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Best MSI Laptop 2024: Our top six MSI machines
In This Article
MSI is one of the top laptop manufacturers around, typically producing solid machines across the board. We’ve tested the good, the bad and the ugly to find the best MSI picks across gaming, budget, 2-in-1 machines and more. Here are our top choices.
Here at Trusted Reviews, we review laptops from many laptop manufacturers, and MSI is just one of them. If you’re considering a machine from MSI, you’re in the right place. We’ve tested many MSI laptops over the last couple of years and our favourites have been selected via our rigorous testing methods.
Our testing ranges from the real-world experiences of our expert reviewers to using industry-standard benchmarks to make important comparisons and judgements up against key rivals. If a company touts big new features, we’ll drill down to make sure it lives up to any grandiose claims, as well as put the build quality and battery life through its paces. We also make sure the display is up to snuff by using a professional-grade colourimeter.
MSI has plenty of strong laptop picks available but, if none of them take your fancy then not to worry as we’ll be testing new MSI laptops on a regular basis so be sure to check back for new entries over the coming months. There are also our guides for non-MSI options. Check out our favourites in thebest laptop,best ultrabook,best student laptopandbest budget laptoplists.
Best MSI laptops at a glance
How we test
Every laptop we review goes through a series of uniform checks designed to gauge key things including build quality, performance, screen quality and battery life.These include formal synthetic benchmarks and scripted tests, plus a series of real world checks, such as how well it runs the most frequently used apps.We also make sure to use every laptop we review as our primary device for at least a week to ensure our review is as accurate as possible.
MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo C1M
Pros
Cons
TheMSI Prestige 14 AI Evo C1Mis a well-built laptop with fast performance, forward-looking connectivity and plenty of AI features, making it a solid investment for the home and the office.
The design might not be the most exciting aspect of this laptop, but it’s by no means a dealbreaker as the Prestige 14 AI Evo C1M strikes a balance between the style and portability of a thin-and-light laptop and the functionality of a larger business machine.
While the keyboard feels a little cramped, the keys themselves offer light but crisp action with plenty of travel and tactile feedback, and the keyboard backlighting is effective. The touchpad is smooth too, responding well to multi-touch gestures.
The IPS display might not offer the perfect blacks and high contrast of an OLED panel, but it is still very bright and relatively crisp, with a 16:10 aspect ratio that proved comfortable for multi-tasking and Windows’ split-screen views during our testing period.
The Prestige 14 AI Evo C1M also offers excellent performance in mainstream apps thanks to its 14-core Ultra 5 CPU and 16GB of DDR5 RAM, resulting in Geekbench 6 and PC Mark 10 results that position the laptop ahead of theAcer Swift X 14, last year’s MSI Prestige 14 Evo and theAsus Zenbook S13 OLED. The CPU includes integrated ARC graphics for entry-level 3D speeds, while 1TB of SSD storage rounds out these specs.
The laptop comes with relatively little bloatware, though some notable preinstalled apps include the Tobii Experience privacy software and MSI Center, which is where you’ll find all of the system and diagnostic tools.
Finally, the MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo C1M packs a 90Whr battery and energy-efficient specs that make it possible to get through the average workday without pausing to plug in a charger. When it does come time to recharge, a 100W charger will get the battery from 0 to 48% in just 30 minutes.
Reviewer:Stuart Andrews
Full Review:MSI Prestige 14 AI Evo C1M
MSI Vector 17 (2024)
Pros
Cons
If you’re looking for the best MSI gaming laptop, theMSI Vector 17 HX (2024)is a refreshingly straightforward device that focuses on giving you the maximum gaming performance for your budget.
The Vector 17 HX is on the chunkier side measuring 380 x 298mm with a 3kg chassis, but there are some nice design touches such as a scalloped mid-section and a subtle colour effect on the hinges. The keyboard is large and spacious, with the keys offering ample travel and good, tactile feedback.
There’s also a good array of connectivity options, including 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, USB-A, headphone jack and Thunderbolt 4 ports, as well as a full-sized SD card slot. The laptop is also equipped with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
The IPS display has a 2560 x 1600 resolution that allows it to appear pin-sharp with fantastic levels of detail. The contrast ratio isn’t quite as impressive as OLED or Mini LED-toting rivals but the blacks still look dark and the contrast levels decent. Colours are also bright and punchy, though we wouldn’t recommend this laptop for colour-critical photo and video work as the colour accuracy falls short of other devices.
Performance is where this laptop really shines, with the Intel Core i9-14900HX and 32GB of DDR5 RAM delivering speeds that rival the fastest PCs around. The Geekbench 6 and PC Mark 10 results rivalled those we recorded for theRazer Blade 16,Asus ROG Strix Scar 18andAcer Predator Helios 18, while the Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU can run Returnal at 95fps at Ultra settings and a QHD resolution and Cyberpunk 2077 at 53fps at Ultra settings and QHD.
The battery life is quite short, supporting just a couple of hours of use away from the mains, but the 330W adapter makes it possible to recharge relatively quickly in a pinch.
Reviewer:Stuart Andrews
Full Review:MSI Vector 17 HX (2024)
MSI GF63 Thin (2023)
Pros
Cons
Like Gigabyte, MSI often comes into its own for budget to mid-range gaming laptop offerings. TheMSI GF63 Thinis our pick for the best budget gaming MSI laptop.
Getting into PC gaming can be an expensive endeavour and especially with the added premium when you look into portability through the laptop world. But, the GF63 aims to combat that, offering up an Intel Core i5-12450H processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 (45W) graphics chip, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD for less than £900.
For your cash, you can play AAA games at solid frame rates, with Returnal coming in at 50fps at Full HD on the highest setting. The RTX 40-series also bringsDLSSupscaling to help with frame rates, meaning Cyberpunk 2077 can get you 45fps at max settings at Full HD with the technology on. All of that gaming goodness is presented on a 15.6-inch Full HD 144Hz display.
Despite its low price, the all-aluminum chassis is both stylish and pleasingly understated. The keyboard is, expectedly, not up there with the best of them at this low price, but its a solid offering for both gaming and daily productivity tasking.
Reviewer:Alun TaylorFull review:MSI GF63 Thin review
MSI Titan GT77 HX (2023)
Pros
Cons
The Raider GE78 HX may be our favourite gaming laptop overall but it doesn’t prioritise the display quite like theMSI Titan GT77 HX. For its hefty price tag, this MSI machine aims to give laptops everyone they could want, being superb gaming performance and a top-tier display.
The star of the show is the 4K Mini LED panel. The luxurious technology is spread across 17.3-inches and offers up an ideal 144Hz refresh rate alongside VESA DisplayHDR 1000 and 1000 dimming zones. The brightness is stunning, with 617 nits offered in SDR mode and a whopping 1145 nits in HDR mode. For a device-focused on gaming, its an impressively accurate display as well, with remarkable contrast and eye-catching colours too.
There’s top of the line specs to back up this glorious screen too, with up to an Intel Core i9-13980HX and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 available. We tested the very best model available and saw scores hit around 100fps and beyond in games with a focus of graphical detail, and that’s at 4K resolution, a remarkable feat. At 1080p, this machine could achieve upwards of 450fps in first-person shooter Rainbow Six Siege, if the display accommodated it.
The keyboard and port selection is up to snuff too. The keys are an absolute joy, with a crisp action and pleasing feedback. Furthermore, the wide selection of ports is headlined by two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1, 2.5Gbps as well as plenty more.
Reviewer:Mike JenningsFull review:MSI Titan GT77 HX review
MSI Modern 15
Pros
Cons
Some may be forgiven for thinking MSI is solely a gaming brand but devices like theMSI Modern 15show it can do traditional wallet-friendly machines too.
The MSI Modern 15 is a laptop that could easily fool you into thinking it costs a few hundred pounds more than it does, truly living up to its ‘Modern’ moniker. Instead, it comes in at under £500 but provides top-notch productivity capabilities. With the 12th Gen Intel processor onboard and 8GB RAM included, it’s a device that’ll get the job done if you’re after something for browsing around in 10-20 tabs along with some light multitasking.
We can’t say enough about the design of this machine, it’s a marvel. It doesn’t scream luxury but it matches up with devices in the £700-plus bracket, not sub-£500 where it should be. It isn’t the thinnest and lightest laptop, but you wouldn’t be embarrassed to take this anywhere.
It’d make itself comfortably at home in a hybrid working set up too, with a solid selection of ports on offer. You’ll find a USB-C, three USB-A, an HDMI and a headphone jack. There’s a 720p webcam as well, which isn’t great on paper but it does a decent job at this price.
Reviewer:Andrew WilliamsFull review:MSI Modern 15 review
MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo
Pros
Cons
Laptops that you’d define as 2-in-1, whether they are a hybrid tablet or a laptop with a 360-hinge, feel like they are going out of style, but theMSI Summit E16 Flip Evomakes the case to keep them. There has been a mini resurgence, with a slant towards large 2-in-1 machines, like the 16-inchSamsung Galaxy Book3 Pro 360.
The Summit E16 Flip Evo is another strong all-rounder from MSI, bringing good performance, pleasing looks and a capable battery life together in one package. Displays are key on 2-in-1 devices and this laptop offers a 165Hz FHD+ panel, meaning you’ll get smooth scrolling and a solid level of detail. We would’ve liked brightness to have been boosted beyond the max 324 nits it offers but it’s more than acceptable for use indoors.
The Intel Core i7-1280p processor is a capable one, allowing for bags of productivity work and even some light editing. The Intel Xe graphics also invite you to do some very basic gaming on this device. Even when pushed, the Summit E16 Flip Evo is pleaisngly quiet, meaning you’ll rarely disturb your family at home, colleagues at work or strangers in a coffee shop.
Battery life is impressive, coming in at over 12 hours for light use. The 82Wh capacity means that you should get beyond a full day’s work and have some juice left for the next morning.
Reviewer:Andrew WilliamsFull review:MSI Summit E16 Flip Evo review
We also considered…
A good screen short of laptop greatness
Impressively powerful but lacks a cutting edge
A powerful machine for big-screen gaming
One of the most powerful gaming laptops yet
A gaming laptop at a bargain price
We’ve reviewed
FAQs
MSI offers a lot of different laptops so it’s difficult to boil down the whole range as being good or not. There are plenty of good MSI laptops, but they don’t always hit the mark and strong alternatives can often be found.
The best all-round MSI gaming laptop is the MSI Vector 17 HX (2024). However, those looking for 4K gaming should consider the MSI Titan GT77 HX.
MSI and Asus release a lot of different laptops each year, and both produce excellent devices and poorer ones. However, in our experience, Asus has a better hit rate than MSI. Alienware’s offering is smaller and often takes greater chances, this also makes it harder to find the exact Alienware laptop for you. MSI and Asus provide much wider choice.
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Hannah joined Trusted Reviews as a staff writer in 2019 after graduating with a degree in English from Royal Holloway, University of London. She’s also worked and studied in the US, holding positions …
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
