The MSI GF63 Skinny is the most recent in a protracted line of gaming laptops for MSI. Operating at round £649 within the UK and beginning at $695 (with extra configurations obtainable) within the US, it’s a gaming laptop computer for customers on a funds, with fewer bells and RGB-light-whistles than some players could also be used to, however at its core it’s nonetheless a fairly practical machine.
Regardless of its prime perform as a gaming laptop computer, the MSI GF63 Skinny doesn’t look misplaced at work or within the classroom, which does give it an additional stage of performance. For creatives, nevertheless, the MSI GF63 Skinny falls slightly quick, lagging behind on the subject of primary enhancing features. For video enhancing, customers would possibly need to take a look at our information to the perfect laptops for video enhancing. And whereas it’s a very good laptop computer for college kids who need to stability written work with gaming, you’ll be able to take a look at the information to the perfect pupil laptops for extra choices.
MSI GF63 Skinny evaluate: Key specs
| CPU: | Intel Core i5 Processor, eleventh Gen |
| GPU: | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU |
| RAM: | 8GB RAM (Max 64GB, DDR4-3200) 2 Slots |
| Display: | 15.6” FHD |
| Storage: | 512GB SSD |
| Ports: | 1x Sort- C USB 3.2 Gen1, 3x Sort-A USB 3.2 Gen1, 1x HDMI (4K at 30Hz), 1x Ethernet Port, 1x Mic in, 1x Headphone out |
| Dimension: | 359 x 254 x 21.7mm |
| Weight: | 1.85kg |
MSI GF63 Skinny evaluate: Design and construct
The MSI GF63 Skinny has a particular look and extra restricted customisation choices than most gaming laptops; you’ll be able to have any colors you want, as long as they’re black and crimson. It additionally doesn’t scream “gaming laptop computer”, which suggests it may usefully serve double obligation as a piece or college laptop computer with out elevating eyebrows.
The crimson edges on the keys are a stylistic plus to me, though at occasions the important thing font generally is a little tough to learn; in isolation, for instance, O and D look very comparable, so it’s not precisely a keyboard to study to kind on. The keyboard is a fairly normal non-numpad format though there’s an additional row to the proper, that includes delete/insert, dwelling, finish, web page up and web page down. Mixed with the perform key these additionally management display screen brightness, keyboard brightness and quantity.
Whereas acclimating to the laptop computer, I repeatedly hit Residence as a substitute of Backspace, took loads of screenshots (because the Print Display key has taken the place of the Delete key) and spent loads of time faffing about with the perform key after I needed to vary brightness or quantity. I’m not fully sure why not less than a few of these features weren’t alt choices on the largely empty F-row and even on their very own keys outright.
The trackpad is a really bizarre measurement and has a texture that I can’t fairly place however don’t love; there’s slightly an excessive amount of friction there. It’s not essentially the most responsive trackpad on the earth and if I used to be going to do loads of gaming on this PC I’d undoubtedly use a mouse.
The facility button is a cutout on the skinny aluminium coating on the bottom and I just like the non-standard angles of it. I’d love a fingerprint scanner, however that’s probably not an choice for many funds fashions. Whereas the bottom feels comparatively stable, I’ve one main difficulty with it: there’s a sharpness to the sides which rubs on my wrists when typing from some angles. It initially appeared like a small difficulty, however it might in all probability be a dealbreaker when it got here to issues like essay writing. In the direction of the top of penning this evaluate, I thought-about wrapping the sides in electrical tape.
On the plus facet, they’ve been comparatively beneficiant with ports; with three USB-A ports and a USB-C port, there’s in all probability sufficient house to plug issues in, though given that you just’ll in all probability need an exterior mouse (and probably an exterior keyboard) you could want an extension set.
MSI GF63 Skinny evaluate: Display and sound
One of the distinctive positives of the MSI GF63 Skinny’s display screen is its huge viewing angle. It’s simple to view from just about any angle, with little or no color change, making it snug to share between individuals at totally different angles. The brightness isn’t breathtaking, nevertheless it’s practical, and it holds up okay in brilliant daylight. Realistically, nevertheless, it’s extra sensible for enhancing an essay within the shade than battling demons on the seaside. The display screen hinge is good and stable, so not less than it’ll keep on the angle you prop it at.
The digicam is fairly bizarre however streamers will need to spend money on one thing a bit extra high-def. With brilliant lights behind me, every part shortly grew to become a silhouette, though that’s true of most traditional webcams.
Audio-wise, nevertheless, the MSI GF63 Skinny actually falls down. The audio system on their very own are extraordinarily quiet and muffled on most frequencies; the mid-range is crushed, there’s just about no treble (which is bizarre for a laptop computer) and total the sound is extremely compressed. There’s an virtually full lack of stereo info besides within the very restricted bass and a few areas of mid, which is perplexing. At full quantity (which remains to be very quiet), vocals begin turning into clearer however all dynamics are gone. I put the laptop computer onto a tough floor to see if it improved issues, however past a really slight enchancment the sound was nonetheless very disappointing. Acoustic music held up barely higher than pop, however with completely no bass and no punch. Basically, it’s like listening to tunes via the wall in your neighbour’s stereo.
One small, reasonably saving grace is the inclusion of Nahimic, an audio tuning software program. Whereas, with loads of work, it managed to make the audio system sound satisfactory, the dynamics remained poor and the music was extraordinarily compressed; these audio system merely can’t cope with any actual dynamic vary. Nahimic’s ‘encompass sound’ impact did enhance the stereo subject, however added some very odd reverb; nearly all of the enhancements had been via the equaliser, nevertheless it nonetheless solely takes the sound to ‘okay’. One other attention-grabbing characteristic means that you can put a Bluetooth speaker behind you to create a encompass sound impact for movie-watching, however for those who needed good sound you’d be utilizing exterior audio system anyway. For players with out headphones, it additionally has a sound tracker, which visualises encompass sound audio for video video games, permitting you to see if one thing’s sneaking up behind you.
General, if you wish to have some music on very quietly within the background when you work or need to make voice calls in a quiet place, the MSI GF63 Skinny has you lined. For anything, you’re going to need exterior audio system or headphones.
MSI GF63 Skinny evaluate: Options
The MSI GF63 Skinny comes loaded with a number of items of software program, a lot of which you’ll need to eliminate virtually instantly. A free two-month trial of Norton is included, which is an pointless aspect as Home windows 10 and 11 have their very own in-built antivirus, however essentially the most irritating inclusion, to me, is Microsoft Groups; not that it’s put in, however that it’s set as a startup program: why? Groups is a kind of applications that no one makes use of of their very own accord, and its classification as a vital on a gaming laptop computer is pointless.
On a extra constructive notice, the laptop computer additionally consists of the MSI-exclusive MSI centre, permitting customers to tweak the laptop computer’s efficiency and setup for various video games and usages. As talked about above, it additionally consists of the Nahimic app, permitting customers to tweak the comparatively mediocre sound system into one thing extra aurally pleasing.
MSI GF63 Skinny evaluate: Efficiency
| Cinebench R23: | Multi-core: 8,560 | Row 0 – Cell 2 |
| Geekbench 6: | Multi-core: 6,289 | Single-core: 2,069 |
| PCMark 10: | Complete: 5,486 | Row 2 – Cell 2 |
| 3D Mark | Evening Raid: 30,316 (common gaming laptop computer: 30,512 | Row 3 – Cell 2 |
| Row 4 – Cell 0 | Fireplace Strike: 10,045 (common gaming laptop computer: 2,656) | Row 4 – Cell 2 |
| Row 5 – Cell 0 | Time Spy: 4,220 (above workplace laptops, however beneath gaming laptops) | Row 5 – Cell 2 |
Gaming
The MSI GF63 Skinny is a stable alternative for gaming for those who don’t thoughts operating extra intensive video games on decrease graphics settings. I performed just a few informal video games comparable to Energy Wash Simulator on the best attainable graphical settings, and other than the followers turning into louder, the video games ran easily with out grievance. There have been some lengthy loading screens on larger video games comparable to Bethesda’s Starfield and Age of Empires IV, nevertheless it held up surprisingly nicely. The MSI GF63 Skinny undoubtedly holds its personal in opposition to normal workplace laptops on the subject of gaming, however falls down when it’s in comparison with different specialist gaming laptops and gaming PCs.
Artistic
Whereas I used to be in a position to open, set up and use Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, I’ve my suspicions that this isn’t the perfect machine for them. Inflating a comparatively easy picture on Illustrator required a good few seconds to course of, as did making use of textures. Essentially the most notable warning signal, nevertheless, was that Puget’s benchmarks did not run in any respect, regardless of a number of makes an attempt. Contemplating that Photoshop suggests customers have 16GB, there could not be sufficient reminiscence to hold out complicated design duties on the bottom 8GB mannequin of the MSI GF63 Skinny.
MSI GF63 Skinny evaluate: Battery life
The battery life on the MSI GF63 Skinny is satisfactory given the value; it runs at between 4 and 5 hours per cost, relying on use, with battery life significantly decrease (two to 3 hours) whereas operating video games. The true difficulty, nevertheless, is the cost pace; the MSI GF63 Skinny prices extremely slowly, which suggests you’re tied to an influence socket if that you must do one thing for longer than just a few hours, decreasing its viability to non-gamers; a coffee-shop writing laptop computer this ain’t.
Ought to I purchase the MSI GF63 Skinny?
To start with, critical players ought to look elsewhere. However for the extra informal gamer (who already owns a good set of audio system or headphones), the MSI GF63 Skinny is right. It handles informal video games like Energy Wash Simulator and The Sims 4 with ease and is snug sufficient operating bigger video games comparable to Age of Empires IV and Murderer’s Creed: Odyssey. There are just a few different gaming laptops at comparable costs, such because the ASUS TUF Gaming F15, which is available in at round £700 for roughly the identical spec, and the Acer Nitro 5, at round £800 for the same spec. Whereas there are just a few flaws within the design, the MSI GF63 is total a very good deal until you’re going to be doing a little critical gaming, and even then it’s usable for those who don’t thoughts the graphics being slightly decrease high quality.
