go. You can get a decently powerful laptop for as low as $800.

4. Powerful storage and gpu: Almost all the laptops from MSI have nvme ssds and dedicated graphics cards which makes them perform exceptionally well for all kinds of applications and not just gaming and live streaming.

However, MSI does not make cheap budget laptops for casual office users. Most of their laptops start from mid-range.

Since all its laptops are of the highest standard, our team made a list to see how each model measures up against one another. Here's an in-depth review of 8 of the best MSI Gaming Laptops that we recommend in 2021.

Our Top Picks for Best MSI Gaming Laptops

Here are some of our top picks for gaming laptops from MSI. Most have Intel CPUs with displays of 15.6"/17.3". Graphics card includes RTX 2060, 3060 and more. With graphics cards like 3060 you can expect refresh rates of upto 144Hz at high grahics settings in most games. Even a graphics card like 1650 can deliver 70+ refresh rate at high graphics settings for most games.

1. MSI GL65 Leopard 10SFK-062 Gaming Laptop

The 10SFK-062 is one of the 5 models in the GL65 Leopard Series selection by MSI. These award-winning gaming laptops are powered by Intel chipsets and NVIDIA RTX Series Graphics.

For gamers who enjoy colorful displays, the 10SFK-062 has features that will surely impress enthusiasts. This laptop has the looks and specs that will give users the best portable gaming experience for its price range.

Features

• 15.6" FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz 3ms, 100% sRGB, 72% NTSC, IPS-Level Thin Bezel Gaming Display
• 10th Gen Intel Hexa-Core i7-10750H 2.6-5.0 GHz Processor, 12mb Intel Smart Cache, 12 Threads
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6
• 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
• 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
• SteelSeries Per-Key RGB Gaming Keyboard with Anti-Ghost Key and Silver-Lining Print
• Dragon Center with Exclusive Gaming Mode 2.0
• MSI APP Player
• High-Resolution Audio, Nahimic 3
• Intel Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth v5.1
• 720p HD Webcam
• Cooler Boost 5 Technology
• Windows 10 Home

Review

The GL65 Leopard 10SFK-062 comes with a powerful Intel i7 processor and an 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card. In combination with the 16GB 2666MHz RAM, gamers are set to enjoy competitive FPS with a stunning 144Hz display.

Real-time Ray Tracing in games is made possible with the RTX 2070. The cooling system is proven efficient with MSI's Cooler Boost 5 Technology. The laptop stays under 50°C even after running different stress tests on the CPU and GPU.

MSI's Dragon Center and APP Player allow a significant performance boost and innovation to this laptop. The SteelSeries Keyboard illuminates RGB colors per key and it's fully customizable. The build is not too heavy nor too light at 5.1 pounds which is convenient to carry around.

Keyboard and fan noise are consistently quiet, not exceeding 55 decibels. Although fan noise may increase depending on the different modes available on the exclusive software.

Battery life may be limited to less than 2 hours while gaming and up to 5 hours with normal web usage. Overall, the 10SFK-062 delivers excellent performance in multi-tasking and AAA games at max settings.

2. MSI GF75 Thin GTX 1650 Gaming Laptop

The MSI GF75 Thin Series has 11 powerful gaming laptops in their lineup. This model is an older version from the GF75 Thin series as it was first introduced in early 2020.

Nevertheless, it packs most of the key features that the latest ones have. The main difference is its GPU. If you're looking for a lightweight and powerful gaming laptop at a reasonable price, this one is worth considering.

Features

• 17.3" FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz, IPS Level Thin Bezel Gaming Display
• 10th Gen Intel Quad-Core i5-10300H 2.50-4.50 GHz Processor, 8mb Intel Smart Cache, 8 Threads
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB DDR6
• 128GB M.2 NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD
• 8GB (8GBx1) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
• Single-Lit (Red) Gaming Keyboard
• Dragon Center with Exclusive Gaming Mode 2.0
• High-Resolution Audio, Nahimic 3
• Intel Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth v5.1
• 720p HD Webcam
• Cooler Boost 5 Technology
• 6+ Hours Battery Life
• Windows 10 Home

Review

This MSI GF75 Thin gaming laptop comes with a 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU and a 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10300H Processor. It has only 1 stick of 8GB RAM but it has 2 sockets on its motherboard, which are viable for upgrades.

8GB of RAM is sufficient for multi-tasking and entry-level or casual gaming. For demanding AAA games at high settings, upgrading to 16GB of RAM is most recommended to fully utilize the capacity of this gaming laptop.

The laptop's 17.3" FHD display is optimized for 144Hz gaming. The thin bezel design maximizes the screen view for an immersive gaming experience.

The laptop has a minimalistic black aesthetic with red accents. The red backlight on the keyboard gives a sophisticated gamey touch to the whole look.

With the Cooler Boost 5 technology, games are able to run at competitive FPS and high settings without heating up too much. The battery life is expected to last for 6+ hours under normal web usage.

3. MSI GF65 Thin 10UE-047 Gaming Laptop

The MSI GF65 Thin 10UE-047 is the latest addition to MSI's GF65 Thin Series. It has gained recognition to be one of the most affordable RTX 3060 gaming laptops in 2021 so far.

With the latest GPU in the market and a powerful CPU, this lightweight gaming laptop easily outperforms its other MSI counterparts.

Features

• 15.6" FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz 3ms, 45%NTSC, IPS-Level Thin Bezel Gaming Display
• 10th Gen Intel Hexa-Core i7-10750H 2.6-5.0 GHz Processor, 12mb Intel Smart Cache, 12 Threads
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB DDR6 Max-Q Design
• 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
• 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4 3200MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
• Single-Lit (Red) Gaming Keyboard
• Dragon Center with Exclusive Gaming Mode 2.0
• High-Resolution Audio, Nahimic 3
• Intel Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth v5.
• 720p HD Webcam
• Cooler Boost 5 Technology
• Windows 10 Home

Review

This gaming laptop contains the latest graphics card in the market in 2021. It features the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 6GB, making it the most powerful gaming laptop in this list in terms of GPU.

The GPU supports Ray Tracing Technology that brings gaming graphics to its highest quality visual settings. It also supports DLSS AI Acceleration which is a remarkable feature that boosts frame rates with uncompromised image quality.

To keep up with the ridiculously powerful GPU, the gaming laptop features a 15.6" FHD 144Hz thin bezel gaming display and a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU. The display brings unprecedented speed and vibrant colors that give gamers the best visual experience on a laptop.

Moreover, the 10UE-047 comes with 16GB 3200MHz RAM. This 16GB size is the most ideal spec for RAM for highly demanding games to run smoothly.

With all the specs that boost gaming performance, temperatures will surely rise. The Cooler Boost 5 Technology helps with this issue and it can be managed using MSI's Dragon Center Software.

4. MSI GE75 Raider RTX 2060 Gaming Laptop

The MSI GE75 Raider with the RTX 2060 GPU came out in 2019. It has one of the fastest GPU performances in terms of gaming in its time, and it still competes with the latest models out in the market today.

Like its latest counterparts, this gaming laptop was built with only quality materials. It also has some of the looks and most of the features of its Raider peers at an affordable price.

Features

• 17.3" FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz 3ms, IPS-Level Display
• 10th Gen Intel Hexa-Core i7-10750H 2.6-5.0 GHz Processor, 12mb Intel Smart Cache, 12 Threads
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB
• 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD
• 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
• SteelSeries Per Key RGB Gaming Keyboard with Anti-Ghost Key and Silver-Lining Print
• Dragon Center with Exclusive Gaming Mode 2.0
• High-Resolution Audio, Nahimic 3
• Intel Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth v5.1
• 720p HD Webcam
• Cooler Boost 5 Technology
• Windows 10 Home

Review

This MSI GE75 Raider model comes with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GPU and a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU. The NVIDIA GPU features a powerful AI Enhanced Graphic system and supports real-time Ray Tracing in games.

Multi-tasking and AAA games run smoothly on this gaming laptop as it is supported by 16GB RAM at 2666MHz. The RAM is also upgradeable up to 64GB, but the 16GB is more than enough to play most of the games in 2021.

Fan noise and high temperatures are expected when running extremely demanding games and tasks. Fortunately, the cooling performance of the laptop can be optimized using the Dragon Center Software.

The laptop includes a 512GB SSD which boots up the portable PC in seconds. It has an additional 1TB HDD, perfect for storing large size AAA games.

Design-wise, this gaming laptop is flawless. The FHD display spans at 17.3" and has a 144Hz refresh rate. The SteelSeries RGB keyboard is fully customizable, a bonus for gamers who enjoy colorful vibes.

The bottom part has carefully designed vents for cooling. On top, it features the MSI logo at the center and red accents that complement the laptop's modern black aesthetic.

5. MSI GL75 Leopard 10SDR Gaming Laptop

The MSI GL75 Leopard 10SDR is the latest among the 6 gaming laptops in MSI's Leopard Series. This particular model includes a free Delca 16GB Micro SD Card for digital devices.

This gaming laptop comes with a proven and tested GTX 16 Series GPU and a 10th Gen Intel Chipset. It boasts fantastic graphics, handles AAA games with ease, and delivers overall solid performance at a fairly decent price.

Features

• 17.3" FHD (1920x1080), 144Hz 3ms, 100% sRGB, 72% NTSC, IPS-Level, Thin Bezel Gaming Display
• 10th Gen Intel Hexa-Core i7-10750H 2.6-5.0 GHz Processor, 12mb Intel Smart Cache, 12 Threads
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti 6GB GDDR6
• 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD + 1TB HDD
• 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
• Single-Lit (Red) Gaming Keyboard with Anti-Ghost key and Silver Lining Print
• Dragon Center with Exclusive Gaming Mode 2.0
• High-Resolution Audio, Nahimic 3
• Intel Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth v5.1
• 720p HD Webcam
• Cooler Boost 5 Technology
• Windows 10 Home
• Delca 16GB Micro SD Freebie

Review

The MSI GL75 Leopard 10SDR gaming laptop is powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti 6GB GPU. The GTX 1660Ti delivers a boost in gaming performance compared to GTX 10 Series GPUs.

Gaming and other demanding tasks run smoothly even at high settings with its 16GB RAM. The RAM is upgradeable up to 64GB.

The 10SDR has a 17.3" FHD thin-bezel display with a 144Hz refresh rate. It delivers fast speeds and clarity for competitive FPS and AAA games.

Cooling is made efficient with the Cooler Boost 5 Technology. Fan speeds and laptop gaming performance are manageable through the Dragon Center Software.

6. MSI GF63 Thin 9RCX-615 Gaming Laptop

The MSI GF63 Thin 9RCX-615 gaming laptop was first introduced in 2018. It comes with a 9th Gen Intel Chipset and a decent GTX 10 Series GPU.

With an aluminum hair-brushed aesthetic design, the 9RCX-615 model is easy on the eyes at first glance. It's a lightweight gaming laptop that delivers an overall efficient gaming experience for its price.

Features

• 15.6" FHD (1920x1080), 60Hz, 45% NTSC, IPS-Level, Thin Bezel Gaming Display
• 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H 2.40-4.10 GHz Processor
• NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5
• 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
• 8GB (8GBx1) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
• Single-Lit (Red) Gaming Keyboard
• Dragon Center with Exclusive Gaming Mode 2.0
• High-Resolution Audio, Nahimic 3
• Intel Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth v5
• 720p HD Webcam
• 7+ Hours Battery Life
• Brush Aluminum Chassis
• Windows 10 Home

Review

The MSI GF63 Thin 9RCX-615 is a thin yet powerful gaming laptop with decent gaming specs. It has a 9th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GPU. The 1050Ti runs smoothly for casual gaming and even the latest AAA games at moderate settings.

Although, with games set at ultra-settings, the laptop is expected to have increased fan noise, temperatures, and battery consumption. With the Dragon Center Software, these issues can be minimized to give the user an enjoyable gaming experience.

The RAM is only 8GB but it can support the GPU's power efficiently. The RAM slot has room for upgrades to boost overall performance. RAM size can be upgraded up to 64GB.

The laptop comes with a minimalistic black and red aesthetic. An FHD display spans at 15.6" with a 60Hz refresh rate.

A 512GB SSD is allocated for the OS and storage. There isn't much space for plenty of games but the storage capability is upgradeable.

7. MSI GS75 Stealth 10SE-620 Gaming Laptop

The MSI GS75 Stealth 10SE-620 is one of the first gaming laptops from the GS75 Stealth Series by MSI. It was initially introduced in 2019, and it stayed at the top of the portable PC market in its time.

In 2021, the powerful 10SE-620 gaming laptop still competes with MSI's latest models. It has minimalistic looks and it definitely has the specs to provide gaming enthusiasts an overall excellent gaming performance.

Features

• 17.3" FHD (1920x1080), 240Hz, IPS-Level Display
• 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10875H 2.30-5.10 GHz Processor
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB DDR6
• 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
• 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
• SteelSeries Per-Key RGB Gaming Keyboard with Silver-Lining Print
• Dragon Center with Exclusive Gaming Mode 2.0
• High-Resolution Audio by Dynaudio with DUO Wave Speaker
• MSI APP Player
• Killer Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth v5.1
• 720p HD Webcam
• Cooler Boost Trinity+
• True Color Technology
• Thunderbolt 3 Interface
• Windows 10 Pro

Review

The MSI GS75 Stealth 10SE-620 operates with a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GPU. The RTX Series GPU has a powerful AI Enhanced Graphic feature and it supports real-time Ray Tracing in games.

With a 240Hz refresh rate and the laptop's 17.3" FHD display, gaming visuals run smoother and faster than most gaming laptops. With MSI's exclusive True Color Technology, users can choose different display modes for several activities.

The laptop also features the latest Cooler Boost Trinity+. The cooling system has 3 fans and 7 heat pipes that provide efficient airflow and optimal thermal dissipation.

The Thunder 3 Interface is a significant feature. It supports up to 40Gbp bandwidth and delivers over 3x faster output charging for your devices.

The SteelSeries RGB Gaming Keyboard offers full customizability per-key for RGB enthusiasts. The Stealth gaming laptop finishes with a classy black aesthetic and gold accents.

8. MSI GP65 Leopard 10SEK-048 Gaming Laptop

The MSI GP65 Leopard 10SEK-048 is one of 4 RTX 20 Series gaming laptops in MSI's GP65 Leopard Series. All of the models have similar features with only slight upgrades in GPUs and keyboards.

This model first came out in 2019 but it's still recommended for gamers in 2021 because of its affordability and its overall gaming performance.

Features

• 15.6" Thin Bezel FHD (1920 x 1080), 144Hz 3ms, 100% sRGB, 72% NTSC, IPS-Level Display
• 10th Gen Intel Hexa-Core i7-10750H 2.6-5.0 GHz Processor, 12MB Intel Smart Cache, 12 Threads
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDDR6
• 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD
• 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets Max Memory 64GB
• SteelSeries Per-Key RGB Gaming Keyboard with Anti-Ghost Key and Silver-Lining Print
• Dragon Center with Exclusive Gaming Mode 2.0
• High-Resolution Audio, Nahimic 3
• Cooler Boost 5 Technology
• MSI APP Player
• Intel Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth v5.1
• 720p HD Webcam
• Windows 10 Home

Review

The MSI GP65 Leopard 10SEK-048 gaming laptop comes with a 10th Gen Intel Chipset and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GPU. The games feel real with the GPU's ray-tracing feature and AI-enhanced graphics.

The 15.6" Thin Bezel FHD display has a refresh rate of 144Hz for gaming on competitive frame rates. The Cooler Boost 5 technology keeps the laptop at moderate temperatures while gaming.

Although the fans can produce a little noise under heavy loads, the noise doesn't affect gaming performance and can easily be addressed when wearing headphones.

Included in the package is a 512GB SSD. The storage is upgradeable as it includes a SATA adapter in the box for SATA 2.5" drives.

The SteelSeries Per-key RGB keyboard looks fantastic and is fully customizable. Every MSI gaming laptop features an MSI App Player. This app allows a convenient synchronization of your mobile phone to the portable PC for an innovative gaming experience.

Conclusion

MSI's portfolio of gaming laptops is stacked. These portable PCs are fit for everyday use in performance gaming and other activities.

However, since the hardware is very powerful on MSI laptops, the battery life is usually not that high which is obvious, since more powerful hardware like larger displays, powerful gpus draw more power.

Battery life issues are continuously being addressed with each model having the MSI Dragon Center Software to optimize performance.

These gaming laptops offer powerful hardware with decent portability as their main advantage. These laptops can be used for multiple other applications like 3d modelling, animation rendering and CAD, since all of them have powerful graphics cards and cpus.

However it should be noted that msi laptops are not lightweight ultrabooks as they usually have larger displays.

In the end, gaming laptops are made for gaming enthusiasts who prefer to play wherever and whenever. Whether you"re into demanding AAA games or just casual gaming, choosing the best MSI Gaming Laptop for your budget will be a challenge.